Perfectly Pleasing Potato Salad

I've never made potato salad prior to this first time at my mother in law's 65th birthday party.  I always just had to endure my family member's bland version, which I had no problem devouring after raining down a good amount of salt.  You see, I feel that the perfect potato salad is not too creamy, holds its shape, and does not run or seep into the rest of the food on your plate.  I am a picky eater in the sense that my food cannot touch.  I do not like my mashed potatoes or gravy making contact with my fried chicken.  It gives me some kind of anxiety like my food will be tainted if they mesh together, messing up the proportions of flavor.  My husband thinks I'm crazy sometimes.  I always have to proportion my bites, my meat to rice ratio, french fries to ketchup ratio, or how many bites I take to chew on something.  I always ask for my gravy on the side, or the dressing on the side.  Let me decide how much and to what degree I want to mix my food.  Now on to the potato salad.  It was such a hit paired alongside some 15 hour smoked brisket.  Several people asked for the recipe including the most helpful cake baking partner in crime Mrs. Nina Edmison.  I made the mistake of making this recipe for Thanksgiving dinner.  No one wants a cold potato salad when every other dish is hot.  So, I let my pride take over my better judgement and I had made enough potato salad to feed about 20 people.  It was a simple family dinner; about 8 of us.  Cold weather = no potato salad.

Feeds about 10 people

Ingredients:
5 pounds of potatoes (I have used russet, golden, and red) peeled and quartered
1/2 red onion chopped small
4 stalks of celery chopped
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons of mustard (Use your fave mustard)
1 cup of mayo
Dill Weed spice
Celery salt
1/4 cup of buttermilk


Directions:

  1. Boil the potatoes in a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon salt until barely tender (about 15 min)  I keep checking using a fork to poke through
  2. Mix together the buttermilk, mayo, mustard, 2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper.  
  3. Remove potatoes and let cool.  Cut into small cubes and put in a large mixing bowl. Pour in buttermilk mixture in batches.  You don't want it to be too creamy so just use as much as you want.  
  4. Add in celery and red onions.  Stir until evenly  mixed.  Give your dill weed a generous number of shakes.  I would guess 1 tablespoon; just enough to coat evenly.  Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of celery salt.  SEASON TO TASTE! 


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