Yum
Perhaps it’s because I grew up in Pennsylvania. Perhaps it’s because when you are surrounded by German-descended people, you grow up eating foods like pork and sauerkraut and potato everything. Perhaps it’s because a warm, bacon-laden potato salad with a kiss of vinegar is almost unbelievably irresistible.
So then, perhaps you should try warm German Potato Salad. I’m willing to bet that, even if you never tried German food, you will love it. 😉
What are we waiting for? Let’s do this!
German Potato Salad
Ingredients:
8 strips of bacon, fried crisp with 2-3 tbsp. grease reserved
1 small onion, sliced
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. water
3 tbsp. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 cups parboiled, cubed potatoes
Directions:
Cube potatoes (you may peel or leave skins on, depending on your preference) and parboil just until they can be pierced with a fork, but still have some “bite” to them. Set potatoes aside to drain and work on your sauce. Fry bacon until crisp and set bacon aside to drain. In the drippings left from the bacon, saute your diced onion until it is soft and almost transparent. To the onion mixture add in your vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil for a few minutes, until mixture has reduced and thickened, slightly. Add potatoes and 4 strips of crumbled bacon to the mixture; stir well and turn off heat. Serve immediately, topping with leftover crumbled bacon, if desired.
Now, in pictures! 🙂
The key to any good potato salad is . . . (drum roll) . . . the POTATOES! You can use any potatoes you like– yukons tend to be waxy, russets have a tendency to break apart, red potatoes are very nice but small, and then you have the luxurious blue potato (yes. I’m serious). I found this adorable bag of little new potatoes at Aldi for 2 bucks, and I thought the variety of colors would be awesome (and it was). Because these potatoes are small I boiled them whole and cubed them after they tenderized. But if you are using larger potatoes I would advise cubing the potatoes prior to boiling. You want to cook them just until you can pierce them with a knife, but they should still have a good “bite” to them– not too soft. At this point allow them to drain while you start on your DEEEELICIOUS sauce. 😀
Start the sauce by frying your 8 pieces of bacon in a cast iron frying pan. If you don’t have a cast iron pan, you are missing OUT. These babies are the best– for everything from homemade pizza (AMAZING crust), to biscuits, to skillet cinnamon rolls. The one I have is this beautiful blue Le Creuset skillet here
Once your bacon is finished frying, throw your diced onion into the drippings and be prepared to smell AROMA HEAVEN. Bacon + Sauteed Onions = “Will you Marry ME???????” Seriously. Bliss. Let those onions get soft and almost see through, stirring every so often so they don’t burn.
Meanwhile, dice your parboiled potatoes (I left the skins on, but you can peel if you prefer) into small, bite sized chunks. Think deep thoughts. Smell the bacon onion goddess that you have cooking, over there. Contemplate the gift you will ask for when your husband tries this divine concoction (PS– I’d ask for the Le Creuset skillet
Once your onions have softened, add in the rest of your sauce ingredients (hold the bacon and potatoes till the end). Stir everything up and allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes until it reduces, slightly, and all the sugar is dissolved, completely.
When your sauce has reduced and become a squidge thicker (the consistency of hot chocolate, vs. water), add in your diced potatoes and 4 strips of crumbled bacon. Stir to coat everything in that divine sauce. Prepare for worship. haha.
The German Potato Salad is ready as soon as your potatoes are heated through. This means that this recipe a snap to reheat in the microwave tomorrow, too. That is, if you’re lucky enough to have any leftovers.
I like to crumble up the remaining pieces of bacon and sprinkle a little bit of that bacon magic on top of each bowl, as well.
Top with a few green onion tops, too, if you have any. Or you could just add more bacon. Yep. More bacon is always a safe way to go, in my humble opinion.
Serve yourself up some of this warm, vinegary sweet goodness. Sprinkle bacon magic on top. Take the first beautiful, glorious bite . . . and then another, and another. Isn’t it delicious?
You did it. And I’m just so proud of you.
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