Cooking Potatoes for Potato Salad

Here is one point...

different types of potatoes cook differently...

The russets, or "baking" potatoes, get mushy... think of what they are like when you bake them..... they will break apart easily when stirred...

Red potatoes are "waxy" type of potatoes... they hold their shape much better.

Yukon golds are a nice blend of the two.... they are firmer than russets, but not as firm as reds....

http://allrecipes.com/howto/perfect-potato-salad/

This article also talks about what kind of potato to use.....

Start with red potatoes - they hold up a million times better than baking potatoes, cook until they're just barely tender, then rinse in cold water immediately. After that, slice them and make your salad the way you normally do.

Start off with red potatoes.

I cut them in half and soak for a few minutes in a bowl of cold water before cooking. It pulls starch out of the potatoes, which is one of the reasons potatoes get too mushy. The other is overcooking, so stop cooking them when they are fork-tender, not beyond.

They sound overcooked.
I use russets, boil them cut in quarters, peel on, until they are done but still very firm.
Drain right away and cool completely. The skin comes off easily once they are cooled, you can just peel it off (easier than peeling raw before cooking!)
Then chop them whatever size chunks you want, and GENTLY stir in your other ingredients. It helps to mix your mayo and whatever else in a separate bowl before mixing it in with the potatoes, that way they don't get mashed and beat to death. Same with hard boiled egg, if you use those don't add them until the end and gently fold them in.

This might sound gross, but I use canned diced potatoes for potato salad. They are the perfect consistency, and it is so easy. It turns out really well.

I use russet potatoes. I bring them to a light boil and remove them from the water as soon as I can put a fork in them.

You cook them just until a fork goes into them until barely tender. You should have to use a bit of force to get the fork in.

It's OK to have mashed potato salad. Our local deli sells one of their potato salad as that.

Oh, yes. Start with a firmer potato. Bakers will turn to mush.

Here's a site that tells you which potatoes are best and includes directions for making a potato salad. http://allrecipes.com/howto/perfect-potato-salad/

We take them out when the fork goes in. We want them still semi-firm. We run cold water over them to stop the cooking process too. I peel them during this time, because the peels fall right off.

For mashed potatoes we let them boil a little longer. So it sounds like you're just letting them cook too long.

I peel and dice the potato and cook it like that...keep testing them....the minute they are the firmness you want...run them under very cold water to stop the cooking process.

or diced canned potatoes are actually really good in potato salad

i use goldens, and I do a cold bath. It's also essential that you cook them just until the fork goes in.

My mother-in-law's trick is you must buy the good potatoes. Cook them until still firm and put in the fridge overnight. Her other trick is 1/2 mayo and 1/2 miracle whip, it really makes a difference. She makes the best potato salad ever.

Use a timer...

For potato salad, cook thin skinned potatoes (red/gold) for 15 minutes in salted water. Remove when fork inserts and plunge into cold water. This depends upon the size of potato and how you cut it. Cute, baby potatoes might only need 10 minutes. Large red skinned will need closer to 20.

For mashed potatoes, cook washed, cubed potatoes for 20 minutes until for tender.

Potatoes continue to cook once drained, so don't boil longer than a few minutes, JUST til fork-tender.

Here's some PS info, including Julia Childs expert potato cooking advice:
http://www.kitchenriffs.com/2011/06/potato-salad-basics.h...

That's pretty much how I've always seen them in potato salad. If you cool them first that might help. I don't know. I don't often see super chunky potato salad.