Central Texas Mustard & Dill Potato Salad
Chapter 3 — The Sides
A good piece of meat demands respect, and in Central Texas, respect means a side dish that knows its place. This isn't some saccharine, mayonnaise-drenched picnic afterthought, nor is it the bizarre European misinterpretation laced with sweet barbecue sauce. Born from nineteenth-century German immigrants and tempered in the grueling heat of Hill Country meat markets, this potato salad is a functional masterpiece. It is unapologetically sharp, wielding yellow mustard, dill pickle brine, and apple cider vinegar like a scalpel to cut straight through the rich, rendered fat of a long-smoked post oak brisket, resetting your palate for the next glorious bite.
Before you start
Rinse the minced red onion under cold running water for 10 seconds before adding it to the salad.
This washes away the harsh, sulfurous bite while retaining the necessary crunch.
Ingredients
- Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes3 lb
- kosher salt1 tbsp
- hard-boiled eggs4 large
- celery1 cup
- red onion1/2 cup
- dill pickles3/4 cup
- mayonnaise1 cup
- prepared yellow mustard1/3 cup
- sour cream1/4 cup
- dill pickle juice2 tbsp
- apple cider vinegar1 tbsp
- coarse black pepper1 tbsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- cayenne pepper1/4 tsp
- fresh dill3 tbsp
- fresh chives2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Place the cubed potatoes into a large heavy-bottomed pot and cover them with cold water by at least two inches.
Add the 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to a vigorous simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until just fork-tender.
- 02
Drain the potatoes thoroughly and spread them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Immediately sprinkle the apple cider vinegar over the hot potatoes so the warm starches absorb the acid, then allow them to cool completely to room temperature.
- 03
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, sour cream, dill pickle juice, black pepper, cayenne, and remaining kosher salt.
Whisk vigorously until the dressing is completely smooth and cohesive.
- 04
Add the cooled potatoes, chopped eggs, celery, red onion, dill pickles, dill, and chives to the dressing.
Fold the ingredients together gently with a large rubber spatula, allowing a few potato edges to naturally break down and thicken the sauce without mashing the mixture into a puree.
- 05
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
A proper Texas potato salad requires time for the flavors to meld and the starches to firm up, making an overnight rest highly recommended.
Notes
To create a smoked German variation that bridges the gap between the protein and the sides, smoke the potatoes whole before cubing.
Rub whole potatoes lightly with neutral oil or bacon fat and smoke at 225F for two hours alongside your brisket or pork shoulder, then cube with the skins on.
If you are relying on the kitchen oven for your barbecue, fake the funk by modifying the dressing.
Substitute half of the dressing's kosher salt with a high-quality hickory or oak-smoked sea salt, or swap a tablespoon of the mayonnaise for rendered bacon fat to mimic the historic smokehouse profile indoors.
From Cook BBQ at Home.