Warm weather brings picnics, barbecues, and potlucks, and none of these important eating occasions would be complete without a big bowl of potato salad! Your mother and your grandmother may have their famous recipes for this summertime staple, but what makes a perfect potato salad is different for everybody. Once you understand some of the basics regarding the composition of this beloved side dish, you'll be ready to invent your own soon-to-be-famous recipe!
Though there are as many different kinds of potato salad as there are people who make them, most of these spud concoctions fit into one of two categories: creamy, or vinegar-based. Creamy potato salad almost always has a mayonnaise-based dressing, but it can also contain sour cream, yogurt, and creamy-style salad dressings. Creamy potato salad is served cold. Most vinegar-based potato salads (frequently called German-style potato salad) are dressed with a mixture of cider vinegar, vegetable oil, and sugar. This style of salad is often served warm.
Spud Safety
You have probably been warned that mayonnaise-based potato salad can be dangerous if you leave it out for too long. The rumor is most definitely based on fact: homemade mayonnaise is made with raw eggs, and raw eggs are prone to develop salmonella bacteria when left at room temperature. However, commercially prepared (i.e., store-bought) mayonnaise is quite safe because it is made with pasteurized eggs. What's more, commercial mayonnaise has actually been proven to KILL bacteria due to the salt and acidic ingredients such as vinegar and lemon juice that it contains! Low-acid foods in the salad such as potatoes, chicken, and ham are much more susceptible to bacterial growth than the mayonnaise itself. All the same, it's important to practice safe handling methods with potato salad as with all other foods. Hot foods should stay hot, and cold foods should stay cold. If you're taking potato salad to an outdoor event, we recommend that you keep the bowl on ice, and keep it out of direct sun.
Pick a Potato
Don't overlook the most essential part of your potato salad: the potatoes themselves! While Russets are still by far the most commonly used variety of potato , consider mixing it up a little. There are several high-moisture varieties with a texture that many people refer to as 'waxy'. Among these varieties are Yellow Finns, Yukon Golds, and red potatoes. Their high moisture means that they have a more pleasant texture when they are cold, and their waxier flesh holds up better to chopping and to tossing with dressing than that of the drier, more mealy Russets. However, your salad will be outstanding no matter which variety you choose, as long as you cook the potatoes carefully.
If you wish to add a little extra color and texture to your salad, leave the skins on the potatoes. Just be sure to scrub them thoroughly before you begin; 'gritty' is one texture that nobody likes in their food! Once you've either scrubbed or peeled your potatoes, cut them into bite-size chunks, place them in a pot, and cover them with water. Bring them to a boil on the stove, then generously salt the water. Reduce the heat if necessary to keep the pot at a gentle - not a violent - boil. Depending on your definition of 'bite-size' the potatoes will take between 8 and 15 minutes to cook. Check them often by fishing a piece out and tasting it. As soon as they're tender enough to bite through easily, drain them. Remember that the potatoes will continue cooking a little bit even after they've been drained, so it's better to err on the side of firm than to end up with a big bowl of moosh. If you're making a hot potato salad to be served immediately, have your dressing ready to mix with the potatoes right away. Otherwise, you should cool the potatoes by spreading them out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Potatoes are at their most absorbent when they're hot, so this is a good time to add some seasonings: salt, pepper, dried herbs, and a sprinkle of your favorite vinegar. When the potatoes are no longer steaming, transfer them to the refrigerator to chill.
Now is the Time to Season
While your potatoes are busy chilling, you can mix the rest of the salad ingredients together. You can make your potato salad as casual or as highbrow as you'd like depending on what you add to it. Some people prefer the simple route, with few additions, while others like as many treats and surprises as they can possibly pack into one bowl and still leave room for the potatoes! Whether you're making creamy or vinegary potato salad, some favorite choices for seasoning the dressing are cider vinegar, lemon juice, pickle juice, horseradish, paprika, hot pepper sauce, dried and fresh herbs, and any variety of prepared mustard from plain yellow to stone-ground, Dijon-style to extra spicy. Dill, chives, and parsley are especially good partners with potato salad, but some other potato-friendly herbs are sage, tarragon, basil, thyme, and rosemary.
Apart from herbs and spices, there are so many other delicious additions you can make to potato salad, it will make your head spin! Just a few of the possibilities to choose from are:
- Diced fresh or cured veggies and fruits, like tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, bell peppers of any color, pickles, capers, chiles, peas, celery, red onions, green onions, shallots, olives, fennel, pimentos, and artichoke hearts
- Crumbled cheeses including Gorgonzola, blue cheese, smoked cheddar, or feta
- Toasted nuts and seeds, especially sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, or pecans
- Tidbits of cooked or cured meats like salami, ham, prosciutto, smoked salmon, shrimp, chicken, or bacon
- Any other ingredients that make your eyes light up, like hard-cooked eggs or watercress
Once you've chosen all the ingredients that will create your ideal symphony of flavor and texture, mix everything together well, and taste a little of it. Need more salt? Vinegar? Spice? Adjust all the seasonings to the best of your ability before you start tossing the dressing with the potatoes; the less you need to stir those potatoes, the prettier your salad will look. When adjusting the seasoning, though, keep two things in mind: first, the potatoes are, of course, much blander than the dressing, so what tastes too strong when you try a big spoonful of dressing may be just right once it's mixed with the potatoes. Second, if you're making your potato salad several hours, or even a day, in advance, the flavors will intensify and mingle with each other, as well as soak into the potatoes. If you can manage it, we do recommend making potato salad a day ahead to achieve optimum flavor. It may take a little practice before you get the hang of mixing the perfect dressing, but we've never met a potato salad we didn't like, so experiment and have some fun!
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