Potato kugel HELP | Imamother

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Potato kugel HELP

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amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 5:30 am

amother Scarlet wrote:

OP, everyone is talking about the recipe but I think what really makes it or breaks it with potato kugel is the blender and the oven. I’ve seen this many times.

For example, my mothers potato kugel has never come out very good. Mine usually comes out delicious. So one time I told my mother I’ll show her how I make mine. I made it at her house with the same speed, recipe etc but I used her blender and her oven and it came out tasting exactly like hers!

Also, I know many people who move to a new house and therefore have a new oven and their potato kugel never tastes the same again!

I’ll have to agree with you because it seems like everyone has a great recipe. And a great method and trick, yet it fails!!

So am I doomed? I have a Braun food processor and a GE monogram oven.
If that’s the issue, I’ll rest my case here and have them buy kugel weekly.
Truth be told, they don’t love the store bought either. They like a heimish one.

Tzutzie

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 5:37 am

My potato kugel is a always delicious. Maybe not THE BEST. But pretty easy to make and I don't remember it ever failing.
I'm NOT a gourmet fancy cook. I cook simple good foods my family likes. For reference, the yellow "balabustas choice" or "neitra cookbook" (however you want to call it) is my most used cook book.

So here's my recipe and complete instructions how I do it.
I have a very small kitchen so before I start cooking I always scrub down the counters and sink to the point I can out raw food on in without a barrier.

First preheat oven to 475

On a clean counter put out
9x13 pan
10 potatoes
Oil spray. I find Bagan canola oil works best
Food processor
Large bowl

Then in the large bowl (I use glass. Never had an issue at all w browning potatoes)
Beat until fully smooth and mixed
6 eggs
1 C olive oil
Blk pepper
White pepper
1 - 1 1/3 T salt (we like a salty spicy one)

Once eggs are mixed, spray 9x13 with oil, (or line w parchment paper)

Peal potatoes one at a time, keep your water running, rinse and place at the edge ok the sink, once all 10 are peeled, rinse the entire batch one more time.

Now, do you have a braun food processor? You need the kugel blade. Or I think mailton has that blade too. Cuz that's an important part.
Uses the kugel blade, turn up the speed on 15 or 16, the highest. Zuzz all potatoes.

Add potatoes to the egg/oil mixture.
So another fun part, you can use water or seltzer, I use water from my filter faucet, I add that to the mixer bowl and give a little swish. So all the starch from the potatoes stuck on the bottom stuck to the bowl get unstuck and I add that to the potatoes/oil/eggs
mix until fully mixed.
Pour into 9x13
Bake 475 for 30 min to an hour. And then lower to 350 rest of the time
Kugel should bake for 2 hours total.

If you want to keep it warm lower to 200 after don't baking and let it stay in oven.

Then scrub/clean the counters and sinks. Potatoes leave a white film.... and happy continued cooking.

Btw, I have this rule when making a new recipe. I follow to the T. Then improvise if u don't love it or whatever. But first time, ringers go off. No distractions. Prep all ING. Clean counters. Move over the ING I already used to other side of counter.
Yes I have severe mommy brain since my first. Or maybe I developed adhd. Who knows....

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 5:51 am

amother DarkGreen wrote:

I'm gonna chime in and join the potato kugel party!
My family never loved potato kugel and I kept on switching it up with ingredients or procedure until I finally figured it out and now they love it. It used to come out gooey, or just plain weird and I have tried anything and everything under the sun. The following is how I've been making it nowadays and it gets rave reviews:
(Some prep work must be done before and yes you gotta work quickly)

Preheat oven to 450

10 potatoes peeled and 6 chopped in half in a bowl or bekeleh with water
1 onion peeled and cut in half
10 eggs in a container, lightly beaten with a fork or mixed well
9x13 pan that has oil in it, I don't measure it, it'll probably be half a cup
3 heaping tsp of salt (I use the spoon from the cutlery drawer because I'm anyway using the fork from there, might as well use that spoon, the tea spoon not soup spoon)
A dash of black pepper

First I grate by hand 4 potatoes (really not a big deal and it goes quick), add in the 10 beaten eggs in there and mix so the shredded potatoes don't change colors. Then I use the S blade in the processor and grate the 6 potatoes with onion. Add that mixture to the egg potato mixture. Add the 3 tsp of salt and dash of black pepper.
I do put the pan with the oil in the oven for about 30 seconds and then add the potato mixture to the warm oil. With the fork, I mix it around and around to get the oil all over.
Put in oven for an hour
Then take it out of the oven, pour over the kugel 1/2 cup of percolator water, cover well, lower temperature to 350 and bake for 3 hours.

Thank you.
I like exact instructions. Appreciate it.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 5:55 am

amother Peach wrote:

My husband is a professional chef.
This is how he makes potato kugel at home
5 Lb potatoes
Either russet or Yukon gold
2 onions
1 cup water
1 cup oil
6 eggs
Salt, black pepper, garlic powder
Bake for about 1 hour to 1.5 hours at 375-400
The funny thing is I don't have a food processor but he dumps everything into a blender and it comes out amazing.

