You love loaded mashed potatoes so just wait until you taste Smoked Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream, Chives and Bacon! In brief we’ve taken a classic mashed potato recipe and smoked it on a gas grill with Apple Smoking Chips! In addition, it’s the Holiday Season so sour cream, chives, cheese, and bacon add extra Cheer!
Thank you Western BBQ Products for sponsoring this post! Double Cheers!
Smoked Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream, Chives and Bacon
Smoked Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream, Chives and Bacon is considered a side-dish but truthfully I could eat it as an entrée with a fresh salad and call it a meal! For the most part I’ve taken every flavor element I love in loaded mashed potatoes and incorporated inside the mash or on top! Now it’s your turn to make smoked mashed potatoes your own! Or simply follow the steps below for everyone’s favorite creamy smoked mashed potatoes with sour cream, chives, cheese and bacon!
SMOKED MASHED POTATOES
What I love about this recipe is there is room for you to add or omit! If you want a chunky potato, don’t mash it as long and add less milk. Consequently, if you want a super creamy potato, add the mash to a stand-up mixing bowl, attach the whip attachment and whip away! Furthermore, if you are unsure of yourself on the grill, make the entire mashed potato dish in the comfort of your kitchen, then smoke on the grill, over indirect heat for 20-30 minutes. Lastly, if you can’t buy chives, simply use green onions!
WHAT’S THE BEST POTATO FOR SMOKED MASHED POTATOES?
Fresh is one key! The freshest potatoes come from Farmer’s Markets or stores that quickly sell and replenish their inventory. For example, that big warehouse store that everyone flocks to on the weekend – by my experience that’s where the freshest russet potatoes are sold. You can’t go wrong with buying your potatoes there with one exception you might be buying a 15-pound bag!
The potato type matters! Russet Potatoes are great for not only mashed potatoes but for smoking whole in your gas grill so don’t worry about buying that 15-pound bag! LoL In addition, I love buttery mashed Yukon gold potatoes however, Hubby thinks they are too sweet. So sometimes I use half russet and half golden potatoes for a compromise!
Russet Potatoes are a blank slate ready to soak in any seasoning added. Yukon Gold potatoes are sweeter and buttery tasting and might need a little extra sour cream to balance the flavor.
Varieties of red and white potatoes have firmer flesh and require a lot more mashing to develop creamy potatoes. But if you mash too long it leads to mashed potato paste, yuck!
The first time you make Smoked Mashed Potatoes, I suggest choosing a potato with higher starch, such as Russets or Yukon Golds, for the fluffiest potatoes. After that first cook, feel free to play around with red potatoes, purple potatoes, and white potatoes.
FIVE TIPS FOR THE BEST MASHED POTATOES
1. Salt the water!
Just like pasta, potatoes love salt! Specifically, place potatoes in a large pot, and add water just to cover 1-inch. Once the water begins to boil, add 1/2 tablespoon of water. If salt is added after the mash, there is a risk of whipping the potatoes too much as each addition of salt is added.
2. Start in cold water!
For even cooking, start the potatoes in cold salted water, then bring to a boil and simmer. If you start the potatoes in hot water the outside of the potato begins falling off before the inside of the potato cooks.
3. Reserve potato water!
When you drain the potatoes, reserve at least 1 cup of the potato water. I use the potato water after adding dairy products, completely mashing, and yet not being satisfied with the texture. At this point, I don’t need flavor or richness, I simply need liquid. Some potatoes are thirstier than others, and potato water does the trick! Stir in potato water at 1/4 cup intervals.
4. Start with room-temperature dairy!
Don’t shock those potatoes; room temperature butter, sour cream, and milk absorb into mashed potatoes more efficiently than cold. Plus, adding cold ingredients reduces the overall temperature of the dish, which isn’t what you are after!
5. Whip the potatoes to perfection!
Mashed potatoes do not like a gym workout! Mashing potatoes for too long releases lots of starch which makes them gluey, with no recovery in sight! Believe me, I’ve done that in my mixer! Be easy when mashing the potatoes by hand! My best result is when I take the time to push the potatoes through a rice or food mill. Furthermore, don’t fret if there are still a few lumps! That simply means they are homemade!
WHAT WESTERN BBQ SMOKING CHIP FOR SMOKED MASHED POTATOES?
Apple smoking chips have a subtle sweet, mild fruity flavor that is delicious with any potato, including sweet potatoes and yams!
Cherry smoking chips have a tangy mild flavor that adds character to smoked mashed potatoes.
Maple smoking chips have a mildly sweet flavor too. When serving smoked mashed potatoes with a ham or turkey dinner, maple smoking chips are very appropriate!
HOW MANY POTATOES PER PERSON?
