A Taste of Utica German Potato Salad

“Given to me by my dearest friend…Lotte”…. posted by Chris

Chris offers this German Potato Salad for enjoyment in this weeks version of A Taste of Utica cooking. 

Page 67 of our book offers two options for making the perfect picnic salad. 

I was surprised at how much taste this dish offers due to it’s easy preparation and scant ingredient list.

German potato salad is made with cooked potatoes, bacon, celery, onions, and green peppers bound with a dressing of oil from the cooked bacon, vinegar, seasonings and sugar. It can be served hot, room temperature or cold. 

German Potato Salad – Version 1

*I added chopped green pepper to make the dish a bit more colorful.

• 6 – 8 medium potatoes:  Cook and peel. Cut into 1/4” slices *I used red skinned potatoes and boiled whole for just under 20 minutes or until the fork met with minimal resistance when stuck into the potato.
• 12 slices of bacon:  Pan fry and dice *I used “Smart Bacon” as a vegetarian version.
• 3 medium onions (1 1/2 cups): peel and chop *I used 1 large Vidalia onion
• 1 cup + 2 TBS white vinegar *I used 1 cup
• 1 1/2 TBS sugar * I used 3/4 TBS
• 1 1/2 tsp salt * I used 1 tsp
• 1/4 tsp pepper * I used about 10 – 12 grinds of the pepper grinder

Heat in a sauce pan the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Let boil about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, add the prepared potatoes.  In another bowl, add the onions and when the above sauce is ready, pour over the onions.  Pour this mixture over the potatoes and stir together gently.  Toss in the diced bacon to coat all ingredients equally.

German Potato Salad – Version 2 *Chris’ favorite way to prepare this enjoyable dish and also, the authentic version of Bavarian Potato Salad.

Using the ingredient and method above, boil the potatoes and slice into small pieces.  Chop and dice onions and add to the potatoes. 

Beginning with 2 TBS of white vinegar and 2 TBS of oil, salt and pepper to taste.  You may need to add some warm water (star with a TBS at a time) until the salad doesn’t look so dry. 

You might want to add grated cucumber.  If you add cucumber you should grate and let sit awhile and then squeeze out the access water from the cucumber before adding to the potato mixture.

A memory from Karen Mancini… “I was born and raised a block from Gold Medal, on Ontario Street.  The neighborhood stores were great.  Do you remember Gracie’s store off Rutger Street?  She had every candy in the world there… plus pizza and sausage…all sorts of stuff.  I loved her!”

Joanne