I’ve always loved potato salad so I’ve made a lot of the stuff for parties and pot lucks over the years so here is my advice. I started with the Betty Crocker cookbook recipe and then modified it over the years especially as I learned that lots of people like it spicy. I never make it exactly the same way twice because I don't measure the ingrediants. I just keep adding spices until I think it spicy enough.

Starting with the basics: potatoes and eggs.

I used to buy whatever potatoes were on sale but I learned that my results were more consistent by using only Russet potatoes. White potatoes tend to lose more structural integrity after cooking. They can flake apart more and give up more water while mixing leaving me with a soupy mix that look bad even though it will last fine. I peal the potatoes and cut the larger ones in half to reduce the cooking time and not overcook the smaller ones. I don’t time it. It’s done when I can put a fork into a large potato easily.

Nothing special about the eggs. I but large white grade A eggs and boil for 10-15 minutes. Seems they tend to be easier to peal if cooled quickly. I like hard boiled eggs so I will add 1.5 or two dozen eggs to 10 pounds of potatoes. I only cut them into quarters rather than using a slicer.

Seasonings:

I prepare the sauce in a large mixing bowl. When it tastes good I add it the potatoes and eggs. If I’m making a lot then I use several containers in the process. You don’t need a single container to hold it all.

Betty Crocker calls for using salad dressing but I don’t care for salad dressing in potato salad. I’ve come to prefer Kraft light mayonnaise. I use 1.5 quarts with 10 pounds of potatoes.

I also never cared for having anything crunchy in my potato salad so I leave out the celery and cucumber.

I’ve been on a low sodium diet for a long time so I use less than half the recommended amount of salt if I add any salt at all. Most people on low sodium diets compensate by using more black pepper so I will increase the amount of black pepper and I usually add some other pepper for variety. Lately I’ve been adding half a jar of sliced jalopeno papers. I think next time I’ll cut the slices in half.

You could also add horseradish, but careful with that stuff. One year I add way to much and not many people could eat it.

I will add a large sweet onion or two smaller ones. I don’t bother to dice them finely. I can add more sweet onion than yellow onion.

Betty Crocker calls for using dry mustard but deli mustard seems to work just as well. If I want to write something on top I will save the mustard for lettering and mix it in just before serving.

Last time I tried adding Old Bay seasoning - just enough for people to notice it was there. Garlic powder goes well with everything.

The sauce should taste good at this point.

Toppings:

I add lots more seasons on top after mixing with the potatoes and eggs mostly for color. Having an Italian mother, I’m fond of Italian seasonings: paprika, oregano, parsley flakes and dill seed.

Finally, I will sprinkle some red wine vinegar on top and let is soak in but not until the day I’m serving it because vinegar may cause the mayonnaise to separate and not look as good. Actually onions can also cause mayonnaise to separate, but I can’t prevent that.

Best regards,

Bob

My Spicy Potato Salad