Peter Kelsch, a third-generation farmer in southeastern Idaho, kills Kelsch Farms’ russet Burbank potato plants three weeks before harvest. Once the plants are dead, the potatoes’ skins harden and cure over time, leading to less starchy potatoes and, ultimately, better mashed potatoes.
“If you dig a green potato, it won’t mash as well,” Mr. Kelsch said. “Once they’re off our farm, they’re in your hands.”
There are countless ways to turn those scratchy, brown potatoes into a mash, and one trick to serving them soft and creamy on Thanksgiving is to prepare them ahead of time. In fact, many Thanksgiving standards actually improve in taste and texture when prepared in advance. There’s the added benefit of reducing stress on the holiday, leaving more time to spend with family and friends, and, just maybe, making it effortless to get everything to the table hot and all at once.
Chilling creamy mashed potatoes stiffens and dries them, but also retrogrades their starch, which helps prevent them from becoming pasty. (You can’t save potatoes that start gluey. Shearing cooked spuds with any blade — food processor, blender or hand mixer — releases enormous amounts of starch and turns the mash into spackle.) When good, chilled mashed potatoes (and sweet potatoes) are gently reheated over a pan of hot water with more cream and butter, they become even silkier.
Gravy
Waiting until your turkey is done to start stirring gravy is stressful, to put it mildly, and it doesn’t give the starchy thickening agent time to cook out its chalky flavor. Gravy that’s been frozen for up to three weeks tastes especially rich when it’s reheated. With a second simmering, the starch’s taste disappears, but it makes the gravy extra thick, perfect for adding a ladle of freshly roasted turkey juices.
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