Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

Why is my au gratin watery? ›

If your potatoes have turned watery, it's likely due to excess moisture, overcooking, or not draining them properly.

The phrase au gratin literally means "by grating" in French, or "with a crust," from the verb gratter, "to scrape, scratch, or grate." Definitions of au gratin. adjective.

Potatoes or rice can remain rock-hard after prolonged cooking. Starch will not swell if it is acidic. If you have a lot of sour cream in your scalloped potatoes or add something acidic, your potatoes may not soften. You can cook the potatoes with heavy cream or milk and then, after they soften, stir in sour cream.

Scalloped potatoes traditionally do not include cheese, though some newer recipes might add cheese as a modification. Au gratin potatoes, on the other hand, calls for sprinkled cheese to be sprinkled in between each potato layer, as well as on the top of the dish. 3. Au gratin potatoes use breadcrumbs.

Instant potato flakes are an excellent thickening agent made from real potatoes that have been cooked, mashed, and then dried. When added to watery scalloped potatoes, they absorb excess moisture and thicken the sauce, improving the overall consistency.

I love cooking these potatoes in a cast-iron skillet because it gives the potatoes a nice crispy edge and it makes the perfect amount of potatoes.

But it can be frustrating when the creamy sauce and cheese separate or look curdled. The good news is that the dish tastes just fine, even when it looks a little strange. The curdling is caused by high heat, which is hard to avoid in an oven. So to keep the sauce together, tackle it before the dish goes in the oven.

What is the difference between au gratin potatoes and scalloped potatoes? Au Gratin potatoes contain cheese, whereas Scalloped Potatoes do not. Scalloped potatoes typically contain cream but can also contain flavorful stock instead of dairy.

Au Gratin potatoes are rich. Serve them with leaner proteins such as beef tenderloin, grilled or roasted chicken, and pan-seared fish. Another excellent pairing for Au Gratin potatoes is a fresh salad with herbs and a tart vinaigrette. Au Gratin potatoes make a great casserole and are a great entrée themselves.

High heat will cause the milk to curdle. Use milk or cream with higher fat content. Whole milk, half-and-half, or cream and full-fat cheeses are necessary. Skim milk and reduced-fat products will not be your friend in this dish.

How do you thicken runny gratin? ›

If you find yourself faced with a soupy pan of potatoes, shake a few tablespoons of flakes into the sauce and mix them around with a fork or a small whisk. The flakes will soak up the extra liquid in a flash, and you can keep adding them until the sauce is at the proper thickness.

Firstly, ensure you've baked it at a sufficiently high temperature (around 400°F/200°C). Secondly, make sure you've allowed enough time for baking—large potatoes may take longer. Lastly, check if your oven is calibrated accurately; an incorrect temperature setting can affect cooking.

This is because rinsing or soaking will remove the natural starches contained in the potato, which is used to help thicken the dish as it cooks. Rinsing or soaking also makes potatoes more watery—and you don't want to add water to the creamy dish.

It is possible to pre-prepare the gratin up to 2 days ahead by simmering the potatoes and transferring them to the buttered baking dish, then refrigerating them until needed. You should cool and refrigerate the mixture as quickly as possible, and within 2 hours of cooking.

Make a cornstarch slurry for a fast and easy thickener.

Use one tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid you would like to thicken. Stir out all the lumps. A few minutes before your casserole is done, add it a little at a time until you are happy with the thickness. Then, let the casserole finish baking.

The potatoes might have been harvested in heat and started perspiring, just like a human might, as it is still a living organism. If trapped in a bag or box then the moisture can cause the potatoes to be wet or sealed up with no ventilation and could actually mold if left that way too long.

If the potato can't shed that moisture it will absorb some of it and over a period of time will end up with lower solids. Soil or dirt has a lot to do with the solids content of the harvested potato.

The solution for watery casseroles is instant potato mash powder or cornflour - slake (mix with a little water) at first or it will go lumpy. Stir well. Alternatively, don't add so much water at first, especially if you're using a slow cooker.