Big Joe shares the best potato salad recipe you’ll ever taste

Potato salad has been a staple for every summer and holiday meal. It’s easy to make and it lasts in the fridge so that it can be added to other meals during the week.

I loved my grandmother’s potato salad. She used to make it and I tried to hide the huge serving that I had put on my plate so as to not look like I was hoarding this wonderful side dish. She would catch me in the act and start shaking her head, give me a smile and whisper, “now that’s enough Joseph, save some for everyone else.” This routine would go on every time she made her famous salad.

I adored my grandmother; I had the pleasure of living with her as I grew up in the Bronx. When I was kid, every night when my grandfather and my mom would come home from work, on the table there was always a meal, a good meal prepared by my grandmother.

In the summer my grandmother prepared lighter meals, but mostly you could count on having meat and potatoes at 6:00pm on the dot every weeknight, 5:00pm on Saturdays and 4:00pm on Sundays. As a kid I didn’t have a watch, still my butt was in that seat for dinner, or I wouldn’t eat, and you know how I feel about not eating!

I really enjoyed sitting around the table chatting with my grandparents and mom and enjoying those family meals. It made me appreciate the importance of sharing a meal with people you love. My nana made a great potato salad, just outstanding! When I was in college, she moved into our house, so she shared that recipe and we made it together. I memorized the recipe because I loved it so much. I loved her so much as well. Here’s her recipe.

Ingredients:

3 pounds of Red Bliss potatoes, peeled and cubed (some of you may want to
keep the peel on, that’s o.k.. It works fine on or off.)
2 1⁄2 ribs of celery finely chopped( as small as you can)
1⁄2 large red onion, finely chopped (as small as you can)
3 hard-boiled eggs (discard two of the yolks and finely chop the egg whites and set aside cooked yolk)
1 1⁄4 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise (I only use Hellman’s mayonnaise in all of my dishes that call for mayo. There is no other brand.)
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil
1⁄4 cup of white vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper
1⁄4 cup of freshly chopped parsley for garnish

How to put it together:

Boil potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain and if peeling potatoes, now is the time to peel them. Cube potatoes and add to a large bowl. While they are still warm add the vinegar. Mix well, let cool, keep covered in refrigerator for 1 hour minimum.

Once potatoes are cool, in a separate mixing bowl, mix the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar and egg yolk finely chopped. In bowl with potatoes add the oil, celery, onion, egg whites and sugar. Mix in mayonnaise mixture in with potatoes. Add salt and pepper and stir well so that all the potatoes are covered with mayonnaise mixture.

Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Let the potato salad chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 1⁄2 hours, preferably overnight, to let all those ingredients blend in nicely.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.