Why did my mashed rutabaga come out watery?

The cubes went into the masher still wet. Rutabaga holds a great deal of cooking water, and it drains straight into the bowl. Next time, return the drained vegetables to the hot pot over low heat for 2 minutes and shake until the surfaces look matte, then mash and add the butter before any cream.

Can I use turnips instead of rutabaga in this mash?

Yes, with small changes. White turnips are smaller, sharper, and cook faster, about 20 minutes. Keep the carrot in the pot, add the maple syrup from the start, and expect a paler mash with a gentle bite. The two roots are cousins, and the method transfers well.

How much rutabaga should I buy per person?

Plan on about half a pound of whole rutabaga per guest. Peeling takes roughly a third of the weight, so 3 pounds of whole roots give about 5 cups of mash: eight comfortable servings on a crowded Thanksgiving table, or six generous ones at a smaller dinner.

Can I mash rutabaga in a food processor to get it perfectly smooth?

No, and the result will disappoint you. Rutabaga behaves like potato under blades: the starch turns the mash sticky and gluey. A hand masher leaves the gentle texture this dish wants. For a finer finish, pass the hot cubes through a ricer before adding the butter.

Why does my rutabaga sometimes taste bitter?

Very large, old roots are the usual cause; their cores grow woody and strong. Choose medium roots, peel away every trace of wax and skin, start the cubes in cold salted water, and let the carrot and the optional teaspoon of maple syrup do their quiet balancing work.

Mashed Rutabaga With Brown Butter, Silky And Never Watery

Ingredients

Scale

3 pounds rutabaga (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 medium carrots (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch coins
1 tablespoon fine sea salt, for the cooking water, plus 3/4 teaspoon more to finish
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream or whole milk, warmed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional, only if the rutabaga tastes sharp)
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives, to serve

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Instructions

Cut a flat base on each rutabaga so it stands steady. Peel in thick downward strips, removing all the wax and skin, then cut the flesh into 1 inch cubes, trimming away any pale fibrous core. Peel the carrots and cut them into 1/2 inch coins.
Put the rutabaga and carrots in a large pot and add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Stir in the tablespoon of salt. Starting in cold, salted water seasons the cubes evenly and takes the raw edge off the rutabaga.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to a steady simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until a cube of rutabaga crushes against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon and offers no resistance at all.
Drain everything in a colander and let it sit for 1 minute. Return the vegetables to the hot, dry pot over low heat and shake the pot for about 2 minutes, until the cubes stop steaming and their surfaces look matte instead of wet.
While the vegetables drain, brown the butter. Melt it in a small, light colored saucepan over medium heat, swirling often. It will foam, then turn amber with brown flecks and smell nutty, in 3 to 4 minutes. Pull it off the heat at once.
Mash the hot vegetables in the pot with a potato masher until mostly smooth. Rutabaga keeps a gentle texture; a few small lumps are right. Never use a blender or food processor, which turn the mash gluey.
Pour in all the brown butter and mash it through. Add the warm cream a splash at a time, mashing after each addition, until the mash is silky and holds soft peaks. Stir in the remaining salt, the pepper, and the nutmeg.
Taste. If the rutabaga leans sharp, stir in the maple syrup. Spoon the mash into a warmed serving bowl, swirl the top, and scatter the chives over it. Serve hot, with extra brown butter if you held any back.

Author: Chef Rita
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: 3/4 cup
Calories: 165
Sodium: 390
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Protein: 2 g
Cholesterol: 27