# Potato Salad **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 21, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363 "2013-09-21T02:44:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/21 "2013-09-21T20:26:17Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > I’ll probably just make an American version, but I’ll read back over all the suggestions and see if I can find something new to try. I do use hard boiled eggs, and I like both celery and onion… I have a sweet (Vidalia or similar) so I’ll use that instead of red. Maybe I can experiment in soaking some celery seeds in vinegar to see how that works out. Return and report, Mister! ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/22 "2013-09-21T20:34:22Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Boil the spuds in the skins, then peel and cube. Add mayo, celery and red onion. Salt and pepper. > > I know it’s not German, but it’s the best. Oh shoot. I forgot the boiled eggs. Gotta have those. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/23 "2013-09-21T20:41:00Z")
I’ve never tied it, but I think cider vinegar would work beautifully in my concoction. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/24 "2013-09-21T20:54:16Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I’ve never tied it, but I think cider vinegar would work beautifully in my concoction. I think so too, but it is kind of like those recipe sites where you see the one star reviews and when you read them they say how they substituted peanuts for cashews, and added garlic, and left out the oregano, and used tofu instead of steak, and used green bell pepper instead of jalapenos… and it SUCKED. The first time I want to try a recipe I want to actually follow it. If it sucks I’ll probably not try it again. If it is good I feel better about taking some liberties with it. Trust me, I will try it soon. And I really appreciate it. It is the details like Marjoram and Caraway that helps the most. I am good at noticing if something is missing, but I’m horrible at putting my finger on what exactly is missing. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/25 "2013-09-21T20:55:15Z")
Russian style: potatoes (boiled, peeled, cubed) - 5-6 pickles (have to be in brine, not marinated) cubed - 4-5 hard-boiled eggs, cubed - 4-5 bologna - get it in one piece, cubed - 1lb sweet green peas, from a can - 2 cans (1/2 lb?) mayo - 1/2 lb or to taste. Heaven. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/26 "2013-09-23T03:51:28Z")
In the spirit of my idol Otter from Animal House… “The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with our female party guests - we did.” I took few liberties with my normal potato salad recipe. I used the potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces… substituted carrots for celery… and instead of hard boiled eggs, used a sirloin steak, and rather than mayo I used diced tomatoes and beef broth… and a whole bunch of other “substitutions” and simmered it for several hours’ It was a horrible potato salad… but it was an amazing beef stew. I’ll grab some red potatoes and some white wine vinegar and try **TrueCelt** ’s recipe in a few days and let you know how that turns out. ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/27 "2013-09-23T07:07:54Z")
I’m surprised that no one has mentioned the addition of a can of light chunk **tuna** to a potato salad. It works very well. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/28 "2013-09-23T10:23:01Z")
Let me chip in with the [Russian Potato Salad](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivier_salad), one of my new favorites. It was one of last years try new recipes push, and looking at the recipe didn’t look appetizing but upon making and eating it ended up being a household favorite new recipe. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/29 "2013-09-23T12:52:18Z")
That Russian version sounds yummy; but with a full pound of bologna to 5-6 potatoes, it sounds more like a bologna salad with potatoes in it. LOL! I bet it would work great with shredded kale instead of the peas. . . ::adds bologna to grocery list:: ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/30 "2013-09-23T15:19:41Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Let me chip in with the [Russian Potato Salad](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivier_salad), one of my new favorites. It was one of last years try new recipes push, and looking at the recipe didn’t look appetizing but upon making and eating it ended up being a household favorite new recipe. I really can’t get past the bologna and canned peas part of it, so likely won’t try it. It sounds like some sort of 50s concoction. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/31 "2013-09-23T15:30:25Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I really can’t get past the bologna and canned peas part of it, so likely won’t try it. It sounds like some sort of 50s concoction. Most recipes mention ham no bologna. The wiki indicates a mix of cold gamebird meats was used in the original. It’s definitely a “clean-out the pantry” kind of recipe. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/32 "2013-09-23T16:14:48Z")
I have a love/hate relationship with my mom’s potato salad. I love mustard in potato salad. She hates it. But I still like her potato salad better than any I’ve ever bought or tried to make. She hard boils one egg to every one large potato (ends up kind of 2:1 for size). She peels/cubes the potatoes before boiling them. She tosses in chopped up celery, onions (yellow) and radishes, salt, pepper, and Miracle Whip. She will often take a few of the yolks and mash them with the veggies/Miracle Whip. She also tends to make it slightly drier than store potato salad. Then I come along and add a squirt or two of mustard and she flips her lid. Perfect. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/33 "2013-09-23T17:03:01Z")
We use diced ham and frozen peas - though I understand that the original was simply leftover fresh peas lightly cooked. Make it to your own proportions, a small amount of ham or a lot. Though if you look at it as a winter food not a summer food it makes sense - a preserved meat, preserved veggies - peas and gherkins; potatoes and carrots are easily stored over the winter in a root cellar and mayo can be made from oil, vinegar and eggs - eggs actually store well in a cool dry cellar with the root veggies. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363/34 "2013-09-23T17:20:35Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > We use diced ham and frozen peas - though I understand that the original was simply leftover fresh peas lightly cooked. Make it to your own proportions, a small amount of ham or a lot. Though if you look at it as a winter food not a summer food it makes sense - a preserved meat, preserved veggies - peas and gherkins; potatoes and carrots are easily stored over the winter in a root cellar and mayo can be made from oil, vinegar and eggs - eggs actually store well in a cool dry cellar with the root veggies. Ham makes it much more palatable, I’m thinking. Bacon would be even more so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-salad/669363.md?page=1)