When making potato salad, what is the best way for removing the skin from the potatoes after boiling them?

Question

It is always such a mess! Is there any easier way?

Answer 1

chill the potatoes by submerging them in icy water immediately after they're done boiling. some of the skins will begin to peel just with this step, and the jackets start to seperate from the potato. you can then rub the potatoes under the water with your hands and the jackets will peel off.
if you have a bit more time, put them on a plate and stick them in the fridge until they are completely cool. as they cool, the jackets seperate from the meat and it becomes very easy to cut the jackets off - sometimes in one piece! :)
cooling the potatoes also makes them MUCH easier to cut up for the salad later. good luck!
baby red potatoes are quite good with the skins on and the skins are so thin, they aren't hard to chew through like the big russet variety. they also add nice color to the salad.
i would NOT peel the potatoes before boiling, it makes them fall apart in the water and the salad will be all mushy. the peel and then boil method works great for mashed potatoes, though, boiling the potatoes naked does half the mashing work for you because they partially disentegrate in the water.

Answer 2

Well, I don't boil my potatoes for salad; I cook them in their skins in the microwave. When they're done, I just let them sit on the counter until they're cool enough to handle, then peel the skins off under cold, running water. The skins usually pop right off.

Alternately, the folks who talked about red-skinned potatoes and leaving the skins on for the salad are also giving you great answers. The red potatoes are waxy instead of mealy and make a fabulous salad.

Answer 3

After they are done cooking, cool the potatoes in cold water for an hour or three, they have to be cold to make the salad anyway. then you can just peel them in one swipe with the back of a butter knife, the skin just falls off.

Answer 4

Peel them before boiling them.

Another good tip is to heavily salt your water before boiling the potatoes. This way your potatoes will get salted and will not be bland.

Answer 5

Peel the potatoes before you boil them.

Answer 6

Peel the potatoes before you boil them.

Answer 7

Use red potatoes when preparing potatoe salad,you do not have to remove the skins taste better with them left on.

Answer 8

No easier way - just pull it off with your fingers or a knife point.

You can always use small potatos (like the little red ones) and DON'T peel them, just remove the blemishes before you cook them. You can just cut them into bite size pieces after cooking.

Answer 9

Use the non-starchy potatoes, the kind with the thin red or yellow skin, cut them in cubes and leave the peel on.

Answer 10

boil the potatoes whole and then cool them in a colander in the refrigerator until they are chilled. Then it is easy to remove the skins by using a paring knife and pulling it away from the meat.