Fried Mashed Potatoes (a leftovers recipe)

These crispy, tacky fried mashed potatoes are one of the simplest ways to offer new life to leftover mashed potatoes after an enormous vacation meal.

I really like mashed potatoes once they’re contemporary, however when you’ve gotten further, there is not any purpose to let these spuds go to waste. I’ve examined and perfected all the appropriate methods to offer leftover mashed potatoes a brand new golden brown texture, plus tons of wealthy, savory taste!

Why this recipe works

These mashed potato muffins have deliciously crispy edges and gentle middles, and so they’re stuffed with taste from sautéed onions and pork, plus simply the appropriate savory spices and plenty of sharp cheddar.

For completely fried patties each time, the key is to regulate the quantity of moisture. I will present you the best way to use the appropriate sort of mashed potatoes, plus flour for moisture absorption.

So long as your oil is on the proper temperature, your mashed potato patties will prove golden brown, by no means burnt. They usually’ll cook dinner all over.

Key components defined

Listed here are key components on this recipe and what position every performs in a profitable fried patty:

• Mashed potatoes – Type the primary construction of the pancakes in order that they should be comparatively stiff. You should utilize mashed potatoes made with or with out added butter or bitter cream, so long as they don’t seem to be too gentle.
• Flour – Absorbs a number of the moisture within the potatoes to keep away from limp pancakes. In case you’re gluten free, a flour mix that does not include xanthan gum or one other binder works greatest for delicate pancakes.
• Cheese – Provides taste, some texture and acts as a binder because it melts, serving to to carry the pancakes collectively. My favourite is sharp cheddar, for many sharp savory style.
• Mustard powder – Provides a tanginess and helps stability the richness. If you do not have it or do not prefer it, simply go away it out.
• Garlic/salt – You should utilize a mixture of garlic powder and salt, or garlic salt. Collectively, they provides umami taste and aroma, and brighten all the opposite flavors.
• Pancetta or bacon – Each kinds of cured pork add savory style and, after being fried in their very own fats, some crispness to an in any other case gentle consequence. Pancetta is unsmoked, so its taste is extra delicate; use bacon for extra taste.
• Onion – Provides savory taste and aroma and complexity; sautéing within the onion brings out its pure sweetness. You should utilize something within the onion household, however I like yellow onion or shallots greatest since they add loads of taste with much less chew.
• Scallions – Add some colour, and a delicate contemporary onion taste. They are not sautéed as a result of they’d lose most of their taste and colour.
• Egg – One egg helps moisten the components to deliver them collectively, and bind them throughout cooking.
• Oil – A impartial oil with a excessive smoke level is all you want for frying. I often use grapeseed oil, however canola, vegetable, peanut, and avocado oils all work nicely.

How one can make fried mashed potatoes (with step-by-step pictures)

The complete ingredient quantities and directions are within the recipe card under. Under are step-by-step pictures to information you in your individual kitchen, with explanations for every:

1. Sauté the pork and onions

In a dry, ideally nonstick skillet over medium-high warmth, cook dinner the cubed pancetta or chopped bacon till crispy. The pork will launch its pure fats early within the cooking course of. Proceed cooking till the pork has turned crispy and no extra fats is being rendered. Take away it from the skillet and drain extra fats on paper towels.

Depart behind simply 1 tablespoon of rendered pork fats, add the chopped onion, and cut back the warmth to medium so you do not burn it. Prepare dinner for about 6 minutes, or till the onion is translucent and really tender, however not browned. We solely wish to soften and convey out the onion’s pure sweetness, and cease earlier than it has its personal added texture.

2. Make the patty combination

In a big mixing bowl, crumble the cool mashed potatoes into chunks so you possibly can combine them with the flour and mix with shredded cheese. The potatoes ought to soak up the entire flour, which prevents any sogginess within the cooked patties.

Add the cooked and cooled pork and onions, chopped scallions, garlic, and salt (or garlic salt), and blend to mix right into a crumbly combination that’s totally mixed, however will not but maintain collectively. Add the crushed egg, and its moisture will pull every little thing collectively gently, with out overworking the mashed potatoes, which might trigger them to develop into rubbery.

3. Form the patties

Divide the combination tough in half, then every half into 4 equal items for a 8 complete elements. In between the clear palms of each palms, first roll one portion right into a ball. Do not pack it, simply form it, once more to keep away from overworking it.

