Welcome the Warm Weather with Delicious Grilled Meals
This warm weather has our family cleaning off the outdoor grill and putting it to good use for some delicious, simple meals. Burgers, lemony chicken thighs, and fresh veggies are a welcome change. This weekend, we’re enjoying the aromas of the smoker going all day—sweet and smoky pork ribs are on the Sunday menu. And what better side to ribs than potato salad and cornbread?
Why Some People Love or Hate Potato Salad
It seems most people are either strongly pro-potato salad or not. Potato salads can range from bland and heavily dressed to overly sweet with chalky, flavorless potatoes. However, when done right, potato salad can be a perfect side dish that elevates any meal.
My Mom’s Famous Potato Salad Recipe
Growing up, my mom made a great potato salad that was always a hit—full of flavorful red-skinned potatoes, crispy bacon, and perfect bites of hard-boiled egg. It was a family favorite, and it’s still a recipe I return to when I want to impress at a barbecue.
Combining Homemade Tradition with Professional Kitchen Techniques
When I spent time as an intern at Flea Street Cafe in Menlo Park, CA, one of my prep jobs was to make the potato salad that ended up being served with the Chef’s ridiculously good fried chicken. This entailed smoking the baby potatoes and preparing the dressing. After being given a short list of key ingredients – homemade aioli, mustards, blanched celery, etc. – my job was to “make it good.” Yes, that was the extent of the instructions.
I took the techniques I learned in the professional kitchen and combined them with my mom’s homemade recipe to create a version of potato salad that always gets rave reviews—even from people who typically don’t love potato salad. The perfect balance of flavors and textures makes it a standout side dish that keeps everyone coming back for more.
Adding Acidity to Enhance the Flavor
After some practice, I became confident in making this on my own, knowing just how much of this vs. that to put in. The ingredient that always surprised me was the balance of acidity to creaminess. Just a dash more vinegar or lemon juice or even a splash of pickle juice would transform the dish, “making it good.” It’s the secret to elevating a simple potato salad into something memorable.
Cheers,
Christina
Best Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 lbs baby dutch potatoes, halved or quartered in large any thin skinned potato will work
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsps dijon mustard
- 2 tbsps whole grain mustard
- 2 tbsps sweet pickle relish
- 1 tbsp champagne vinegar white wine vinegar works as well
- 2 dashes worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp dried dill weed
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup diced celery
- 3 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Place potatoes and 2 tbsp of kosher salt in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook potatoes until easily pierced with a knife, about 12-15 minutes. Drain potatoes into a colander and place colander over the empty pot. Cover with a kitchen towel and let steam for 15-20 minutes.
- While the potatoes are steaming, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, both mustards, relish, vinegar, worcestershire, dill, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add red onion, celery and green onion and combine.
- Add steamed potatoes and gently fold until the mixture coats the potatoes. Taste for seasonings. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to blend flavors. Taste before serving, adjust seasonings as desired.