Back To Dr. Potato Home Q: When I make my famous Idaho potato salad sometimes it comes out watery. Do you know what causes this? A: When I make my famous Idaho potato salad sometimes it comes out watery. Do you know what causes this? Watery potato salads may be caused by the following:
Type of potato used. A waxy or moist potato tends to stay that way when cooked. The Russet Burbank variety has high solids (starch to water ratio) and tends to be drier when cooked. I usually recommend cutting the potato into chunks before boiling rather than boiling whole, that way each chunk cooks faster than a denser, whole potato and it cooks evenly so the outside does not turn to mush before the inside is finished cooking. Try draining the water and then leaving the potato on the stove for a few moments to cook any extra water out, just turn lightly so you don’t over work the potato or it will turn mushy. Note, some lighter mayonnaise based dressings or lite versions will liquefy easier than a traditional mayonnaise.
Why did my potato salad get watery?
Dear Heloise: Every time I make homemade potato salad, it gets watery if not eaten on the same day. Tell me, what am I doing wrong? — Maxi R., Waterloo, N.Y. Maxi R.: Potatoes hold a lot of water, so you’ll need to allow time for the water to drain by leaving them to cool in a strainer.
- If potato salad is made while the potatoes are warm, they will continue to release the water, making the salad watery.
- Good luck with your next batch.
- Dear Heloise: I have read Heloise’s Hints in the Omaha World Herald since the ’50s! Here is my hint for sausage or hamburger patties.
- Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and put a lump of ground meat on it.
Fold the side of the wrap over the meat and press into shape. If I want to freeze the patties, I put the raw meat into a plastic freezer bag and shape them. This way both counter and hands stay clean. — Elinor A., Red Oak, Iowa Dear Heloise: My silver finish steel pots and skillets look dirty with baked-on grease.
- Can it be removed? — Deb M., Dayton, Ohio Deb M.: To remove baked on grease and food from your pots and skillets, try putting 3 tablespoons of baking soda in enough water to cover the bottom.
- Simmer on the stove until the burned-on food starts to lift.
- With a little scrubbing, the pot or skillet should be sparkling.
Baking soda can be used instead of expensive commercial products for cleaning and freshening so many things around the house. For dozens of hints, helps and recipes using baking soda, order my six-page pamphlet by visiting Heloise.com or by sending $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (70 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Baking Soda, P.O.
Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. FYI: make your own baking soda dispenser from a grated cheese container. Rinse, wipe it out and, when dry, fill with baking soda. Be sure to label! Dear Heloise: I use fresh lemons all the time in various recipes and drinks. When lemons are the cheapest to buy, I buy a bag and squeeze out all the juice in each lemon, then pour the juice in ice cube trays.
After the lemon ice cubes are frozen, I place them in plastic freezer bags and always have fresh lemon juice when I need it. — Tiffany in Florida Dear Heloise: My family loves deviled eggs, so I make them often. I’ve found the easiest and fastest way to make them is by putting the egg yolks and the other ingredients in a zippered bag.
How do you fix potato salad with too much mayo?
Of all of the foods you should make yourself, potato salad is screaming for some DIY magic. The stuff in the tub at the store is just scary, and the deli counter’s potato salad sits soaked in so much mayo, you might think you’re eating soup, not salad.
- And it’s summer, which is no time for soup.
- But the path to good, homemade potato salad is not always an easy one.
- Overcooked potatoes might turn your salad into a mash, or a thick, uninteresting salad dressing may leave your salad bland.
- You may even encounter the dreaded undercooked tuber, ruining an otherwise perfectly good salad.
Whatever your gripe, we’ve got a fix for it. Problem: Bland Potatoes Solution: Season Your Water With Salt and Herbs Before bringing your potatoes to a boil, add salt and sprigs of parsley to the stockpot of cold water. This step brings so many extra opportunities for flavor infusion in the potatoes—add garlic if you like, or a tablespoon of vinegar to help the potatoes get even punchier. 
