Hecker Family German Potato Salad
recipe from the Hecker Family & photography by Talitha Schroeder
Hecker family cookouts always included three non-negotiable dishes – metts and brats and German potato salad. No steaks or chops or boneless chicken breasts for us. Just these and a few equally non-negotiable garnishes – sauerkraut, mustard, dill pickles and Swiss cheese.
The whole point of German Potato Salad is to enjoy it while it’s still warm, or at least room temperature, so plan accordingly. Although we would never judge anyone who eats refrigerated leftovers.
Ingredients
2# whole small to medium-sized red-skinned or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6-8)
½ cup chopped celery, about 2 celery ribs
½ cup chopped onion, about half a medium onion
2 sliced hard-boiled eggs, see hack
4-6 strips bacon
½ teaspoon dry mustard (optional)
2 teaspoons flour
1-2 tablespoons sugar
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon celery salt
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water by at least two inches.
Salt the water well and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
*Hecker hack– when water reaches a boil, add the eggs and reduce heat to medium. Gently boil for 8 minutes for firm hard-boiled eggs. Remove from water and set aside to cool.
Continue cooking the potatoes over medium heat until tender when pierced with a paring knife or skewer, another ten minutes or so.
Drain potatoes and set aside until just cool enough to handle.
Peel and cut potatoes into thickish slices and set aside.
While potatoes are cooking, fry the bacon and cut up the onion and celery.
When bacon is crisp, remove from pan and drain; leave the bacon fat in the skillet – you should have about 4 tablespoons. Discard any extra bacon fat or save for another use.
Gently sauté onions and celery in bacon fat until slightly softened but still have a little crunch. Do not brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Over low heat, add flour, sugar and dry mustard to the skillet and whisk to dissolve.
Add vinegar and water, and whisk until dressing is slightly thickened and fully combined.
Here’s the rest of the directions, in Barbara Hecker’s words:
This dressing (as it is called) should be sweet/sour. Crinkle bacon and alternately add cooked celery, onion and sliced hard-boiled egg to the potatoes. Be gentle, then add warm dressing and mix. As I add the alternate eggs, onion and celery, I also salt, pepper and add more celery salt. Taste as you go to adjust the seasonings. I reserve some of the bacon and also the hard-boiled egg to decorate the top of the bowl.
Related Content
Goetta Taste of Covington
Covington and the towns in Cincinnati’s southern shadow have a flavor all their own. The densely populated communities known collectively as Northern Kentucky are like nowhere else in the state. Generations of German and Italian immigrants have been joined by newcomers who bring foods like arepas, mochi and mochiko chicken to the table. It’s a delicious smorgasbord of flavor.
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