Potato mashers are one of the most useful creations for kitchenwares and utensils. Mashed potato is a popular dish in most of the region which lead to the origin of these mashers. From ages after ages our moms, grandmas prepared us delicious mashed potato. But have you ever wondered how they made it?
Well. My grandma used to mash potato with a large wooden mallet. It was heavy and difficult to operate.
Luckily, my mother has used a stainless steel potato masher. So, as you can see time to time, for a comfortable food preparing experience, mashers got evolved.
Here you will know how to mash potatoes with p’otato masher and at the end; I will tell you 10 useful ideas to use a potato masher.
Why Should You Use Potato Masher?
There are many ways to mash potatoes. You can use your hand; you can use a blender and many more.
Using naked hands for mashing potatoes is unhygienic. While you smashing potatoes, your sweat from hand also mixes with the dough. Again, it is very difficult and grimy.
When you use a blender to mash potatoes, most of it will stick to the blender-mug and blade. You can cut your finger while removing potatoes from the blade. Besides, it is a very dreadful idea to use a blender for a bung of potatoes.
Potato masher is a quick, compact, handy and lightweight tool for any kind of food smashing task. You can easily remove stuck potatoes from it. You can clean it in no time. They are hygienic. No chance of mixing up any kind of hand sweat or germs in the food.
Types of Mashers
What does a perfect potato masher look like? Well, imagine a hook. Only this time it has a handle and wide head. This was the look when it was first launched. Only that time, these mashers were made out of wood. And now, it’s made of stainless steel.
Mashers’ head can be zigzag or it can be a thin plate with small-large holes, it can be coil-shaped and many more. However, fulfilling the demand of the users, until now, there are four types of mashers in the market.
Horizontal potato masher
These mashers have a round and semi-round head. The head has lots of small holes. These holes move out air and give the potato a smooth texture. Their rubber handle ensures better grip while smashing potatoes.
Their horizontal handle ensures equal pressure distribution on the bottom.
Vertical potato masher
Resemble the classic mashers. But this time, resemble it in stainless steel. Also, classic ones had a whole bunch of weight in the head. This was not easy to move. But the new model has less weight so you can move it spontaneously without causing any pain to your hand.
They also have a rubber handle for a better grip. Their vertical handles put all of your pressure in one place thus smash the potatoes.
Potato Ricer
These models are like porta filler with a large cup. The cup has lots of small holes in the bottom with a squeezer at the top.
Electric potato masher
An electric masher is run by either battery or charge. They are cordless which liberates you to move it spontaneously. While using an electric masher you don’t need to put much force like before. Just move the device along the bowl, the masher will do the rest.
Like stainless steel mashers, this device is also dishwasher proof.
How to Mesh Potato Using a Potato Masher
Mashing potatoes were messy and difficult until the creation of potato masher. Your hand would become covered with potatoes. Using raw hand preparing food is also unhygienic. However, potato masher mashes potato in a hygiene way without making any mess. It finally turns out the best tool to mash potatoes.
Let’s see how to mash potato with potato masher.
Manual
Take a wide bowl. Put boiled and peeled off potatoes in it. Using your potato masher breaks the potatoes apart. Now crush and smash the chunks of potatoes. Add a bit of butter, salt, and milk to enrich the flavor.
After using, wash it manually or put it directly in dishwasher.
For potato ricer, first, cut your boiled potatoes in half. Take your ricer and put one piece in the cup. Squeeze it well. Don’t forget to put a bowl under the ricer. Because otherwise the potato rice will go into the bowl. Then add other ingredients. Mix them well and serve it.
I suggest you wash this utensil manually because dishwasher may not be able to clear its small holes in the bottom.
Electric
This model makes things much easier than all. Put the boiled potatoes in a bowl. And start smashing one by one. Its small blade turns the potatoes into flakes again and again, which gives it a meshed texture. As you added milk and butter, it will be easy for the blade to rotate.
The blade is removable. So, after using, put it either in the dishwasher or manually wash it.
10 Ways to Use a Potato Masher
Except mashing potatoes, potato maser has many innovative ways of usage- crushing foods, making scrambles, mixing and beating ingredients. Let’s have a look on top 10 other usages of potato masher.
1. Tomato stew
For instant tomato stew, you can use a potato masher as a tool. Put the tomatoes into the pan. Let them boil for five minutes. Then crush and mash tomatoes with the masher. Tomato stew is very popular for curry and gravy base. You can also make homemade ketchup smashing tomatoes with a masher.
2. Walnut Crusher
For pastry frosting and ice-cream frosting, many people prefer crushed walnuts. Using, fork to crush walnut is one hard task. Mash four-five walnuts altogether using a potato masher.
3. Cookie crusher
You know that cheesecake includes a dry base. And is made of crushed cookies. Blender can do it, but it will cause you another time-consuming washing task. Besides, most blenders’ blade is not removable. So, you cannot remove any left off cookie how hard you try.
Use a potato masher to crush cookies. They are handy and easy-to-wash. Also, you can press peanut cookie dough by it and make interesting designs.
4. Baby food maker
Use potato masher to make instant baby food.
For apple puree, boil apple for 5 minutes. Peel off the skin. Then crush them with potato masher. Use electric masher for better texture.
For avocado or peach puree, follow the same procedure.
For sweet potato puree, peel off the skin first. Cut the potatoes into small pieces. Put them in a bowl and steam boils them. After you have boiled, mash them with potato masher. Serve it to your baby at lukewarm temperature.
5. Tuna salad maker
For a vigorous party, tuna salad can be an amazing starter.
In a bowl, add mayonnaise, lemon juice, spices and sauce. Add tuna in the bowl. Use potato masher to mash tuna into pieces and to mix it with other ingredients.
6. Making egg salad
For a quick morning breakfast, you can make egg salad or sandwich. Use potato masher to mash the egg. Add necessary ingredients and your egg salad is ready. If you wish to eat a sandwich, simply spread egg salad on the bread. Put the other bread over, your sandwich is ready.
7. Mashing berries
If you wish to make jam crush, you have to mash berries with potato masher for quick and better outcome.
For pulpy feeling in smoothies, crush the berries with masher and add them in it.
8. Mashing avocado
Making a great avocado toast you can use masher instead of using a fork. Take avocado in a bowl. Add necessary ingredient. Crush and mix them together with potato masher. Spread them on the bread toast. And it’s ready.
To make guacamole, use potato masher for mashing avocado.
9. Pastry blender
When you need to mix solid fat (butter) into the pastry flour you use pastry blender. But you can use potato masher instead. Put cubed butter into the flour. Smash and mix them with the masher.
10. Beater
If you need to make food that needs a beater, don’t worry. Electric masher can be as good as a beater. You can make whipped cream for frosting. You can beat egg for egg scramble. You can mix cake batter with this utensil. You can beat egg white and give it a foamy texture for cake and macaroon cookies.
Final Verdict
Undoubtedly, potato mashers are the best tool for mashing not only potatoes but other boiled food as well. Their various usages made them special. You can make cream, sauce, cake, and purees by using a potato masher. Above all, a potato masher is compact and lightweight which makes it more special.
Prepare your mashed food with potato masher and enjoy a humble feast with friends and family.
