Potato Salad Two Ways

 

The weather is finally warming up and that means outdoor parties, BBQs, cookouts, and picnics. Over the years I’ve made a whole lot of potato salad, and these two recipes are my go-to’s.

I recently attended a crawfish boil, and I decided to bring them both. Within an hour of arriving and setting my two types of potato salad on the buffet table, they were both completely gone. Maybe it was the promise of wisdom or magic, or maybe it was the perfect flavors…one can never be sure. Feel free to make your own signs and pull up a chair and watch everyone reading them. Free entertainment!

The first recipe is for “Old-Fashioned Potato Salad” which is based on the recipe I learned from my grandma Marie. She didn’t have a written recipe, but she was very particular about her ingredients and how they were prepared. As she taught me to make it, my mom wrote it down.

The second recipe is for “Loaded Baked Potato Salad” and is inspired by my love of, you guessed it, loaded baked potatoes. This recipe features chives, bacon and shredded cheese, and a bit of sour cream mixed in with the mayo. The eye-catching look of this potato salad sets it apart and will draw a crowd.

For both recipes, you’ll want to boil a total of ten pounds of potatoes. I can fit about five pounds of potatoes in my big pot, so for each recipe, I boiled a pot of five pounds of whole potatoes. I wash them first, but I do not cut them into smaller pieces or poke holes in them. I use Russets because they absorb flavor, which makes the seasoning pop. I like the flavor to get into the very center of every bite of potato.

After boiling the potatoes, I allow them to cool on a rack until I can quarter them and place them into the fridge. I like to give them plenty of time to chill all the way through, so I usually boil and cool my potatoes the night before I make the recipes.  Once they’re completely cold, I find that they hold up better for cutting. You can leave your skins on, slide the skins off, or do half and half.

Dice the potatoes into half-inch pieces. Cutting to this size makes for a nice texture, and allows your other ingredients to impart flavor into the potatoes. My grandma insisted that everything needs to be diced or chopped small so that every bite would contain the perfect combo of flavors and textures. She was right. I personally don’t like big pieces of potato in my potato salad. So both of my recipes feature ingredients chopped and diced small.

The remaining instructions will be within each recipe, as aside from my method for boiling and chopping my potatoes, this is where the recipes diverge.

Old Fashioned Potato Salad

You’ll need:

• 5 pounds russet potatoes, diced small
• 1 medium onion
• 1-2 spines celery
• 1 cup Hellman’s or Best Foods mayo
• 5 boiled eggs
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoons half & half (optional)

1. Boil potatoes. Cool completely (see above comments)
2. Very finely chop potatoes, onions, celery, and eggs.
3. Add a little vinegar to the Best Foods Mayo to the desired level; mix with chopped ingredients. This step will make your flavors pop, as potatoes are very absorbent and after time, this can make things a bit bland.
4. Add half & half to desired consistency; season with salt and pepper to taste. The half & half’s job is to make your dish nice and creamy. Use your judgment and add as much or as little as you prefer.
5. Garnish with paprika.

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

You’ll need:

• 5 pounds russet potatoes, diced small
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 cup Hellman’s or Best Foods mayo
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 boiled eggs
• 1/2 cup chives + 1/4 cup for topping
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoons half & half (optional)
• 4 slices crisp bacon, crumbled
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Boil potatoes. Cool completely (see above comments)
2. Very finely chop potatoes, onions, chives, and eggs.
3. Add a little vinegar to the Best Foods mayo and sour cream to the desired level; mix with chopped ingredients, not including the bacon, cheese, and chives for topping.
4. Add half & half to desired consistency; season with salt and pepper to taste. The half & half’s job is to make your dish nice and creamy.
5. Top your potato salad with cheese, bacon, and chives.

I hope you love these recipes and will share your results in the comments. Have a safe and happy long weekend.