Authentic German Potato Salad
This is my mother's recipe. Everyone, German or not, loves it. It is easy to double the recipe as well. I often bring it to potlucks, and we also have it at home on special occasions. There are usually no leftovers, but if there are, they don't last long!
This is my mother's recipe. Everyone, German or not, loves it. It is easy to double the recipe as well. I often bring it to potlucks, and we also have it at home on special occasions. There are usually no leftovers, but if there are, they don't last long!
- Carbohydrate 9.17035021436253 g
- Cholesterol 18.9248105951544 mg
- Fat 12.5725916672415 g
- Fiber 0.520657304326693 g
- Protein 3.56807598020282 g
- Saturated Fat 4.18625288852672 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (85g)
- Sodium 234.091388124355 mg
- Sugar 8.64969291003583 g
- Trans Fat 1.39215349385594 g
- Calories 166 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain, and set aside to cool.
- Place the bacon in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Fry until browned and crisp, turning as needed. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add onion to the bacon grease, and cook over medium heat until browned. Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil, then add the potatoes and parsley. Crumble in half of the bacon. Heat through, then transfer to a serving dish. Crumble the remaining bacon over the top, and serve warm.
Using chilled, pre-cooked tubers instead of freshly boiled ones ruins the texture of warm potato salad by preventing proper acid absorption. Starch molecules undergo retrogradation as potatoes cool completely, locking out the vinegar-and-sugar dressing. Starting with hot or warm spuds keeps the cellular matrix receptive to liquids.
Fat Rendering and Emulsification
Render bacon over medium-high heat until crisp to yield precisely measured rendered fat for the pan sauce. Pouring vinegar directly into hot bacon grease creates a temporary emulsion driven by the vigorous boiling action. Maintain medium heat when browning the diced onions so the natural sugars caramelize without scorching the residual meat solids.Acidity and Starch Control
Waxy potato varieties hold their shape through boiling far better than starchy alternatives like Russets. Simmer the diced pieces for exactly 10 minutes or until a fork pierces the center with zero resistance. Toss the warm cubes into the skillet immediately after draining to maximize flavor penetration before the starches cool and tighten.
