Mashed potatoes is a side dish that can be eaten after cooking or at another time. It can also be cooked in the morning or afternoon and served for lunch or dinner. In any case, regardless of the time you intend to serve it, it is always more pleasant to enjoy it when it is hot. In this article you will be told how to reheat it.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Reheating a Fridge or Frozen Puree
Step 1. Thaw the puree
To make it the same consistency as a freshly cooked puree, defrost it (if you frozen it), this will make it easier to pour in some milk and mix it. If you reheat the puree immediately after taking it out of the freezer, allow for extra time. In fact, before you can pour and mix the milk, it must warm up and soften sufficiently.
Step 2. Heat it in a saucepan
To start, pour some milk into the pot and let it simmer. Mix it with the puree until you get a homogeneous consistency and a suitable temperature. If necessary, make space in the pot and add more milk. Wait for it to start simmering, then mix it with the puree.
- Better to gradually pour the milk. In any case, the exact doses depend on the amount of puree you have prepared and the size of the pot. At a minimum, use enough to coat the bottom of the pot.
- Use a cooking thermometer to measure the core temperature of the puree. For health reasons, it should reach a temperature of at least 74 ° C for it to be safe to eat.
Step 3. Heat the puree in a pan
Grease it with cooking oil. Set the heat to medium heat. Once the pan has heated up, pour the puree into it using a spoon. Flatten it into a kind of pancake or omelette to speed up cooking. Stir it frequently and flatten it again until it is evenly heated.
- Cooking oil should moisten the puree. But if it's still dry, add some milk to rehydrate it.
- Use a cooking thermometer to check the internal temperature of the puree. For health reasons, it should reach a temperature of at least 74 ° C for it to be eaten.
Step 4. Heat the puree in the oven
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour the puree into a baking dish. Add some milk and mix to rehydrate it. Cover the pan with the lid or silver paper. Once the oven has reached the desired temperature, bake the puree and let it heat for about 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, check it at 5-minute intervals, depending on the quantities you have prepared. If you find it getting too dry, pour more milk into it.
Use a cooking thermometer to check the internal temperature of the puree. For health reasons, it should reach a temperature of at least 74 ° C for it to be eaten
Step 5. Heat the puree in the microwave
Pour it into a suitable container with a lid. Add some milk to rehydrate it. Let it heat up on medium temperature for a couple of minutes. Remove the lid, stir the puree and taste it. If necessary, repeat until the desired temperature is reached.
Check the internal temperature of the puree with a cooking thermometer. For health reasons, it should reach a temperature of at least 74 ° C so that it can be eaten without problems
Method 2 of 3: Keeping the Puree Warm After Cooking
Step 1. Take a slow cooker and grease it with butter
Pour in enough milk to coat the bottom. With the help of a spoon, pour the puree into it, mix it and set the pot to the lowest available temperature. Serve it at any time you want, remembering that you can wait up to a maximum of 4 hours. In the meantime, keep stirring it at least once an hour.
Step 2. Try a makeshift water bath
Pour the puree into a bowl. Cover it with silver paper, cling film, or a clean tea towel. Get a pot large enough to fit the bowl. Fill it with enough water for it to boil (if the pot is deeper than the bowl, be careful not to pour too much water, otherwise you risk submerging the bowl) Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to let it simmer. Put the bowl in the water. Stir the purée every 15 minutes, until it reaches the desired temperature. Add more boiling water if the water you poured initially starts to evaporate.
Step 3. Turn a cooler bag into a stove
If you don't have a free stove, use a cooler bag. Boil some water and pour it into the bottom of the bag instead of ice. Cover the bowl containing the puree with silver paper, cling film, or a tea towel. Put it in the cooler and close it. Stir the puree every 15 minutes, until the other dishes are ready to serve. If the water gets cold, empty the cooler and pour boiling water into it to keep the mashed hot.
If the cooler is too small for the bowl, pour the puree into sturdy airtight bags and store them inside
Method 3 of 3: Prepare the Puree for the Freezer or Refrigerator
Step 1. Use the right ingredients
If possible, avoid starchy potatoes, such as russets, as this will alter the texture of the mashed potatoes in the freezer. Prefer waxy or all-purpose potatoes, which contain more water. Add enough milk, butter, and / or cream cheese to keep the puree well hydrated.
Step 2. Before freezing, divide the puree into several portions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare individual servings by picking up the puree with an ice cream scoop or measuring cup. Place the pan in the freezer and wait for the portions to harden completely. At this point, place them in airtight bags or other container. Then return them to the freezer and defrost them as needed.
Step 3. Flatten the puree
Do you have little space in the freezer? Distribute the warm puree in small airtight bags. If you are not going to use it all at once, use bags that can hold a number of portions that suit your needs. Fill them and flatten the puree while they are open to eliminate any remaining air. Close the bags and freeze them by placing them where it is most convenient for you. Once the bags have hardened, stack them or arrange them differently in the freezer to maximize space.
Advice
- If you intend to freeze the puree before reheating it and the recipe asks you to use only broth, look for one that also includes milk and / or butter, because, once frozen, the broth alone will not keep it enough. hydrated to keep the initial consistency.
- Vegetable or lactose-free butter, milk, and cream cheese substitutes work just as well.
- Putting small portions of mashed potatoes in the freezer or refrigerator will help defrost and reheat them faster.
- If you are in a hurry, it is not necessary to defrost the puree before reheating it, but if you plan ahead, defrosting it will help you to reheat it faster and more homogeneously.
Warnings
- Slow cookers are not recommended for reheating a puree that has been frozen or stored in the refrigerator.
- The time and temperature required to reheat the puree vary depending on the tools you have and the quantities. As you reheat it for the first time, check and taste it often, so you can better understand how long it needs to cook and at what temperature.
