I made it a larger recipe for a party on Sunday and was not happy with the results. First, I think I had too much celery--I think that was the big problem. Second, while I never use mustard in my mayo dressing, I wondered if perhaps that might have helped. I may have also used too much vinegar because it was a little runny. Since I was increasing the mayo to accommodate my larger-than-usual recipe, I thought I should also increase the vinegar. Now, after the fact, I'm thinking I should have just used my normal 2 Tb of vinegar (I always use distilled). I've often wondered if cider vinegar would be good?????

Just curious as to what you all do, mustard or no mustard? White or cider vinegar.

I make a very simple potato salad that everyone seems to love, at least I am always asked to bring it to any type of party ect.
Just Potatoes,chopped onion, hard boiled eggs,thats it. Then I use a dressing of Mayo thinned with some milk, add some yellow mustard untill the dressing is a pale yellow or to taste. I also add the salt and papper for the salad to the dressing before I put it on the salad. I find that the salt and pepper is more evevely spread thru the salad like this. I also make and dress the salad several hours before I plan to serve it so the flavors have a chance to meld.
Then just before I serve it I put some fresh dressing on it and decorate the top of the salad with some sliced hard boiled eggs.
HTH,
Mary

I like my potato salad loaded -- potatoes, hard boiled eggs, onion, green peppers, celery, and cucumber. My dressing is made w/o measurement but includes: Miracle Whip, cider vinegar, sugar, mustard and milk. I like the dressing loose, but not runny.

Many times during the summer I will make my potato salad, sans potatoes. Just the other veggies, eggs and the dressing. Yum.

My potato salad consists only of potatoes, boiled eggs, sweet salad pickles, and Miracle Whip Salad Dressing or mayonnaise. Sometimes I add mustard. Salt, pepper and paprika.

My mom always used vinegar with her mayo but then she added the same amount of sugar to counteract the vinegar. And she used mustard too for hers was a pretty yellow color. Grandmother's was straight mayo I think for hers was white -- and I definitely preferred Mom's.

But I have my own way -- firstly, with new red potatoes, red onion and celery. A dressing of mayo thinned with buttermilk or milk if I don't have the buttermilk, salt and pepper and mustard -- prefer Dijon and perhaps a spoonful of whole grain because it looks nice. Then herbs -- a goodly amount -- chives or dill or tarragon. (my favorite really is the dill).

I also like to do a potato salad with oil and vinegar dressing and again, use one of the herbs and we adore the hot German potato salad but that seems to go more with bratwurst!


I must admit that I don't make potato salad very often -- to me it is crowd food. (I do make the German potato salad in October for the Rotary Oktoberfest for 100 -- that is definitely a crowd!)

Martha

You can dress your potatoes while still warm (they will absorb the flavor better while warm) with whatever suits your fancy/taste buds.

I prefer to use wine vinegar and a bit of olive oil, then a good home-made or store-bought mayo and a dijon mustard.

I add ingredients from there, depending what I have on-hand and what taste I'm going for. I might add hard boiled eggs, green onions, celery, capers, sweet pickles, crisp crumbled bacon, black olives, sauteed fresh garlic, fresh herbs, sea salt, fresh pepper, etc, etc.

I'm often asked to bring potato salad to a gathering and the bowl is always empty when it comes time to go home, so someone must like it.

Experiment until you find a dressing that suits your taste.

Everyone's recipes sound so good! As to your specific questions - yes to the mustard! Vinegar? I love vinegar and probably have 4 or 5 types in the pantry but would NEVER have thought of putting it in potato salad!

As for mayonaise - Best Foods is the only way to go (Hellmans - east of the Rockies). Do keep Miracle Whip far, far away - maybe in another galaxy - from me!

Bottom line, there are probably several hundred versions of potato salad - all good. Think where you might have gone wrong was simply trying to double/triple the recipe and added too much liquid. No problem next time!

I use Hellman's.
Yellow mustard.
No vinegar.
No sugar.

boiled eggs
celery
onion
dill pickles
green olives with pimento
salt
pepper

Think that's it.

My vote is that you used too much celery and it turned the salad watery. I've learned that cukes, celery and other mostly water content veggies don't work well with mayonnaise.

For my potato salad it's Russet potatoes, eggs, Vidalia onions, Miracle Whip, cream, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and celery salt. Amounts are in descending order of the ingredients to taste.

I do vary the mustard and vinegar for a twist.
Try a hint of balsamic and regular clear vinegar or cider, red wine, tarragon, etc. Dijon, stone ground, spicy brown or regular yellow mustards.

I use the vinegar from the sweet pickle jar to moisten the cut-up potatoes before adding the rest of the mayo with yellow mustard to color it and salt and pepper. I also use cut-up hard-boiled eggs, chopped celery, green onions, sweet pickles. The potatoes should be cool before adding the dressing ingredients - I use Best Foods / Hellmann's. It could have been the potatoes themselves that were watery - they should not be cooked to disintegration and drained well.

