Chef notes
A Southern barbecue wouldn't be a barbecue without a Southern-style potato salad. You see, it needs the taste and the color to be Southern. The taste comes from thin-skinned, waxy Yukon Gold potatoes, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sweet pickle relish, diced celery, Vidalia onions, sugar and spices. The color comes from yellow mustard, smoked paprika and boiled eggs. All combined, this makes one of the smoothest, creamiest and tangiest potato salads around. Trust me when I tell you the potato salad is just as important as the main dish at any bangin' barbecue!
Technique tip: For best results, use Yukon Gold potatoes. If you want to add an extra layer of smoky flavor to your potato salad, you can place whole potatoes on grill or smoker before boiling them. Do not mash your potatoes while blending to keep the integrity of the dish.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
- kosher salt
- 6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and diced
- 1¾-2 cups mayo
- 3/4 cup sweet pickle relish
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large ribs celery, finely diced
- 1 small bunch fresh dill, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
For the potatoes:
Put the potatoes in a large pot. Add enough water to cover by about 1 inch and season with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes (be sure not to overcook them or they may get mushy). Drain and set aside in a large bowl to cool.
For the dressing:
Mix all the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl.
To assemble:
Pour the dressing over the cooled potatoes and gently fold to combine everything. Transfer the potato salad to a serving platter or bowl. Scatter the eggs on top and sprinkle with more dill. Serve right away or cover and chill until ready to enjoy.
