For the HH’s birthday I gave him the book Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto because all he seems to talks about is BBQ these days. And, because if I get called into a room ONE MORE TIME to watch a YouTube clip about barbecue, I think I might just scream. I thought giving him the book for his birthday was rather a clever move on my part actually.
Silly me.
I thought I had bought a cookbook filled with all sorts of recipes to go along with all the meat he seems to be smoking these days. I thought the book would redirect his focus from talking incessantly about smoking meats, to making side dishes. Well, Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto isn’t so much a cookbook {there are only a few recipes in the book} but rather a HOW TO BOOK on creating the best BBQ meat.
We’re talking everything from how to build a smoker, picking out the best wood for your smoker, how to build a fire, {and when I say how to build a fire, there is like an entire chapter {with loads of pictures} on how to build a fire} for goodness sake, there’s even an entire chapter dedicated to SMOKE. So yes, it’s pretty intense}.
On one hand I don’t think I could have picked a better book on the topic of barbecue to give to my husband. On the other hand, I should probably invest in some good ear plugs, because you know that song by the Ramones… I want to be sedated? That’s me right now. The only chatter in our house these days is about smoking meat.
So, if you have someone in your life who is obsessed with getting their barbecue meats just right, Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto is the perfect thing to give them. If you want a little peace and quiet in your home, just pretend I never mentioned the book. 😉
But the recipe for potato salad in the back of the book… It’s out of this world. And you’ve got to try it.
My New Favorite Potato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 4 hard boiled eggs, diced *
- 1 cup of mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup yellow mustard
- 3/4 cup dill pickles, chopped
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Cook the potatoes in a pot of boiling water until tender. Sounds easy enough, right? You must really watch those potatoes to make sure you don’t over cook them!
Drain, transfer to a colander and let the potatoes cool.
In a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients and stir together. Add the cooled potatoes to the mixture and gently stir, making sure to coat the potatoes evenly.
Cover and refrigerate the potato salad.
While you can eat this potato salad a few hours after you’ve made it, our family liked it best the next day once all the different flavors had soaked into the potatoes. Mustard Potato is a keeper!
* The original recipe did not call for hard boiled eggs. But to me, a potato salad just isn’t a potato salad without a little egg in it.
Adapted from Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto
Carole says
While I cannot understand why you don’t like BBQ, at least you got THE book on the subject. Franklin BBQ here in Texas is legend. He is the master. Actually BBQ is ALL about the meat and the smoke. Side dishes are really not important. Smoking meat is an original way of preparing meat for storage. Everyone had a smoke house. So just enjoy your HHs new found passion. He must have some Texas blood in there somewhere!!
Mavis Butterfield says
“Side dishes are really not important.” ~ That is FUNNY! I’m all about the side dishes. And sweets.
I don’t mind BBQ….. I just don’t want to eat it 3-4 out of 7 days a week. 😉
Marcia says
same same. It’s all about the sides.
Patricia says
Potato salad without celery and onions??? No way. And BBQ meat? It’s what we live for. Such a treat after soups and stews all winter. Isnt it wonderful we all have different tastes?
Teresa says
Yeah! it’s not potato salad without celery and a bit of onion. I agree with Patricia! If someone were BBQ’ing for me I’d do the dishes and be grateful I didn’t have to plan a meal. To each their own. 🙂
CA says
Here’s another vote for potato salad with celery and onion. And, if someone was BBQing meat for me I’d gladly eat it every day! Yum!
Nan says
Funny- I was just going to post I add celery and onions! Outside of that, I make similarly. If we want sweet instead of savory, I put in a little pickle relish.
Anne Flaherty Brock says
Yes! I could eat it every day. ❤️
Tracy says
The potato salad recipe is very similar to my Grandma’s recipe, everyone raves about it. Definitely include the hard boil eggs! She always added onions, I do not because if you have leftovers, the salad ends up tasting like onions and nothing else.
The secret to perfectly cooked potatoes is to boil them whole (don’t cut them in half, the skin needs to be intact) with the skin on in salted water, for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size, until fork tender. Remove from water and let cool on a wire rack. Peal the skins off using the back side of a butter knife. Dice and continue on with your recipe. They are perfect every time…enjoy!
Laura says
My dad discovered this shortcut: use plain diced potatoes in the freezer aisle (for hash browns). The cubes are on the small side, but no cutting and peeling required (the most dreaded part of potato salad in my opinion!). I love your tip for using potatoes for cooking. Thank you!
athena says
That’s exactly how my family makes it! Whole potatoes boiled on the stove!
Judybee says
This is how I’ve always made potato salad. When my daughter was young she “hated” eggs so, I’d mash the eggs up with a potato masher so she couldn’t see them. Worked like a charm! Sometimes I will also add some chopped celery. Another shortcut for busy days is dill relish. Glad you love it! It has always been a hit at my house.