Problem: Dressing That Just Doesn’t Work Solution: Toss Your Taters While They’re Hot When you toss warm potatoes in dressing, they’ll absorb some of the dressing, producing a sort of magical cohesion and better flavor all around. For oil-based salads, toss the potatoes with dressing and vinaigrette when the potatoes are hot. 
Problem: Soggy Potato Texture Solution: Smart Shopping and a Steam So much of your final potato salad’s texture is based on potato choice. A waxy potato has a great texture and keeps its shape when cooked. Use small baby red potatoes, fingerlings, or baby new potatoes.
How do you fix too much vinegar in potato salad?
KarepaStock/Shutterstock Whether it’s homemade or store-bought, potato salad can be a hit or miss. Considering there are usually only four main components in the dish — mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and potatoes — the ratio of them is all the more important.
If you add too much of one ingredient or not enough of the other, your potato salad can end up tasting funky. The good news is, there’s an easy fix if you accidentally went overboard with the vinegar, or simply bought one from the store that’s tangier than you prefer. As Wiggly Wisdom shares, a vinegary potato salad can easily be salvaged with a bit of lemon zest.
Just take a fine grater or zester to the rind, measure out about a half teaspoon of zest per two cups of potato salad, and mix it in. Orange and lime also work if you don’t have any lemon on hand. The acid in the lemon zest balances out the acid in the vinegar, ultimately eliminating that harsh flavor.
How do you fix oversalted potato salad?
3. Add Acid to Your Dish – Adding acidity to a recipe in moderation can help counterbalance saltiness in a meal. Try some of the following tips to salvage your recipe:
- Squeeze some lemon juice or orange juice over your dish. The sour flavor provides a new layer of complexity to the meal and should mellow out the salt.
- Drizzle in a mild vinegar like all-purpose vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar to help mask the salt with acidity by distracting the taste buds.
- Sprinkle some citric acid in your dish. Citric acid is a solid ingredient so you can more easily control the portion than working with acidic liquids. By using citric acid, you won’t need to introduce any additional liquid to your dish, giving you the consistency you desire.
Use moderation when adding acidity to balance salt. Too much acid can cause your dish to taste overly sour and destroy the delicate flavors you worked hard to create.
Why do you add vinegar to potato salad?
My Mom’s Secret Tips – Add vinegar to the warm potatoes. One of the biggest flavoring secrets to the success of this recipe is white vinegar. That’s why I add a few hearty splashes of white vinegar to the cooked potatoes gives the salad it’s secret and subtle flavor punch.
To do so, add the vinegar while the potatoes are still warm, and allow them time to rest and absorb the vinegar’s zing while they cool. My mom’s next key ingredient is Miracle Whip. As noted in the comments, there is much debate over using Miracle Whip or traditional mayonnaise. Even though I’m a mayo fan, I’ve found that MW adds a sweet creamy flavor mayo just doesn’t have.
That’s why time and again I’ve returned to my roots and back to Miracle Whip because that’s what mom uses and it’s the classic flavor I can’t get otherwise. If you’re a mayo fan, by all means, make the move. But maybe, just maybe, give the old Whip a try.
Do you put egg yolk in potato salad?
How to Make Potato Salad: – 1. Boil the potatoes. Place the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Peel potatoes, if desired, and cut them into 1 inch chunks.2. Make the dressing. Add egg yolks, mayonnaise, buttermilk, mustard, a splash of pickle juice, and salt and pepper, to a bowl and mix together.3. 4. Add egg whites, celery, onion, and pickles.5. Stir well and refrigerate.
How do you thicken watery potato salad?
