The Cooling Rack TikTok Hack That Makes Mashing Potatoes A Breeze

Leave it to a TikTok creator to find a new way to make an old favorite: mashed potatoes. TikTok is notorious for showcasing unconventional ways to do ordinary cooking tasks like buttering toast or efficiently opening a bell pepper. Many of these hacks can be found by searching #kitchenhacksthatwork and there's always someone thinking of a new way to simplify everyday tasks. Creators have been known to go viral for their unique cooking shortcuts, and the mashed potato hack is no exception.

Despite being everyone's favorite comfort food, making mashed potatoes from scratch can be time-consuming. Two of the most tiresome tasks in the cooking process are peeling and cutting the potatoes before boiling them. Now there's a new way of taking the work out of doing this chore, thanks to a TikTok creator who shared her method of using a cooling rack to eliminate the struggle in a clever, unconventional yet effective manner.

The brains behind the viral TikTok mashed potato hack is creator @lorafied—Lora McLaughlin Peterson, a self-proclaimed influencer and former CBS news correspondent, per Facebook. Lora shares all her favorite hacks on her Instagram account and on her website, Lorafied. Yahoo Finance found Lora's method so helpful they included it in their list of ways to make Thanksgiving less of a hassle.

All you need to do to simplify making mashed potatoes, according to the TikTok video, is boil unpeeled potatoes whole until they are cooked through, slice them lengthwise, and push them cut-side down through a cooling rack placed over a bowl. The skins will slip off, and the now-naked potatoes will be ready for your recipe. Rachael Ray recommends using the same cooling rack hack with avocados to get a bowl of guac ready in a flash.

Lora's hack isn't new, even though she can be credited with the hack going viral. Food & Wine's Culinary Director Justin Chapple shared the idea with Yahoo Life in 2018. Chapple recommends using a grid-type baking rack for best results.

Once the potatoes are smashed from their skins, you can continue to season them as you ordinarily would. If you like your mashed potatoes smooth and creamy, try adding milk or cream and use a hand or stand mixer to whip them to a silky smooth consistency. Food Network suggests using Yukon Gold for a sturdier mashed potato, whereas russets produce an airier dish.

If you like a chunkier consistency to your taters, no matter what variety you use, Martha Stewart recommends adding cottage cheese or ricotta cheese to the potatoes after they're mashed. Topping them with potato chips or fried onions provides additional flavor and texture.

Think about add-ins like garlic and cheese to elevate the flavor by using them in garlic mashed potatoes, or use the TikTok mashing trick to make knishes or any other recipe that calls for cooked potatoes. If you're feeling ambitious, save the peels to make a yummy snack by frying or roasting them.