Connie says
This is how I make potato sald too except do add few onions. Celery if I have it on hand..use dill pickle juice in my devilled eggs too along with mustard and mayo. We sometomes eat at the second best BBQ place in Texas:Evie maes Lubbock
Laurie says
This is the kind of tater salad I grew up on! Mom would sometimes put a little chopped onion and celery in it too. I could eat a whole bowl of that stuff!
DDR in Beaverton says
Oh Mavis, we just tasted smoked deviled eggs. Yes, that’s right…cook them normal in water, then peel them and put them on the smoker for 30 minutes. Then process into deviled eggs as usual.
Another great way to cook a potato is on the smoker. For the potato salad, cook whole in water to almost done then move potatoes to the smoker for another 30 minutes (same as the eggs!!). This’ll rock that potato salad and you’ll have something to talk to the HH about. 🙂
Terri says
A friend of mine introduced me to what we call “mustard potato salad”. I really like it better than the sweeter potato salad. I prefer onion and celery in mine, too. Sprinkle with paprika or add some pimiento for decoration 😉
athena says
This is almost exactly the potato salad I grew up with except my family always adds sweet pickles and some sweet pickle juice to the sauce. My mom’s a smoker (the cigarette kind, not meats, and we’ve tried to get her to stop but so far nothing has worked) and her taste buds are definitely messed up from it so now whenever she makes it she asks me to taste the sauce to see if it’s right. No measuring, we do it all by taste!
E in Upstate NY says
My hubby used your Zucchini Relish recipe for potato, mac salad and deviled eggs. The family loved it so much that we don’t purchase any sweet relish anymore, just use the zucchini relish.
Torry says
When I cook the potatoes, I do use whole potatoes.; however, I don’t cook them all the way done. when they are almost done, I pour off all of the water, put the lid back on and let them sit for a bit, off of the heat. The heat of the potatoes will finish cooking them. Then move them into the refrigerator so they are cold before you start making the salad.
I don’t put eggs in mine, as I don’t like what it does to the leftovers. Same with onions. I do put bowls of onions on the table, so people can add them to their own salad.
I use both sweet pickles and home-style kosher dill pickles. No salt (mayo has enough salt taste) and no pepper.
Chris says
Bacon! In my world potato salad must include crumbled bacon. I opt for mayo mixed with white vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of warm bacon grease to pour over warm red potatoes & chopped eggs.
Gwen says
When I die, all my kids are going to wonder who my friend Mavis is. Half the recipes in my book say Mavis’. LOL! Thank you!
Karen says
Hey, I agree with all your readers regarding the potato salad. Celery and onion to add crunch! Also use sweet pickles instead of the dill. And also eggs! Lots of them! My salad is to die for!! Just ask my kids!!
Tracy says
Potato salad…is best made with peeled, boiled whole potatoes, celery, scallions (not whole onions) — or finely minced red onion if that’s what one has on hand— lots of celery seed, fresh herbs and salt, pepper and very light mayo. No egg or pickle/ pickled anything would ever be included! (Pickles and pickle juice are the devil and hard boiled eggs are revolting!)
Funny how different our traditions are! And don’t get me started on the ‘right way’ to make meat loaf! Ha.
Jennifer says
I was just going to say that thank goodness my Mama loved me enough to make a separate batch of potato salad without pickles in it. I just can’t for the life of me understand pickles in potato salad. Same thing with celery, but I can overdo the onion with a smile on my face.
BBQ – it’s a harmless addiction and at least it benefits you too! 🙂
BETTY D says
Almost like my potato salad…in place of chopped dill I
buy the dill relish. And I always add chopped celery and
chopped onions…..got to have my celery…grin…..I do
my deviled eggs with the dill relish and chopped celery….
yummy…..
Laurie says
I had the pleasure of eating at Franklin BBQ on a vacation a few weeks ago and I was blown away. Besides them having the best pulled pork and brisket I have ever had, I cannot stop thinking about their potato salad!!! I would have sworn there was vinegar in the recipe somewhere, must be the pickle juice!
Do you know how much this recipes serves for? I am looking to make it for a party.
Gina says
Mavis, GIRL! You have definitely earned your BBQ Smoker badge for the year and THEN some! I think most of us like smoked meats well enough but day after day after…….come on now HH! LOL And I’m all about the sides and dessert too! Meats are secondary in my book.
Russell says
I realize not all of you here are Texans like my friend Aaron and me, but we are particular about our ‘que and he is the best from the Lone Star State. Franklin’s recipe is the same way (minus the eggs, but I’d try it) my granny and my momma make it. They add some celery seed, a hint of cumin and a heavy hand of cayenne pepper to it as well. Best to your hubby in his search of the best smoked meats and to you pairing the sides!!!
GC says
Here I am reading this almost a year later – right as my brother is getting into smoking meats. He needs that book, and I can’t thank you enough for always posting back to your old, great stuff.
Wayne Kisela says
So, I saw this Potato Salad recipe and said let me give it a try.
Not bad at all, but that is before it has time to meld.
I also added the most important ingredient of all… BACON!
YUMMY!