When I make potato salad I first make three small piles, one each of chopped onion, chopped celery, chopped celery leaves.

Then for each potato I cut up I add a serving of each of these, along with whatever seasonings I intend to use. I then add a glob of mayo. Continue till done. Add more mayo enough to make the mixture moist, not runny, not dry.

Over this I may pour a small amount of mayo thinned with cream or yoghurt or such. Maybe a dite of mustard goes in this mixture. Also if I use any egg it would be here and only one grated over the top and then a sprinkle of celery seed and/or paprika. Very simple. I make good potato salad.

My potato salad is very simple and people seem to like it.
I don't measure anything.
cubed cooked potatoes
boiled eggs
Hellman's
salt & pepper
Diced homemade sweet 14 day pickles(no substitution!)
Sprinkle paprika on top.

The pickles are what give it that old-timey granny made it taste. It isn't nearly as good if you use storebought pickles or EGAD! relish!

I don't measure either. But cubed boiled potatoes, chopped boiled eggs, finely diced celery and onion. I prefer Vidalia's if they are in season. I'm not terribly fond of celery but I like the crunch. To make the dressing I use good quality regular mayo, about 1 T brown mustard, about 2 T sweet salad cubes and a little of the liquid and a T cider vinegar. Mix the celery and onions in with the dressing with a little extra salt and pepper to taste and a couple of dashes of hot sauce. Then pour over the potatoes and eggs. Stir to coat but not mushy. I prefer my potato salad room temp but - ....... So a little chill to keep it safe.

I don't measure either and every time I've taken mine to any function, it has been emptied!But some of you on here wouldn't like it if you KNEW what I put in it!!!

Boiled potatoes, skinned & cubed
chopped onions (lots of onions)
chopped hard boiled eggs
sweet pickle relish, store bought usually
salt, pepper & celery seed
Dressing is Miracle Whip, cheap mustard & some sugar.

My pickle relish is all the vinegar my potato salad gets.
I don't cook fancy! I cook farm, country style!

I think Lurah hit it on the head. Too much celery probably had something to do with the runniness. Next time, I will definitely use less celery and less vinegar. I have found that most people add a small amount of mustard to their dressing. And I only buy Best Foods mayo, never Miracle Whip. I also like to put a little bit of parsley in my potato salad but i forgot to buy it. I think it's time to get a parsley plant, and maybe some chives, too!

Thanks for the input!

quote:

Originally posted by ga.karen:
I don't measure either and every time I've taken mine to any function, it has been emptied!But some of you on here wouldn't like it if you KNEW what I put in it!!!

Boiled potatoes, skinned & cubed
chopped onions (lots of onions)
chopped hard boiled eggs
sweet pickle relish, store bought usually
salt, pepper & celery seed
Dressing is Miracle Whip, cheap mustard & some sugar.

My pickle relish is all the vinegar my potato salad gets.
I don't cook fancy! I cook farm, country style!

Mine sounds the same as yours except the sugar, I am a plain cooking gal too, just good ole down home cooking.

I figured out diced celery and onion added to my egg salad became watery the next day and ruined a good sandwich....so I started using onion salt and celery salt in place of the chopped and it sure made a difference.

Although I won't give up chopped onions in the potato salad, I don't think the onions have as high percentage of water as does celery and mushrooms, lettuce, etc.

Charming is so right - there is absolutely no time better to enjoy potato salad as when it is still just warm or room temperature right after it's made. I have a hard time keeping my fork out of the potluck bowl!

Lurah, I don't put onion or celery in my egg salad but when I make cole slaw instead of using celery, which I don't like, I use celery seed. You might want to try that in your egg salad.

I made another batch for a party this weekend. It got rave reviews. I put in less vinegar and celery and added a small amount of yellow mustard. I was very pleased with the results. Oh, I also used red onion instead of yellow, maybe that had something to do with the improvement.

As for celery seed, I don't care for it because some of the seeds always seem to get lodged in my teeth. Same reason I don't like to use freshly cracked pepper.

When I do potatoe salad I also don't measure anything do it by taste.
boil white potatoes in skin then peel and quaterthem
yellow onion diced
bell(green) pepper diced
pickle relish
kraft mayo
mix well.
at Christmas I use small jar of permintoe(spell)for color as in red, green (Peppers,relish) white (potatoes,mayo).
everyone seem to like it no leftovers.

This recipe is a little different in that it is a cooked dressing. It is a very large recipe, however and the person who gave it to me said she uses red potatoes. (A 5# bag) You can put whatever you want in the salad but here is the dressing.

3 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup sugar (I have gone for less, like 1/2 cup)
1/3 c. white vinegar
Stir and cook this on medium till thick. When cool, add 1 pint Miracle Whip. I have used mayo too. I always get compliments on it and the other ingredients I add are always varied, depending what I have on hand.