I need help! I made potato salad for the cottage tomorrow, we are having company come this weekend. The potato salad is too soupy I don’t have any more potatoes.what do I dooooooooo? Joined May 26, 2006 Messages 6,773 Purraise 4 Location Philly Did you not let the potatoes cool? Mom said that happens when you add the mayo before the potatoes cool. She said refridge and add more mayo tomorrow. GL
Thread Starter Thread Starter #3
Originally Posted by Crazyforinfo Did you not let the potatoes cool? Mom said that happens when you add the mayo before the potatoes cool. She said refridge and add more mayo tomorrow. GL They cooled for about a half hour but it’s possible they were not cool enough I suppose. I will add more may tomorrow. Thanks! Joined May 26, 2006 Messages 6,773 Purraise 4 Location Philly Originally Posted by Trouts mom They cooled for about a half hour but it’s possible they were not cool enough I suppose. I will add more may tomorrow. Thanks! NP.Just relax. It will taste great Shoot me a line tomorrow before 10am if you need more help from Mom. She will be leaving around then.
Thread Starter Thread Starter #5
Joined Feb 19, 2001 Messages 34,908 Purraise 65 You can also use instant potato flakes and add that, or crush up some salted crackers or potato chips to soak up the moisture.
How do you counteract mayonnaise?
Fix #1 – The Water Cure – If your mayonnaise remains a bit thin after the initial whisking, or if it’s broken and separated, whisk in two teaspoons of boiling water. 
The hot water will help the yolks to set and re-emulsify with the oil, bonding the ingredients back together again. If it doesn’t thicken right away, add another teaspoon or two of hot water and continue whisking. 
This will result in a thinner but creamier sauce that’s good for dressings, or as an addition to other sauces.
Why is my potato salad gummy?
Southern Potato Salad, family gatherings are not the same without Mama’s potato salad, cubed potatoes, chopped onions, chopped dill pickles, chopped boiled eggs, and mayonnaise with a little mustard. 
The secret to my Mom’s potato salad is in how you cook the potatoes. She always said you have to cook them with a tablespoon of salt in the water. She told me you can never get the right flavor in the potatoes if you don’t. She is correct. It makes all the difference in the overall flavor of the potato salad.
- I have had this recipe in my head for years.
- I am just now getting it written down on paper.
- I remember my mother would make potato salad from Easter on through to Labor Day.
- It is so funny, and it reminds me of the old tradition of when you would NOT wear white clothes or shoes before Easter and stop wearing them Labor Day.
Today that seems so silly, but I can’t help thinking of those days. (grins) 
Even though I keep on making potato salad all year long, I still remember those days gone by like they were yesterday. This weekend I decided to make Mom’s Potato Salad recipe, and maybe I could capture some of her smiles she would be giving me if she were here today.
5 pounds russet potatoes (peeled, washed, and cubed 1/2-inch) Enough cold water to cover potatoes in large stock pot 1 tablespoon salt 1/2 cup dill pickles, diced 1 onion, diced 2 cups Miracle Whip Salad Dressing (I use mayonnaise) 1/4 cup mustard salt pepper 6 boiled eggs, diced paprika
In a large stockpot, add potatoes and fill with enough cold water to cover just over the top of the potatoes. On medium-high heat, cook the potatoes just until fork tender. (That is when you stick the fork in the potato cube, it will only separate in half and not fall apart.) Drain potatoes well and pour them out onto a large cookie sheet or two.
In a large mixing bowl, gently mix together cooled potatoes, diced dill pickles, and diced onion. In a small bowl, stir together salad dressing/mayonnaise and mustard; mix well. Pour salad dressing mixture over the potato mixture; gently mix together thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. I start off with a teaspoon of each and taste to see if more is needed.
Fold in diced eggs last to keep from mashing them too much; mix lightly, but thoroughly. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with paprika. Refrigerate until time to serve. Cooks Note: It is important to cook the potatoes in cold water.
How do you tone down vinegar taste?
Neutralize the vinegar chemically by stirring in a pinch at a time of baking soda. Baking soda is a potent base, or alkaline, ingredient and will convert some of the vinegar to carbon dioxide. Taste the food after stirring in each pinch and repeat until the flavors are balanced.
What does vinegar do to potatoes?
03 /5 Why vinegar is added to boiling potatoes? – This hack has been suggested by several home cooks and chefs and the reason behind it is that vinegar can help the potatoes retain their shape. Vinegar causes the potatoes to form a thin crust that further helps in retaining their shape.
