A Secret Ingredient and a Special Technique = Potato Salad Extraordinaire
Picnics and patio dinners. What would they be without potato salad? It’s that season again, which makes this little tip especially valuable. Sara Sedghi, editor and writer for www.allrecipes.com, shares a genius trick for making incredible potato salad.
Now I know you’re all very savvy cooks and likely have your favorite potato salad recipe and could likely defend it as an incredible dish. But give Sara a chance. She says, “If you’re looking to add some zing to your potato salad, though, there’s one simple ingredient that makes a huge difference. Including this ingredient in the mix creates a significant upgrade. It’s one of the most magical and under-utilized ingredients in your refrigerator.”
Any guesses as to what she’s talking about? “Simple ingredient” indeed; she’s referring to PICKLE JUICE. By show of hands, how many of you out there already knew about this, or have tried it? I had no idea. Sara goes on to say, “This little trick might just make a convert out of the potato salad-hater in your life.”
Turns out, pickle juice, as well as other types of brine, is a game-changer in dips, sauces, and salads. All that salt and fermentation delivers a strong punch of flavor to an otherwise bland food (sorry, potatoes). Pickle juice also enhances the flavor of meats when it’s used as a marinade. (Chick-fil-A uses the same strategy with their fried chicken. Who knew?)
Sara says that pickle juice doesn’t just enhance a potato salad’s flavor, though. It’ll also help maintain the potatoes’ texture after they’re cooked. Nice to know. Haven’t we all had a mushy potato salad now and then?
Most of us probably have. Sara included. So she also passes on her trick for protecting against this unfortunate occurrence. She likes to use dill pickles and their brine in the salad, so she adds a splash of bring to the water used for boiling her potatoes. The vinegar in the brine makes the water acidic which helps the potatoes stay together when cooked. If you don’t have enough pickle brine in the jar, just use a couple of tablespoons of a neutral vinegar (white wine, distilled, apple cider) instead.
If you’re interested in trying Sara’s technique, then here’s a recipe she favors. Compare it to your current favorite and see what you think.
Million Dollar Potato Salad
4 large eggs
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled
1/2 cup dill pickle brine divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard
6 slices bacon
1/3 cup finely sliced chives
1/4 cup chopped dill pickles
2 stalks celery chopped
1/3 cup crispy fried onions
Directions:
1. Place eggs into a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat and cover with a lid. Let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Drain eggs and place into an ice bath to cool completely.
3. Peel eggs and cut into quarters, or smaller if you prefer.
4. Peel potatoes and cut into roughly 2-inch chunks.
5. Add potatoes to a large pot of cold water, season the water generously with salt, and add 1/4 cup pickle juice (this helps them to hold together once cooked - you can alternatively use 2 tablespoons white vinegar). Bring to a boil over a high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside.
6. Meanwhile, make dressing: Stir Parmesan, mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and remaining 1/4 cup dill pickle brine together in a bowl.
7. Pour the dressing over the hot potatoes and stir to coat. Taste and season with salt, if needed, then leave to cool.
8. Place bacon into a large skillet and fry over medium heat, turning over to let both sides crisp up, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a chopping board and cut into bite-sized pieces.
9. To the cooled potatoes, add the boiled eggs, celery, chopped dill pickle, most of the bacon and most of the chives. Mix together to combine.
10. When ready to serve, transfer the potato salad to a serving dish and garnish with remaining chives and bacon, as well as the crispy fried onions.
2. Drain eggs and place into an ice bath to cool completely.
3. Peel eggs and cut into quarters, or smaller if you prefer.
4. Peel potatoes and cut into roughly 2-inch chunks.
5. Add potatoes to a large pot of cold water, season the water generously with salt, and add 1/4 cup pickle juice (this helps them to hold together once cooked - you can alternatively use 2 tablespoons white vinegar). Bring to a boil over a high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside.
6. Meanwhile, make dressing: Stir Parmesan, mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and remaining 1/4 cup dill pickle brine together in a bowl.
7. Pour the dressing over the hot potatoes and stir to coat. Taste and season with salt, if needed, then leave to cool.
8. Place bacon into a large skillet and fry over medium heat, turning over to let both sides crisp up, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a chopping board and cut into bite-sized pieces.
9. To the cooled potatoes, add the boiled eggs, celery, chopped dill pickle, most of the bacon and most of the chives. Mix together to combine.
10. When ready to serve, transfer the potato salad to a serving dish and garnish with remaining chives and bacon, as well as the crispy fried onions.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com