I make mine like my mom did. Basically the same, mayo, prepared mustard,vinegar, touch sugar and chopped, hard-boiled eggs. Sometimes, a little celery, chopped onion too. But the secret to my mom's was a little chopped radish added before serving...always gave the salad that little zip it needed; but I find if you add it right away, the red colours run...other than that it always gets raves.

I solved the problem of runniness by eliminating vinegar. I used to chop up sweet pickles, but now I use relish and that has enough moisture and tang to replace the vinegar. Also, I make the dressing for the salad in a separate bowl. That way you can judge the thickness before assembling the salad: I put the boiled potatoes and chopped egg whites in the big bowl and then make the dressing by mashing the yolks with a fork folding in mayo and mustard, adding relish, chopped stuffed olives, finely diced onions and celery and chopped bacon (a fairly new addition to my salad). Then I salt and pepper the dressing and test for the right tartness before spooning it over the potatoes.

I can sympathize with you, however. My dear SIL trusted me to make the dressing for her deviled eggs one Thanksgiving and I made it the same as for potato salad. It was too "liquid" and though the finished product tasted fine, the appearance was sad.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: sms29s66,

My mom always used to make home-made potato salad and it was always good, but I was never able to have her teach me before she passed. So I decided to use the internet to teach myself.

After my first batch was ruined, I read a tip and now it's my very favorite part of the recipe. I read to peel 6 pototoes, then cube them the size you would normally would for potato salad. After you cut them, put them in a pot of boiling water and boil for 18 minutes and drain, then chill......

then add a 1/2 cup of celery, a 1/2 cup of onion, 2 hard boiled eggs and mayo and stir.....then add 2 tbsp of mustard. I also cut up 1 sweet pickle.....yummy yummy yummy

j

I've tried peeling/cubing/boiling method when I was in a hurry and too lazy for the tedious job of peeling the cooked potatoes. However, I do prefer them boiled whole and then peeled. Someplace online I saw the method of scoring around the entire middle of the potato with a very sharp knife, which makes it easier to peel. I tried it and it sort of makes the potato easier to peel, but not as easy as the video suggested.

I've never had radishes in a potato salad, but to avoid the red bleeding into the salad, I would peel the radishes first and then chop them.

I always break up the egg yolks and, with a fork, I mix them together with the mayo, sweet pickle (or relish), mustard, and S&P. This way, it gets thoroughly distributed among the potatoes, onions, celery, and egg whites.

Lastly, I've always been under the impression that it is best to start potatoes in cold water, so I've never put them into boiling water. Maybe I should try peeling/cubing them again and using a boiling-water start and see how the potatoes turn out!

Love the sunglasses! LOL LOL

This message has been edited. Last edited by: CA Lori,

I have never in 50 years+ had "runny" potato salad - and I use the sweet pickle vinegar to moisten the potatoes before adding the mayo and mustard - to the cubed potatoes, eggs, celery, sweet pickles and green onions. Again - I believe it is the type of potatoe used - I use Russett - and do not let them become mushy....

Russet potatoes are hands down the best for the "dry" style of potato salad you are trying to achieve.
I question cooking any peeled, diced potato for 18 minutes for potato salad. 18 minutes would turn Russet potatoes to mashed in a quick hurry.
Whole potatoes for salad if they aren't too large can be cooked until just fork tender in that amount of time. Large ones may take 25 to 30 minutes, but seldom any longer.

Exactly - I agree Lurah. I cook them whole - let them cool slightly - not too long - scrape the peel off and make large cubes - into a bowl - and I add the vinegar and even a little olive oil to moisten the potatoes and add S&P - then I add the rest of the diced ingredients including eggs - then the mayo and mustard - I add dollops on top of a cup or more of mayo and mix together on top of the ingredients to a "color" I like - and then mix - add more of either / both / as I like - but add in increments - making sure it's the consistency I want. I always sprinkle paprika on top....

I use small new taters red and white, give them a good scrub and cut them in halves or quarters, boil them in salted water and drain. put them in the bowl and squeeze fresh lemon juice over them while still hot 1/2 a lemon for my family...the whole lemon if I'm making it for a BBQ...

If I was back home in KY I would add

Helmans mayo -thinned with whipping cream or half and half

yellow mustard

celery salt

white pepper

small grated carrot

chopped boiled eggs

1/2 a grated vidalia onion

and the secret ingredient (home canned german pickles and a splash of their juice) sadly I've lost my recipe for those delicious pickles in the move to Australia.

and topped off with fresh crumbled crispy bacon


Here in Oz, hubby says Southern tater salad has too much junk in it...

So it is simply the taters with lemon juice as above, salt pepper, a handfull of fresh dill fronds picked from stems, fresh chopped chives or green onions, and fried diced bacon (aussie bacon is more like canadian bacon) and a dressing made of mayo, thickened cream, and a bit of honey mustard salad dressing... if I'm feeling a bit inventive I toss in about 1/2 cup of frozen peas the last few minutes of cooking the taters...and I also add chopped boiled eggs with the peas. Hubs don't grumble as he loves peas and eggs!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kentucky_Sunshine,