WHAT IS SOUTHERN POTATO SALAD?
When I think of southern cuisine, I instantly think of fried chicken and potato salad. I can’t imagine attending a potluck meal, a backyard BBQ, or a holiday gathering without a huge dish of potato salad with fried chicken in the center.
There are probably as many potato salad recipes as there are picnics or holidays in the south, just like fried chicken recipes. Each one includes a bit more of this and a little less of that component. But, with its classic creamy texture, this old-fashioned recipe is the greatest and my family’s favorite!
This dish, like other potato salad recipes in the south, calls for good old yellow prepared mustard. There was no dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, or Miracle Whip for the love of God.
*A classic Southern Potato Salad, exactly like Grandma used to make; this creamy, tangy delight is easy to prepare. It’s also loaded with crisp dill pickles, yellow mustard, mayonnaise, and essential hard-boiled eggs!
Ingredients
3 pounds peeled and diced russet potatoes (About 7-8 medium size potatoes)
kosher salt, 2 tsp
4 peeled and sliced hard-boiled eggs
1/2 cup sliced dill pickles from hamburger
2 tbsp dill pickle juice from hamburger
1/2 cup coarsely chopped or grated Vidalia or sweet yellow onion
1 cup mayonnaise (Dupont or Hellman’s preferred)
1/4 cup mustard, yellow
1/2 teaspoon salt (Kosher)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus a pinch of paprika for decoration
Instructions
Over high heat, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes after the water begins to boil, add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and the potato chunks. When you can mash a slice of potato with a fork with minimal resistance, the potatoes are done. In a colander, drain the potatoes.
Return the drained and cooked potatoes to the pan and mash them 3-4 times with a potato masher. This step adds creaminess to your potato salad and ensures that the potatoes absorb more of the mayonnaise mixture.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, onion, pickles, pickle juice, hard-boiled eggs, salt, and pepper while the potatoes are boiling. Fold the cooked potatoes into the mixture.
Finish with a sprinkling of paprika.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
If you’re short on time, you may buy boiled and peeled eggs at the grocery store.
It’s far easier to put a tiny quantity of paprika in your palm than to shake it out of the jar over your food. Then take a pinch and equally distribute it on top. If you believe it needs it, you can always add more.
The finest potatoes are russets, which have a starchy smoothness to them. Yukon Gold and New or Red Potatoes can also be used, although the flavor and texture will be somewhat different.
Russet potatoes are always peeled, although Yukon Gold, New, and Red Potatoes are rarely peeled due to their thinner skins.
This dish may be made ahead of time and tastes even better the next day.
Leftovers should be kept securely wrapped in the fridge for up to five days. Do not attempt to thaw them.
If your family doesn’t like onions, you may leave them out of this dish.
Make the dressing and have it ready before you start cooking the potatoes. The dressing and tastes are more easily absorbed by hot potatoes.
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