A Pair Of Gloves Is All You Need For Perfectly Textured Mashed Potatoes

A side of buttery, creamy mashed potatoes is one of the most simple and delicious ways to serve the starchy food. The dish lets you get creative with different ingredients to seriously upgrade your mashed potatoes. But you can also get creative when it comes to mashing those potatoes — including using your hands (yes, your hands) in a pair of gloves, especially if you don't have a masher or other tool handy.

When it comes to making your mashed potatoes, there are a few different methods of mashing. The obvious first choice is a hand masher because, well, that's what the time-tested tool is intended for. You can also use other kitchen gadgets, including a stand mixer or food processor. Although they might involve more cleanup, these tools are much easier and won't wear out your hands. If your kitchen lacks these tools, your go-to masher might be a fork, though it'll take quite a bit of time to get the job done, especially if you're cooking for a crowd. That's when it might be time to throw on some (clean) rubber kitchen gloves and get your hands into the pot.

Why should you use your hands instead of a fork to mash your potatoes? It will take a lot of time to get consistently creamy potatoes when using a small utensil. Trust us, your hands will also require a few breaks. Most importantly, it will be nearly impossible to get your mashed potatoes to the right level of creaminess if you use a fork. That's why your hands are the way to go if you don't have those other kitchen tools — it gives you the ability to get the potatoes to the right texture. Jump right in there and squeeze, smush, and squash until those potatoes are smooth.

The gloves are not just to reduce the mess and make things more sanitary than using your bare hands. They also prevent you from burning yourself, because to get the right consistency, it's best to work with your potatoes while they're hot. The dish is best served immediately, so you don't have time to let them cool before you get to mashing and serving. You should even let your butter and cream come to room temperature before tossing them in, to avoid chilling your potatoes. So the next time you need perfectly textured mashed potatoes in a jiffy — and without a mess — put on a pair of rubber kitchen gloves and get to work.