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Mashed potato is a staple in British cuisine.

The silky smooth spuds are the perfect comfort food – whether you're eating it with pie, sausages or a gut-busting roast dinner.

But while it may simple, it's surprisingly tricky to get right. Tatties can be gloopy, flavourless or lumpy if you're not careful.

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Thankfully though, a chef has shared their top nine tips to prevent these mistakes from happening. Mary-Frances Heck, who works at Bon Appetit's test kitchen, advises the following…

How to make chef-approved mashed potato

1. Use more than one type of potato

While this may seem quite extra, it can drastically improve the texture of your mash. Try a mix of waxy potatoes and starchy potatoes for the optimum consistency.

2. Wash your spuds

No one wants grainy dirt in their mashed potatoes – so make sure you give them a proper rinse before getting stuck into the cooking.

3. Don't use boiling water

Apparently, the key is to start with cold water. Pop in your potatoes and then turn on the heat to get them nice and evenly cooked.

4. Season generously

Add plenty of salt into the water you're simmering the spuds in – as they'll absorb the seasoning and get more flavoursome.

5. Keep the temperature steady

If you whack the heat up to a furious boil, the tatties are likely to disintegrate. A gentle bubble should be all you need to do the job.

6. Drain the water properly

Make sure you shake the water out of the colander before you start the mashing process. If you don't, they'll taste horribly soggy.

7. Get a proper masher

Definitely don't try and use a fork! And if you're feeling fancy, opt for a food mill or ricer to do the job. This keeps the potatoes wonderfully fluffy and should help to banish any lumps.

8. Heat up milk before pouring it in

If you want to keep the mash piping hot and deliciously smooth, it's important to take this step before pouring the milk in.

9. Add in some cold butter

This rule doesn't apply to butter though, which is best to incorporate in while it's cold. Apparently, this allows the rich dairy product to melt evenly throughout the mash.

And there you have it, an expert's guide to mashed potato – plus all the mistakes to avoid!

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