The general rule is 1/2 pound of potatoes per person. For instance, in my recipe calls for 2 1/2 pounds of russet potatoes which means 5 servings. However, I add more sour cream, milk, butter, and potato water than an average recipe. Furthermore, I top with cheese and bacon, which means my recipe will be more filling. Therefore I can guarantee that my recipe will generally serve 2 more people than a standard recipe. All that to say if you are making mashed potatoes for 10 people, I suggest 5 pounds of potatoes.
HOW TO MAKE SMOKED MASHED POTATOES
- Fry bacon until crispy and set aside. Wipe the frying pan out.
- Peel Potatoes with a vegetable peeler. Conversely I use a paring knife because I can quickly remove brown spots. Plus when I use a paring knife for peeling potatoes I can hand the vegetable peeler to any willing body. It’s a family affair!
- Cut potatoes into 2-inch cubes with a paring knife or chef’s knife
- In a 4-quart saucepan or larger pasta pot, combine potatoes and enough cold water to cover by 1-inch. Bring to a boil then add salt and reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer for 18-20 minutes or until soft.
- Drain potatoes in a colander. I put a bowl underneath the colander to collect at least 1 cup of potato water.
- Mash the potatoes lightly.
- In a cast iron skillet warm butter and one half of the milk, sour cream, and potatoes. Mash the potatoes and continue to add the remaining ingredients. Mash until desired consistency adding more butter, sour cream, potato water, and seasoning to taste. Fold in the chives. Top with cheese and bacon bits.
- Fill a smoker box with smoking chips. Place the skillet of mashed potatoes in the center of an indirect heat zone on a gas grill once the smoke begins to drift. Smoke mashed potatoes for 20-30 minutes until warm through. Garnish with chives.
Smoky Delish Links
Western BBQ Website Western BBQ InstagramApple Chicken Meatballs make a great Holiday appetizer!
Smoked Mashed Potatoes
You love loaded mashed potatoes so just wait until you taste Smoked Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream, Chives and Bacon! In brief we’ve taken a classic mashed potato recipe and smoked it on a gas grill with Apple Smoking Chips! it’s the Holiday Season so sour cream, chives, cheese, and bacon add extra cheer!
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound bacon, chop into 1-inch pieces
- 2.5 to 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
- 1/2 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups half and half cream or whole milk, divided
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt then adjust to taste
- 1/3 cup chopped chives, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or preferred cheese
Instructions
Pick your method
Mashed potatoes can be made in your kitchen then placed in a greased cast iron skillet and smoked on a gas grill. I enjoy preparing all of the steps on my gas grill as I would on a range burner. Take your pick!
Fry the bacon
- In a cold 12-inch cast iron skillet arrange a single layer of bacon.
- Fry the bacon over direct medium high heat until crispy.
- Remove bacon from the skillet, and pat the fat off with a paper towel.
- Wipe the grease from the frying pan out with a paper towel.
Prepare the potatoes
- Cut the peeled potatoes into 2-inch pieces.
- In a large 4-qt saucepan or pasta pot, combine potatoes and enough cold water to cover by 1-inch.
- Bring to a boil then add salt and reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer 18-20 minutes or fork tender.
- Drain potatoes in a colander, reserving 1 cup of potato water.
Season and mash the potatoes
- Use the cast iron skillet to warm the butter and 1 cup of the half and half cream.
- Add 1/2 of the softened potatoes, and roughly mash with a potato masher.
- Alternative method is to use a rice mill to finely mash the potatoes and then slowly add warm butter, dairy and seasoning.
- Add the remaining potatoes, salt, granulated garlic, and onion powder.
- Slowly adding the remaining dairy, and mash until smooth or desired consistency.
- Add potato water if a lighter texture is desired. Fold in the 1/2 of the chives.
Top with grated cheese and bacon bits.
Smoke the mashed potatoes
- Fill a smoker box with Western BBQ Apple Smoking Chips.
- Heat a gas grill to medium high. Place the smoker box on the grill grate above the hottest burner. Close the lid on the grill.
- In about 10 minutes, there should be the presence of smoke. Once smoke is present, adjust the grill’s heat to 325°F indirect heat.
- Create an indirect heat zone by turning off the burner or burners that will be directly below the skillet.
- Place the skillet of mashed potatoes in the center of an indirect heat zone on a gas grill. Smoke mashed potatoes for 20-30 minutes until warm through.
- Sprinkle chives on the smoked mashed potatoes, and serve warm.
Notes
1. For holiday dinners, I make the mashed potatoes earlier in the day, and warm in the slow cooker. If warming the mashed potatoes later in the day, add the cheese, bacon and chive topping to the potatoes 20 minutes before serving not during the entire warming time.
2. To freeze leftover mashed potatoes, allow to cool then place in a freezer-safe bag. Mashed potatoes freeze for up until 2 months. Warm in the oven, covered, with added milk and butter.
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