How to make a great potato salad
Having trouble making potato salad? If so, rest assured there are simple steps to take to prepare you for that hungry crowd. Many people don’t have a family recipe or just make common mistakes along the way and get frustrated. It really isn’t that hard to make potato salad. These tips should get you on your way to pleasing everyone!
First determine how many people will eat potato salad. Remember, most kids turn up their noses at the thought of something musky with potato lumps. But men usually stack it next to their other favorites, so they’ll eat the portions the kids chose to pass up. Also, the potato salad is filling. Many serving sizes are smaller than you think.
Take advantage of the “bags” of chips at the store where the chips are medium in size. Large potatoes take longer to cook, so they usually need to be cut in half. The Idaho white potato provides great flavor and cooks well. Don’t make the mistake of using red potatoes, as they get too soft and go mushy. Five potatoes will make a salad for about 8 or 9 people. Then calculate half a potato for each additional person over 9.
Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Tip… DO NOT peel the potatoes. Simply add them to boiling water straight from the bag. Make sure to cut the big ones in half! Boil for about 20 minutes and when a knife goes through them easily, they are ready. Hold the hot potato under cold running water and the potato skin just falls off! All the flavor of the potato will be in your potato salad.
While the potatoes are cooling, chop half a large white onion. In a large bowl, combine onion, about 1 cup mayonnaise to start (I use Miracle Whip), 1/2 cup sweet pickle sauce, 1 tsp. salt and a little pepper. Then chop the potatoes as small as you like and pour them on top of the mixture. Mix well and add more mayonnaise as needed to reach the consistency you like. I usually add more than 1 cup before it’s all set. You can also substitute fat-free items like yogurt, fat-free sour cream, or low-fat mayonnaise.
Another ingredient I like to add is chopped hard boiled eggs. I use 3 eggs in a batch of potato salad to feed 8 or 9 people. Add the eggs last so they don’t get too musky. Stir everything together and chill before serving. Potato salad is even better if it is refrigerated overnight before serving. If you’re close to time, it’s even okay to throw the bowl in the freezer for about 45 minutes to chill quickly.
The potato salad is a “crowd pleaser”. After preparing the potato salad following these simple steps, you can easily adjust the recipe to your liking. With these simple tips, you won’t make mistakes like taking out all the flavor, overcooking your potatoes, or adding ingredients you don’t need.
When I cook my potato salad, everyone wants my recipe! This recipe isn’t even written anywhere, until now. So, make this your recipe and enjoy!