Best Ever Potato Salad  

Serves: 8 people, as a side dish 
Prep time: 10-15 minutes 
Cook Time: 30 min + 9 minutes
Rest Time: 30 minutes
Make Ahead: Up to 2 Days 

With all of the potato salad recipes out there do we really need another one?  Us included, we had our recipe down pat.  Made it every year, and it is delicious.  Then, with a few careful tweaks and drawing on a technique used in other potato recipes: we have updated the classic we know and love for the better. 

Seven steps to better potato salad: 

• Choose your potato wisely: Make sure it is not too old, and not too starchy.   If you can get your hands on the rare yet coveted Huckleberry Gold, this is our latest favourite.  A good quality yellow fleshed potato is perfect as well. 
• Peel the potatoes completely (skins in potato salad tend to fall of and give a papery texture). 
• Cut potatoes into a large dice to cook.  This is definitely a change-up from our former ways, where leaving them whole was our preference.  Read on for more! 
• Once you've added your peeled & diced potatoes to your pot, cover with COLD water (always--ensures an evenly cooked potato) and then add 2-3 tablespoons of VINEGAR to the water.  This technique keeps the shape of the potato, keeps too much dressing from absorbing, and extends the shelf life of the salad.  NOTE: it does increase your cooking time. 
• SALT your potatoes well!  With enough salt at the beginning you flavour the potatoes from the inside out, leaving only minimal seasoning to the end. 
• Once your potatoes are fork tender, LIFT them out of the water onto a baking sheet to cool just slightly before folding in with the dressing.  Straining them out into the sink leads to broken potatoes. 
• Use that pickle juice!  We add a good amount of pickle juice to our dressing.  It makes it deceivingly and oh-so delicious.  

Recipe: 

2.5 lbs. potatoes, peeled & cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes 
2 tbsp. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (or more if water does not taste salty) 
3 tbsp. white vinegar 

6 large eggs 

4 green onions, finely sliced 
a good handful of finely chopped dill 
a small bunch of chives, finely chopped (optional) 
3 tbsp. capers, chopped if very large 
3 small dill pickles, chopped 
1 cup mayonnaise (we like Hellmann's or Duke's.  NOT 'salad dressing'). 
1/3 cup dill pickle juice 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed 

1. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water.  Add salt and vinegar, bring up to the boil over high heat.  Let boil for one minute, then reduce heat to low.  Cook until fork tender: this will be a little deceiving at first, as the vinegar keeps the outside of the potato firm, and the potatoes will take a little longer than usual. 
2. In the meantime hard-boil the eggs: bring a second medium pot of water up to the boil.   Carefully add in eggs and continue to boil over medium-high heat for 9 minutes.  Drain and cool under cold running water for a few minutes.  Peel.  
3. Chop all ingredients and mix together with mayonnaise and pickle juice in a large bowl.  
4. Once potatoes are fork tender, carefully drain and let cool for 5 minutes on a baking sheet.  They should still be warm when you toss everything together. 
5. Fold potatoes into mayonnaise mixture.  Chop eggs into large pieces and add to the bowl, but season with salt and pepper first before folding in.  
6. Taste for seasoning and refrigerate 30 minutes before serving, or up to 2 days.   

 Make Bacon from Scratch and Fall-off-the-Bone Ribs!  

Need more Summer Salad ideas?   Try our Summer Salads Cooking Class! Perfect for helping you cook for a cottage weekend away or your next BBQ, complete with a detailed shopping list, cooking guide & video instruction to help you make a lot of food in little time!