Southern Potato Salad

Southern potato salad is a creamy, tangy, flavorful side dish that goes perfectly with grilled meats, burgers, fried chicken…almost everything. This is comfort food that evokes happy memories of family picnics, barbecues, parties, and potlucks.

Growing up in Pittsburgh one of my favorite summertime activities was my family’s annual reunion at one of the local amusement parks with a lush, shady picnic area. My mother would spend the entire day before making huge bowls of coleslaw, pickled eggs, and potato salad that she would pack into huge ice chests along with burgers and hotdogs to slap on the grill.

I loved sitting around the picnic tables with my aunts, uncles, and cousins laughing and eating all of her delicious foods. It’s a memory that I treasure and making this Southern Potato Salad brings back those warm thoughts.

WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE?

• Potatoes – preferably russet or Yukon Gold since they don’t get mushy when boiled
• Hard-boiled eggs – use older eggs which will be easier to peel than fresh eggs
• Scallions – I like the gentle onion flavor but you can also use finely minced sweet onion or a teaspoon of onion powder
• Mayonnaise, not the sweet salad dressing. Use a good quality mayo like Helmann’s or Duke’s.
• Mustard. I like Dijon, but yellow mustard works as well.
• Vinegar. I use apple cider vinegar, but white or white wine vinegar would be fine.
• Sugar
• Sweet pickle relish, which I drain in a small mesh strainer
• Celery seed
• Salt and pepper to taste

TIPS FOR MAKING SOUTHERN POTATO SALAD

• Slice your potatoes in half or even quarters so that the potatoes are uniform in size. Be sure to use cold water to begin boiling them so that they cook evenly and always generously salt the water. It adds a ton of flavor.
• Mix the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl to fully combine all of the ingredients. Adding them to the potatoes and then mixing will break up the tender potatoes resulting in a mushy salad.
• Combine the dressing with the potatoes while they are still a bit warm. The potatoes will absorb more of the dressing while warm.
• Taste the potato salad and adjust for seasonings.

RECIPES FOR THE ULTIMATE SUMMER BARBECUE

• Pickled Deviled Eggs
• Balsamic Fruit Salad
• Brown Sugar and Bourbon Baked Beans
• Southern Style Coleslaw
• Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken
• Homemade Orange Creamsicles

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