Switch the ball gently backwards and forwards between your two palms to flatten it right into a disk about 1/4-inch thick. This patty shall be thick sufficient to cook dinner with out develop into too crispy, and skinny sufficient to cook dinner all over earlier than it burns. Clean out any cracked edges so the patty would not splinter.

4. Fry in batches

Blot the patties on paper towels to soak up floor moisture that may forestall them from crisping throughout frying. Warmth about 2 tablespoons cooking oil and any leftover pork grease till it shimmers, or reaches about 350°F. Fry the patties with out disturbing for about 2 minutes per aspect in order that they develop a golden brown crust. Flip them gently to keep away from splattering oil. Place on a wire rack that can drain extra frying oil onto paper towels for a crispy consequence. Serve whereas nonetheless heat.

Knowledgeable suggestions

Selecting the correct mashed potatoes

Home made mashed potatoes which might be thick and comparatively stiff will work greatest right here. You need them to have sufficient texture that you could crumble them together with your palms into chunks when the mashed potatoes are cool.

Frozen mashed potatoes can typically work, and have a tendency to have good taste, however a lot relies on the model. I used to have the ability to use Dealer Joe’s frozen mashed potatoes right here, however I attempted them lately and so they had been simply too gentle.

Refrigerated mashed potatoes are inclined to have the appropriate texture, however not the very best taste. In case you really feel the package deal on the grocery retailer, and it holds the form of the container and would not give whenever you press it, it is most likely the appropriate texture. If the flavour is not excellent, we’re including sufficient different flavors that it should not matter that a lot.

Prepare dinner the meat and chopped onions

Do not skip sautéing the pork and chopped onions individually. In any other case, the pork will render its fats throughout shallow frying resulting in an oily consequence, the onion taste shall be too sharp, and the onions will retain an excessive amount of textured chew. Skip cooking the scallions or they’re going to lose their colour and taste.

Create a dry outer layer

For a crispy texture on the surface, pat every of the uncooked patties dry with paper towels earlier than frying. You’ll be able to even mud the surface of every of the formed uncooked patties very calmly with further flour. This prevents oil from being absorbed into the patties throughout cooking.

Be certain that the oil is frying oil

The best temperature on your frying oil is 360°F, however something shut will work. If the oil is simply too chilly, the patties will soak up the oil quite than having it create a crispy, brown shell on the surface. If it is too scorching, the surface will burn quite than simply brown and create a seal, permitting the patties to fry lengthy sufficient for the within to steam-cook all over.

Ingredient substitutions

Dairy free

Remember to use dairy-free mashed potatoes, made with both nondairy butter and bitter cream, or with out both. You’ll be able to change the shredded cheese with dairy-free cheddar type shreds from Daiya or Violife manufacturers. In case you’re utilizing pre-shredded cheese, chances are you’ll want much less flour because the cheese may have an anti-caking agent like added starch. You should utilize dairy-free bitter cream for serving, or skip it.

Egg free

Strive changing the egg with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon floor white chia seeds + 1 to 2 tablespoons lukewarm water, combined and allowed to gel).

Vegetarian (with out bacon)

In case you pass over the pork, the dish is vegetarian. For the reason that pork does add an incredible quantity of taste, plus some fats, I like to recommend changing it with cooked chopped portabella or child bella mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms lengthy sufficient that a lot of their liquid evaporates. You should still want so as to add some further flour, although, to soak up their further moisture. The bacon fats that’s used to sauté the minced onions will be changed with unsalted butter or olive oil.

Storage strategies

You’ll be able to retailer the uncooked, unshaped and raw combination in a tightly sealed container for at the very least 3 days. If any liquid has leaked out, blot it dry earlier than shaping and frying the patties.

As soon as fried, they are going to have the very best style and texture instantly after frying. Cowl any leftovers to forestall them from drying out and retailer them at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.

For longer storage, wrap every cooled patty individually in freezer-safe wrap, and defrost within the fridge.

Refresh any leftovers by spraying calmly with cooking oil and reheating in an air fryer preheated to 400°F for about 5 minutes, or in a toaster oven or oven at 350°F for about 8 minutes, or till crispy and warmed by means of.

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