Is there even such a thing as "bad" potatoes au gratin? Or any potatoes recipe? I really don't think there is. And that makes the title of this recipe even more weighty.
This is a very basic, but exceedingly delicious, version of the much-beloved side dish. That's because it goes with everything!Serve it as a potato side dish paired with Christmas ham, a bigsteak dinner, a crispy-skinnedDutch oven roast chicken,or any other main dish you deem worthy of creamy, cheesy, carby goodness. Bring it to the Christmas potluck once and you'll be asked to bring it for the next 50 years.I've been making this sidefor decades and ithas never, ever, ever (ever!) let me down.
Serve it to people you love. If they don't already love you back, they will. Promise.
What size baking dish do you use for potatoes au gratin?
These potatoes fit well in a 2-quart casserole dish. Just be sure to really slather it in butter before you drop 'em in. It adds flavor and keeps everything from sticking to the dish.
What's the difference between potatoes au gratin and scalloped potatoes?
They're easily confused.But the difference between themall comes down to the cheese: Traditionally, potatoes au gratin has cheese and scalloped potatoes doesn't. That's not to say you won't findplenty of scalloped potatoes recipes that include cheese. In fact, I myself have been known to toss large handfuls of cheese in my scalloped potatoes. Because cheese is life, man.
Do you need to peel the potatoes for potatoes au gratin?
Peel 'em if you want, but peeling potatoes is against my religion. Not really, but it's a step that I find unnecessary for a dish like this. When the potatoes are covered in cream sauce and cheese, no one seems to care if they're peeled or not.
What potatoes work best for potatoes au gratin?
Among differenttype of potatoes, a good starchy one like a russet potato is best. Russets cook to the perfect texture and their starchiness helps thicken up the sauce. Yukon gold potatoes are another starchy spud to consider using.
Do the potatoes need to be pre-cooked?
Nope. Baked between layers of cream sauce, the potatoes become nice and soft in the oven. Plus, the potatoes are cut into small pieces, so they cook pretty quickly on their own anyway.
What kind of cheese do you use for potatoes au gratin?
This recipe uses good ol' classic sharp cheddar. The boldness of sharp cheddar is a nice balance to the creamy, indulgent sauce that fills the dish. But any other good melty cheese would work—gruyère, jack, fontina, or even a mix of different types of cheeses. (Actually, that sounds like the best scenario possible.)
Can you make potatoes au gratin ahead of time?
Yes! That's what makes it the hero of holiday cooking. You can assemble it a day ahead of time, wrap it in plastic warp, and stick it in the fridge.Pull out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you're ready to bake it to take the chill off. Then pop it in the oven. It may require a few extra minutes of cook time.
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Yields:
8
serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp.
butter, softened
- 4
russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
- 1 1/2 c.
heavy cream
- 1/2 c.
whole milk
- 2 Tbsp.
flour
- 4
cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp.
salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 c.
sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
Directions
- Step1Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Step2Smear thebutter all over the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish.
- Step3Slice potatoes, then cut the slices into fourths.
- Step4In a medium bowl, whisk together cream, milk, flour, garlic, salt, and plenty of pepper.
- Step5Place a third of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour a third of the cream mixture over the potatoes. Repeat this 2 more times, ending with the cream mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and really bubbling. Add the cheese to the top of the potatoes and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly,3 to 5 minutes more.
- Step6Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving by the spoonful. Delicious!
Zee Cast of Characters: russet potatoes, heavy cream, whole milk, flour, garlic, salt, pepper, and a little softened butter. And some sharp cheddar.
Good. Very good.
Very, very, very good.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, then scrub the potatoes so they’re very clean. We’re going to include the peel in this dish, because peeling potatoes is against my religion.
It’s a strange religion. I blame my mother.
Slice the potatoes—not too thick, not too thin.
Stack ’em up as you go…
And cut the stacks into fourths.
Soon you’ll have a positively prodigious pile of potato pieces.
Say that fast five times.
Now, in a bowl mix together the cream…
The milk…
And the flour. This will add just a little bit of body and thickness to the creamy sauce.
Now peel some cloves of garlic. You can use as few as two…but I’m a maniac and use four.
Just be aware that four cloves in this recipe will result in a really garlicky flavor. I happen to love this, but it might be a little strong for some.
Add the garlic to the bowl…
Followed by the salt and the pepper. Don’t skimp on the pepper! You’ll regret it if you do.
Whisk it all together until it’s totally combined.
Now smear softened butter all over a baking dish.
Meantime, grate a good cup of cheddar cheese. Grate it yourself! It’s cheaper that way, and much, much more delicious than the pre-grated stuff.
To assemble the dish, add 1/3 of the potatoes to the buttered dish.
Pour in 1/3 of the cream mixture, stirring right before you pour to make sure the ingredients are totally mixed up.
Now repeat with another layer of potatoes…
Another third of the cream mixture…
And ending with the rest of the potatoes…
And the rest of the cream mixture.
And there you have it: Perfect Potatoes au Gratin! Enjoy, my friends!
Oh, wait. I think I forgot a couple of steps.
Sorry. I forgot to take my evening primrose oil this morning.
Cover the dish with foil. Bake it for a good 30 minutes to get the potatoes started. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly.
This looks about right! The top is golden brown, and the dish is bubbling all over. (If the 20 minutes doesn’t do the trick, just up this stage by 5 or 10 minutes. You want to make sure the whole dish is very hot and bubbly—this means the potatoes are really getting the chance to get done.)
“Get done?” Is that a grammatically legitimate phrase? I’ll have to think on this today.
Grab the grated cheddar and sprinkle it all over the top.
Return it to the oven for about five more minutes, or until the cheese is totally melted and starting to bubble.
Perfect! And you can’t believe how my kitchen smells right now. The garlic is just intoxicating.
Mmmm. Will you look at this?
Just look—my daughter couldn’t even wait.
When it comes to tasting delicious food, she inherited her mother’s patience.
And here we are: tender potatoes, the delectable creamy/garlic sauce, and the sharp, melted cheddar bringing it all together.
And believe it or not, the butter we smeared all over the bottom of the pan really does add a tiny bit of buttery goodness without overpowering everything.
China Check: Spode “Woodland.” Stay away if you aren’t a fan of game birds.
Okay. Back to the potatoes. You need to make these, baby. And here’s what you can serve them with.
A big ol’ baked ham.
A big ol’ braised beef brisket.
A big ol’ ribeye steak.
A big ol’ juicy hamburger.
A big ol’ pile of pulled pork.
…Or pretty much anything else you can think of. It’s pretty much one of the most versatile side dishes there is, and one of the most crowd-pleasing.
Yum. That was so good! But…is it just me, or does that duck look a little ticked off?
What’s wrong, Mr. Duck?
Ooops—sorry, dude. I’ll catch ya next time.
Enjoy!