A regular blender? If this works I’m game, I happen to hate the Braun food processor.

↑ kugelEater ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 5:58 am

I'll disagree and say that I have the Braun and love it, and used my mother's before I got married. I feel like any other food processor does not do the same job. Try it with the kugel blade:)

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 5:58 am

Tzutzie wrote:

I totally agree with following to the T. Especially kugel.
I’m getting so many little tips and I’ll try several. Everyone should be invited for a taste test!

Thank you !

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 5:59 am

kugelEater wrote:

I'll disagree and say that I have the Braun and love it, and used my mother's before I got married. I feel like any other food processor does not do the same job. Try it with the kugel blade:)

That’s what I’ve been using. But it’s hard to clean perfectly and somehow doesn’t produce the perfect kugel. Yet….

amother

Catmint

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 6:00 am

For those mothers who add a cup of water to a potato kugel recipe, what is the point of doing that?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 6:02 am

amother Snow wrote:

Here’s my trick for the perfect texture. Use the S blade (the one that makes it mushy) but don’t leave it on until it’s a mush. Pulse it very slowly till it’s not large clumps but right before it turns mushy. That’s the yea true I see in catering kugels.

On what number do you pulse it on?

↑ kugelEater ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 6:03 am

amother Catmint wrote:

For those mothers who add a cup of water to a potato kugel recipe, what is the point of doing that?

I think if you are overnighting it, it keeps it from getting dried out. It never came out good when I tried it, but I have a friend who makes the most delicious overnight kugel ever, and she puts in a cup of water after it bakes for an hour. I assume adding water before baking has the same effect. I have heard that seltzer makes it fluffy. One day I will get up the courage to try that!

amother

↑ Scarlet

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 6:08 am

amother OP wrote:

That’s what I’ve been using. But it’s hard to clean perfectly and somehow doesn’t produce the perfect kugel. Yet….

I use the Braun S blade for my delicious kugel. Highest speed setting. Blend onions first. 5lb Yukon gold. 2 small onions or 1 medium. 8 eggs. Hot oil. Half cup hot water. Salt pepper. Cook 425.

mom2mysouls ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 6:35 am

The cup of water /seltzer addition results in the kugel 'sinking' after its taken out of oven. The water weighs it down. I only add a bit of seltzer.

Another option is half a squash. It adds moisture and flavor.

A half tsp vitamin C powder keeps the potatoes very white.

Potatoes should sit in VERY cold water.

Half small onion is enough, unless you wants it to taste like onion kugel.

The loose large potatoes work best. For those, one egg per potato. Less if theyre small.

Working quickly, having oven 450 preheated ready. Use the kugel blade.

I cover my kugel after an hour when top is browned already. Will prevent from drying out while it continues to bake at a lower temperature.

Comptroller

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 6:52 am

I just peel and grate the potatoes, add roughly 1 egg per 2-3 potatoes, pepper, salt (nutmeg or cumin), put it in oiled mould and in the oven for 30-45 minutes at about 200°C.

you have to bake immediatly to avoid color change. Potatoes oxydize (rust) when in contact with the air, so if you make large quantities, you should put the potatoes in cold water after peeling them, so that they are not in contact with the air, and grate them all at once when you are finished peeling.
and put them in the oven as quickly as possible.

amother

Denim ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 6:56 am

I think the metal (blade) causes a reaction on the potatoes - turning it brown fast. Water from very wet potatoes or blending onion before every few potatoes, create a barrier and the potatoes go brown at a slower pace.

amother

↑ Denim ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 6:59 am

Op one more tip,

If all else fails, start making your kugel a night earlier and slow cook all night (pour some water and oil on top of the finished kugel, cover very tightly, add a pan of water to oven and bake on 200).

Overnight kugel is almost impossible to fail. The color turns brown in any case. The texture completely changes. Guaranteed to succeed.

amother

Floralwhite ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 7:55 am

amother OP wrote:

This is quite interesting. So no metal bowls ? Are Pyrex bowls ok?
Your instructions and recipe is clear. Thank you

I don’t find that to be true. I’ve used a metal bowl for years with delicious kugel results.

amother

Sage ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 8:12 am

amother Floralwhite wrote:

I don’t find that to be true. I’ve used a metal bowl for years with delicious kugel results.

I also always use a metal bowl with good results (cuz that's the big one I have).. However I do find that the potatoes against the metal leave a smell, so I have to soap and rinse it right after.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 8:34 am

mom2mysouls wrote:

Thank you.
Your post made a lot of sense. I guess I like understanding what I’m doing. I’ll try with and without the water. But I know what you mean about “sinking”. Been there already.

Actually my husb mentioned he doesn’t like onion in the kugel so those will have to be omitted.

Squash? When and how?

Vitamin c??? We’re finally getting to hear the real secrets here.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 8:36 am

amother Denim wrote:

Great idea! Cover up all my mishaps by just letting it bake all night.
I like that!

amother

↑ Floralwhite ↓

Thu, Feb 15 2024, 8:41 am

amother OP wrote:

Same for both.
My kugel comes out amazing.

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