Why does my potato salad taste tangy?
Conclusion – To ensure the maximum shelf life of your potato salad, make sure it is stored in an airtight container. Any air in the container will cause the food to go wrong. Exposure to air will reduce the texture of your potato salad, so it’s best to avoid this at all costs.
You can also consider using a plastic film to prevent air from getting into your potato salad. If your potatoes are overcooked, they will turn the entire salad into mush. A spoiled potato salad can have an off smell, a tangy flavor, or it could be moldy. The smell of a potato salad is another warning sign that it’s spoiled.
It has a distinct color change, and in addition to its odor, it changes in color. Some spoiled foods have an unpleasant smell. Lastly, a stale potato salad may not be safe to eat.
How do you not overcook potatoes for potato salad?
This leads the outside of the potato being overcooked and mushy, while the inside is undercooked. → Follow this tip: The key to perfectly cooked potatoes is starting them in a pot of cold water where they’re fully submerged. From there, bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to cook the potatoes at a simmer.
How do you fix overcooked potatoes for potato salad?
Overcooked mashed potatoes can be rescued too – 
dmnapat/Shutterstock The ideal mashed potatoes are supposed to be smooth and creamy, but they’re definitely not supposed to be watery. If you find your mashed potatoes are soupier than normal, it’s likely because you overcooked them, Buzzfeed says. Overcooked potatoes aren’t always dry and hard, as it’s possible to overboil a potato too.
When you do so, more water is absorbed by the potato. Then, when you go to mash them, the water releases, resulting in that sad, soupy mess you may want to toss in a compost pile far, far away. Take heart, though, as there are multiple fixes for this issue. The best course of action, ironically enough, is to continue cooking soupy mashed potatoes, says Buzzfeed.
Simply add the watery mashed potatoes to a pot, then cook them on low heat. The extra water will gradually evaporate. Just be sure to keep an eye on the potatoes to make sure you don’t go too far in the other direction and burn or overcook them. This remedy might require an extra step and a bit of patience, but it’s certainly a lot easier than starting from square one and could save those mashed potatoes from public dishonor.
How do you fix too much mustard in potato salad?
To get rid of an overly strong mustard taste in a potato salad, rinse the sauce off the potatoes and start again. If you don’t have any extra ingredients to make a new sauce, then you can mix something sweet into the mixture like sweet relish. This will cut through the bite of the mustard.
How do you fix too much mustard in potato salad?
To get rid of an overly strong mustard taste in a potato salad, rinse the sauce off the potatoes and start again. If you don’t have any extra ingredients to make a new sauce, then you can mix something sweet into the mixture like sweet relish. This will cut through the bite of the mustard.
Is it OK to microwave potato salad?
*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more. Potato salad is a classic American side dish. It is a must-have at barbecues, summer get-togethers, potluck dinners, and well, any other time you might decide to have it with your meal.
You simply can’t go wrong with serving up a side of potato salad. The thing is, potato salad can be made in a number of different ways. You can use mustard or you can mayonnaise and then from there, you can put all kinds of different things IN the potato salad. Potato salad is so versatile because you can make it to your own tastes, or maybe your family has a secret recipe.
Or you can just buy a tub and leave the making to the experts. No matter which way you provide potato salad, you’re doing it right. But can you heat up potato salad? Yes, you can heat up potato salad. You can either bake potato salad in the oven or microwave it.
The key to this is the proper storage and being sure not to leave it sitting out in any temperature over 40 degrees Fahrenheit, We will dive a bit deeper into those details shortly. In this guide, we will talk about everything you should know about potato salad, including how to heat potato salad safely and the precautions you should be aware of when you attempt to heat potato salad.
Keep reading to learn everything you should know about how to heat potato salad.
How firm should potatoes be for potato salad?
→ Follow this tip: The potatoes should be cooked so they’re soft, tender, and creamy. Cook them until they are just tender when pierced with a fork. Depending on the type of potato and size of the potato cubes, this will take between eight and 12 minutes.