Barbecues and picnics wouldn't be complete without a big bowl of creamy potato salad
This recipe is easy to make and I'll show you my
simple techniques to maximize the flavor of this popular side dish
I prefer to use russet potatoes, it's a mealy type of vegetable that's high in starch
When it's cooked it's going to have a light and flaky texture
When we mix it in with the other ingredients it's going to break
down on the surface a little bit creating a creamy consistency
You could also use Yukon gold or red
potatoes but it's going to be a little bit more dense and hearty
I have two pounds of spuds that have already been washed and dried
and the first step is to peel them
I like to use a Y-peeler because it makes it really easy
to run the peeler down the length of the potato
Remove as much of the thick outer skin as possible
Cut into 3/4-inch thick pieces, turn them on their cut-side down, cut into 3/4-inch strips
Turn and stack, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
This size is going to ensure that when the potatoes
break down when you're mixing, you're still going to have some nice chunks to bite into
These pieces are going to start to turn color really quickly because there's an
enzyme in the flesh called polyphenol oxidase
When it reacts with the oxygen in the air it turns the pigment brown,
so to reduce that exposure we're going to transfer to a pot
and cover it right away with some water
Immediately place the potatoes in a large saucepan, add enough water to cover by one inch
The potatoes should be started in cold water then gradually increased in temperature
this prevents the outside from cooking too quickly
requiring more time for the centers to cook through
When this comes to a boil I'm going to add some salt,
this is going to season the potatoes throughout
You want to make sure that the potatoes are fork-tender
and not too soft otherwise they're just going to completely fall apart
Bring the water to a boil over high heat, once it starts to bubble
add 1 tablespoon of salt and stir to dissolve
Reduce the heat to a simmer over medium heat adjusting as needed
Stir occasionally and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart,
about 8 to 10 minutes
Drain the potatoes and transfer them back to the warm pot
Warm spuds are going to be better at absorbing flavor
I'm going to add some white distilled vinegar which is
going to provide some pungency and acidity to the creamy potato salad
I'm going to let it absorb and marinate so that each piece is flavorful throughout
If you want a more mild option you could also use apple cider vinegar
Add two tablespoons of vinegar over the potatoes,
use a rubber spatula to gently toss to combine, and marinate for 20 minutes
Large hard-boiled eggs are used in the recipe to add richness to the dressing and extra texture
For convenience, you can use store-bought
or I'll show you how easy it is to make them on the stovetop
Fill a medium saucepan with enough water to cover the eggs by one inch once added
Bring the water to a low boil over medium-high heat
until it reaches 200 degrees carefully place the eggs in the hot water
Boil for 30 seconds then place the lid on the pot
and reduce the heat to low, cook on a low simmer for 12 minutes
The eggs are done and now I'm going to transfer them into
an ice-water bath filled with two cups of ice and two cups of water
This is going to halt the cooking process let these
chill for 15 minutes so that they're completely cooled down
and in the meanwhile, we can prepare the other mixins
Celery is going to add a nice fresh crunch to the salad,
the first thing I do is trim off the ends and then cut it into about 3-inch long pieces
Work one piece at a time, cut into 1/8-inch thick strips then 1/8-inch dice, we need 1/2 a cup
For pungency and a pop of color, I'm going to dice some red onion
Cut off the root end making sure that it's still intact, trim off the other side
Place the onion cut-side down then cut it in half lengthwise,
peel off the papery skin, carefully cut 1/8-inch thick slices
and cut down to create 1/8-inch thick slices on the other side, turn and cut into 1/8-inch dice
We want these pieces to be pretty small because you don't want big bites in the salad
I like to chop it one more time to make sure that the pieces are nice and small and even-sized,
we need two tablespoons
For some herbaceous notes, I'm gonna chop some parsley
I like to take a bunch that has already been cleaned and dried then just take the knife
and trim off the leaves rotating the bunch as you go
Remove any stems, just pick the leaves off of them
Gather the leaves into a pile then use the fanning motion rocking back and forth to chop it down,
we need two tablespoons
To peel the eggs just crack it on its side, rotate it around, pull the shell away from the egg
Now slice this into 1/4-inch thick pieces then chop into 1/4-inch dice
I've added the marinated potatoes into a large bowl, now we're ready to add the mix-ins
Add 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, you can also use sour cream or plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup of diced celery, 1/4 cup of dill pickle relish,
or you could use sweet relish if you like it a bit sweeter
2 tablespoons chopped red onions, 2 tablespoons minced parsley,
1 1/2 teaspoons of yellow mustard. or dijon is a good alternative
3/4 teaspoons of kosher salt,
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 2 large chopped eggs
Stir this till everything is combined
Now I'm going to cover it with some plastic wrap, chill this in the refrigerator for
one hour, this is going to allow all the flavors to infuse together
If you want to make this in advance you can store this in an airtight container for up to two days
before serving
Make sure you taste it and season with a little bit of salt and pepper to your liking
Garnish with a little bit of fresh chopped parsley,
some pieces of celery, and a little bit more red onion
This is going to be the star of the barbecue or picnic
These garnishes just really add a nice pop of color
If you're looking for another appetizer to share, check out my macaroni salad
right here, it's always a hit
I hope you enjoyed learning the science spine potato salad
and if you did please give it a big thumbs up
It means a lot when you do
See you in the next video
Alright, time to give a little taste
This is so good