ISO Potato salad

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Speaking of potato salads at picnics - I'm often asked to bring mine & found a wonderful way to keep it fresh & "safe" without resorting to keeping it locked in a cooler.

I found a cheap HUGE stainless steel (or it could be aluminum - I'm not sure) bowl, & I fill it with Ziplock-bagged ice cubes, then settle my nice large pottery bowl of salad on top. I hide the ice bags with curly parsley or kale. With replenishing the ice during the day, & keeping a light cover of plastic wrap over the top, I've managed to keep salads wicked cool during even the warmest weather.
 
If you're using baking potatoes- or any "non-red" potato, I find it greatly helps and improves the flavor if you STEAM the potatoes with their skin on, and then let them cool until they are just cool enough to peel. Then make your potato salad. You can do this with any recipe. The potato flavor really comes out.

-Tim
 
I was reading the various recipes for pot. salad and it seems that we have all modified one to our taste. My daughter makes a Venezuelian one that has peas and chicken in it with the potatoes. I like to use Yukon Gold potatoes, celery, green onion or red onion, black olives, celery seed and a dressing with both mayo and sour cream and dry mustard. I do not peel the potatoes but after cutting I sprinkle with a little olive oil and vinegar to chill. My mother always added eggs to the salad but I like it better without. Always need a goodly quanity of salt. I add garden herbs when the mood hits! That depends on what and to whom I am serving it with.... chicken, ham, hamburgers....
 
Here's one that you might want to try!

This one is pretty much like Sierra Cook's mom's recipe. My mom made it this way for years. We all followed it to the letter.


4 to 5 medium size Russett potatoes peeled and cut into large cubes.

5 or 6 hard-boiled eggs.

1/2 cup chopped onion.

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper.

1/2 cup chopped celery.

1/2 cup chopped sweet pickles or sweet relish.

1/2 cup mayonaise or less.

1 tsp. celery seed.

1 tsp. dried parsely.

1 tsp. prepared yellow mustard.

Few grinds black pepper.

Salt to taste (seasoned salt can be used if desired).


Place peeled cubed potatoes in a medium size pot with enough cold water to just cover them. Let the water come to a rolling boil, them turn off the burner. Let the potatoes sit in the hot water for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
Test for doneness. When done, drain into colander and let them sit there until they look and feel almost dry. Do not rinse!

Strange, but this method is the safest protection against watery potatoes.

Meanwhile, place eggs in enough cold water to just cover them. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat to medium and let boil for about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool in cold water immediately afterwards. This helps to make cracking and peeling them much easier.

Prepare onions, bell pepper, celery and sweet pickles. Using relish helps shave prep time. Peel and slice cooled boiled eggs.

Add all ingredients into large bowl except mayo. Add mayo a little bit at a time to keep the mixture from being loose. You want it almost dry, sort of like stiff mashed potatoes. Toss gently.

Taste for seasoning. Adjust seasonings if desired. For prettiness, if desired, save one of the boiled eggs, sliced and arrange on top of salad as a garnish. Sprinlke with a littele paprika and dried parsely.

Chill in fridge for a few hours.

This recipe is fail-proof as long as you make sure that the cooked potatoes are dry and free from any water, and not too much mayo. Start with a very small amout of mayo to keep the mixture to a firm consistancy.

I made the cardinal mistake earlier this winter of adding to much mayo and the mixture was awefully loose! But when I did it again on Memorial Day, it came out nice and tight with absolutely no looseness at all! Very good.

But since I'm now a diabetic, I can't have this because of the excessive amount of starch that's in the ptotatoes. So the one I made on Memorial Day was the last hurrah. Enjoy!


~Corey123.
 
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