Homemade Potato Salad

Prep:

Peel and cube your yellow potatoes into approximately one inch pieces. Keeping them around one inch is important because the potatoes will shrink as they cook and break down slightly when mixed into the salad. Cut them too small and you will lose the potato bite entirely. Finely chop your white onion, celery and sweet gherkins and set them aside.

Boiling:

Fill a large pot with water and season it with about one teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and add the eggs. Hard boil the eggs then immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking and makes them easier to peel. In the same pot add the cubed potatoes and cook until just fork tender. You want to be able to get a fork through the potato without much resistance but not so soft that they fall apart with light pressure. The potatoes will continue to break down slightly when mixed into the salad so do not overcook them.

Strain the potatoes and let them sit in the colander to steam off and cool completely before doing anything else. Adding warm potatoes to the sauce too early will cause them to lose their integrity, break down into mash and release moisture that makes the whole salad soggy. Give them time to cool fully.

Assembly:

Peel and finely chop the hard boiled eggs and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the mayo, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, white pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Stir everything together until smooth. Add in the finely chopped onions, celery, sweet gherkins and eggs and mix well until fully incorporated.

Take about one eighth of your cooled potatoes and give them a few quick light presses with a fork or masher. You are not making mashed potatoes. A few presses is all you need. This small step helps thicken the salad and gives it a cohesive consistency so every scoop holds together. Add those lightly mashed potatoes in with the rest and pour the sauce over everything. Fold and stir gently until fully combined.

Refrigerating:

Cover the bowl and place the potato salad in the fridge for at least one hour before serving. The cold rest brings everything together and allows the flavors to fully develop. For the absolute best results make this the day before your cookout. The overnight rest makes a very noticeable difference and it is worth the extra time.

When you are ready to serve transfer to your favorite serving dish and sprinkle a little paprika on top.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

-Cut your potatoes to about one inch pieces before boiling. They shrink as they cook and break down a little in the salad so starting too small means you end up with barely any potato bites by the time it is done. One inch gives you the right size to work with.

-The fork tender test is important. You want some resistance when you push a fork through but not so much that the potato feels hard. If it falls apart easily it is overcooked and will turn to mash in the salad. Pull them just before they are fully soft.

-Do not skip the cooling step. Letting the potatoes steam off in the colander and cool completely before adding them to the sauce is what protects their texture and keeps the salad from turning watery. This step requires patience but it is not optional.

-The one eighth mash technique is what gives this salad its signature consistency. A few light presses into a small portion of the potatoes thickens the whole salad and helps everything bind together without losing the full potato bites throughout.

-Make this the day before your cookout if at all possible. The overnight rest in the fridge allows all of the flavors to come together and the texture to fully set. Day old potato salad is almost always better than same day potato salad.

-Adjust the eggs and gherkins to your personal preference. If you love a lot of eggs go with eight. If you prefer fewer go with six. The same goes for the gherkins. Neither adjustment will change the dish significantly.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS:

-This potato salad was made for a cookout spread. Pair it with some grilled ribs or BBQ chicken and you have a plate that speaks for itself.

-My homemade baked beans on the side is one of the best combinations at any cookout. The two dishes were made for each other. Check out the recipe on the blog.

-A thick slice of honey butter cornbread rounds out the whole cookout spread perfectly and ties everything together on the plate.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I use a different type of potato?

Yellow or golden potatoes are my go to because they have a naturally buttery flavor and hold their shape well after boiling. Russet potatoes work great too and will give you a slightly fluffier texture. I would avoid waxy potatoes like red potatoes for this recipe since they tend to be too firm and do not absorb the sauce as well.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes and I strongly recommend it. Making this the day before is actually the best way to serve it. The overnight rest in the fridge allows all of the flavors to develop and come together in a way that same day potato salad simply does not match. Cover it well and pull it out right before serving.

How long does this keep in the fridge?

Stored in an airtight container this potato salad will keep in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Give it a good stir before serving since it may settle slightly as it sits. If it looks a little dry after a day or two add a small spoonful of mayo and stir it back together.

Why is my potato salad watery?

The most common reason is that the potatoes were added to the sauce while they were still warm. Warm potatoes release moisture as they cool and that moisture goes directly into your sauce making it thin and watery. Always let the potatoes steam off completely and cool down fully before mixing in the sauce. This is the most important step for keeping the right consistency.

Can I add other mix-ins?

Absolutely. Diced dill pickles, chopped bell pepper or a little relish all work well if you want to customize the flavor. Just be mindful of anything that releases a lot of moisture since you want to keep the salad from getting watery. Pat down any wet additions before mixing them in.