The Pioneer Woman's Perfect Potato Salad _ The Pioneer Woman _ Food Network

The Art of Making the Perfect Potato Salad

Five pounds of russet potatoes are the starting point for this recipe, and the first step is to scrub them clean because peeling potatoes is not desired. The potatoes are then placed into a pot and brought to a boil, where they will cook until they are fork tender. This process ensures that the potatoes are cooked through and ready to be processed.

Once the potatoes are cooked, hard-boiled eggs are added to the potato salad as one of its favorite ingredients. The eggs are boiled in a saucepan covered with water, then turned off the heat and left to sit in the hot water for about 20 minutes or so. To speed up the cooling process, ice is added to the pan. This technique helps to chill the eggs quickly.

With both the potatoes and eggs cooked, it's time to move forward with the potato salad. The potatoes are processed using a food mill, which breaks them down into smaller pieces. Once the potatoes have been milled, mayonnaise and mustard are added to the mixture. About a cup and a half of mayonnaise is used, followed by about a quarter cup of mustard. Dijon mustard can be used instead, but the speaker prefers the bright yellow stuff. A generous amount of salt is also added, along with some paprika for flavor and color.

To add freshness to the potato salad, five green onions are sliced thinly and held back for garnish. The hard-boiled eggs are then peeled and sliced up, adding to the mixture. To give the potato salad a tangy flavor, eight or ten pickles are drained of their juice and added to the mix. The pickle juice is drizzled in first, hoping that it won't spill over during this step.

The final ingredients added to the potato salad are a little bit of fresh dill. Once all the ingredients are mixed together, "smush and mush" is the technique used to combine them. This method ensures that the potato salad looks perfect.

Throughout the process, the speaker emphasizes their preference for using russet potatoes because they don't like peeling them. The use of a food mill helps to break down the potatoes into smaller pieces, making them easier to mix with other ingredients. Hard-boiled eggs add protein and creaminess to the potato salad, while the pickles provide a crunchy texture and the dill adds freshness. By following these steps, anyone can create a delicious potato salad that is sure to please.