Garlic and Cheddar Smashed Baked Potatoes
These are my make ahead Thanksgiving potatoes. They are definitely not diet, hence I only make them at holidays or when my daughters come into town! They are good. Baking the potatoes is worth it.....boiling them can make them starchy and gummy...there is no chance of this when using baked.
These are my make ahead Thanksgiving potatoes. They are definitely not diet, hence I only make them at holidays or when my daughters come into town! They are good. Baking the potatoes is worth it.....boiling them can make them starchy and gummy...there is no chance of this when using baked.
- Carbohydrate 359.216565036 g
- Cholesterol 156.8 mg
- Fat 64.619495584 g
- Fiber 23.5868023748412 g
- Protein 70.187506872 g
- Saturated Fat 39.338873896 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (2948g)
- Sodium 404.318474 mg
- Sugar 335.629762661159 g
- Trans Fat 4.00130498040001 g
- Calories 2244 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Wash and scrub all potatoes well, put them on a baking sheet and pop them into the oven.
- Cut a portion of the top off the head of garlic, far enough down to expose the garlic cloves. Place bulb in aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap tightly and bake in 350 degree oven with potatoes.
- In an hour, remove and cool the head of garlic. Check potatoes for softness. The potatoes should be VERY soft. If they are, pull them out,** if not ** bake until very soft.
- ** When garlic is cooled squeeze out all the roasted garlic cloves to a bowl - Set aside.
- When potatoes are done, remove and cool until they are able to be handled.
- Cut potatoes lengthwise and scoop out all potato pulp into a large bowl. Set potato skins aside. Continue until all potato pulp is in bowl. I like to finely chop up a portion of the skins and add to the potatoes. If you dont like skins, throw them away.
- Take the roasted garlic and mash with a fork, add to potatoes. Add about a cube of butter in chunks, and some of the sour cream. Using a potato masher start mashing up the potatoes until JUST mixed. DO NOT OVER MIX. Continue adding sour cream and butter until you get the proper consistency. Add seasonings of your choice, salt, pepper, seasoned salt, etc...
- Fold in the chunks of cheddar cheese. Put into sprayed casserole dish, cool completely and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight if making ahead, or simply bake and serve!
- If making ahead, next day preheat oven to 350. Bring potatoes to room temp from refrigerator. Remove plastic wrap and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, uncover and cook another 10 minutes.
- You can top with chopped chives, green onions or bacon bits if you wish......
Swapping russet potatoes for waxy red varieties changes the final starch structure entirely. Russets yield a fluffy interior because their dry, high-starch cells break apart easily under a masher. Waxy potatoes contain less starch and more moisture, resulting in a dense, gluey mash when combined with heavy dairy fats. Baking tubers whole rather than boiling them prevents waterlogging. Submerging potatoes in boiling water saturates the flesh, while dry-heat baking allows internal moisture to evaporate, creating ideal conditions for absorbing melted butter and sour cream.
Make-Ahead Storage and Reheating Protocols
Assembled casseroles hold safely in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. Chilling allows the cubed cheddar cheese to firm up and the roasted garlic aromatics to permeate the potato pulp. To reheat properly, temper the casserole on the counter for 30 minutes to take the chill off the center. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil to retain moisture during the initial 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the foil for the final 10 minutes to develop a lightly browned surface.
- Over-mixing releases excess starch and creates an elastic texture. Mash only until ingredients combine.
- Adding cold dairy drops the internal temperature abruptly. Bring sour cream and butter to ambient temperature before incorporation.
