Smashed Yukon Gold Taters

The night that we had Pork Chops with Orange Sauce I did a side of Yukon gold potatoes. The method I used was one I had seen quite some time ago and since I also had some fresh Thyme that got incorporated into this simple recipe.

My initial idea was to get them crispy brown almost like you would a home fry but honestly missed the mark slightly. I believe if I had split the potatoes in half instead of leaving them whole that I would have had more success. Despite that, the potatoes were marvelous.

This method is wonderful and it's so easy it's not really a recipe but rather a guide to go about achieving a great tasting potato.





Very simple ingredients - potatoes, water, fresh thyme and butter!

1. Start by slitting your potatoes in half lengthwise. Use as many potatoes as you need to feed your family.
2. Place them in a deep skillet and add 1/2 stick of butter and enough water to fill the skillet half way up.
3. Sprinkle in some salt and add a sprig or two of fresh thyme.
4. Cover and cook over medium to medium high heat for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the cover and cook an additional 20 minutes or longer till the potatoes soften. You want the water to evaporate and the flavor of the butter and thyme to permeate the potatoes.
6. Add more butter if necessary, remove the thyme sprig(s) and using a potato masher, mash down the potatoes. Add some freshly ground black pepper.

Keep cooking and browning the potatoes over medium to medium high heat, turning over once in a while until you have achieved the color you desire.