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mashed potatoes crock pot
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How to Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm

Learn how to make roasted garlic buttery cream cheese mashed potatoes and how to keep them warm for up to two hours!
Course sides
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 -8

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds Russet potatoes most of the skins removed and chopped in equal size pieces
  • 2 whole bulbs garlic
  • 6 oz cream cheese softened
  • 2 sticks butter 16 Tbsp (227 grams)
  • 1 1/2--2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
  • 1/4 cup or so chicken or vegetable broth

Instructions

Roasting the Garlic

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • Cut the tops off of 2 bulbs of garlic. Place them in aluminum foil and season with salt and pepper and olive oil. Wrap tightly and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and easily squeezes out of the bulb.

Making the Mashed Potatoes

  • Meanwhile set out the butter and cream cheese to let it come to room temp.
  • Skin the potatoes, leaving a little skin intact (if desired) and cut into equal size chunks.
  • Place the potatoes into a large pot filled with cold salted water.
  • Heat on high and boil the potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain in a colander and place in a large bowl.
  • Squeeze out the garlic and mash with a fork. Add to the potatoes.
  • Add the butter and cream cheese and mix with a hand mixer until nice and smooth. Season with salt.
  • Butter the inside of a crock pot and add the mashed potatoes. Top with a pad of butter and add about 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth around the rim of the potatoes to keep them moist and create steam inside the crock pot.
  • Seal the crock pot with the lid and turn it on to the "Warm" setting. Keep warm for up to two hours.
  • If your mashed potatoes recipe uses more milk or cream to make them more "soupy", the crockpot method won't work well because it will actually break down the potatoes. Use the double boiler method below instead.

The Double Boiler Method

  • To use the double boiler method, use a large pot filled with up to 4 cups of water. The longer you need to keep them warm, the more water you'll need to add. Otherwise, you'll need to make sure to continuously check the water levels to ensure you don't burn your pot.
    Heat the water in your pot to a low simmer and place a heatproof bowl on top (metal ones work best as glass might break). Make sure the water is below the bottom of the bowl. Add your mashed potatoes to the bowl and keep the heat on low. Cover the bowl with a lid. Keep on the stovetop for up to two hours, but it's better for 1-1.5 hours.