Potato Salad?

Question

My boyfriend is making potato salad for christmas and i'm trying to do as much prep work the day before as I can. Can I peel all the potato's the day before? How can I store it? Has anyone ever done that before? FYI, it can't be made before hand b/c he has to work x-mas eve and then we will be at friends that night......

Answer 1

Peel the potatoes and put them in cold water with a little salt. This will keep them from getting brown and will not damage the potato.

Answer 2

Not sure about that first answer. Are the potatoes cooked already or not? You can't store already cooked potatoes in water overnight. They'll be soggy. ALSO...Every potato salad recipe I have ever made, requires you boil the potatoes SKINS ON so they stay firm, and then peel after they are cooked and cooled. Best potatoes for salad are those little red potatoes. DO NOT PEEL OR CUT THEM UP...simply boil them until they are soft. Then, you can peel them once they are cooled, and leave them in a covered glass bowl overnight. THEY WILL NOT GET BROWN!! Only RAW potatoes turn brown. Restaurants who make their own hash browns store potatoes like this all the time in their refrigerators and they never get brown. FYI - You could even dice them and store them this way.

Also, you can make the dressing the night before and store it in a jar in the fridge. Then all your BF has to do is mix in the dressing with the potatoes and VIOLA!! He's done!!

Answer 3

If you do that, keep the peeled potatoes in a bowl completely covered in cold water. But why can't you make the salad a few days earlier? Potato salad will keep for quite a few days, as the mayonaise keeps it from going off. Just put in an airtight plastic container in the fridge till needed.

Answer 4

Potato salad is best if you make it the day before so all the flavors meld together! If you really want to just do prep, you pretty much can dice up the celery and onion and hard boil the eggs. All can be stored in the fridge overnight. You probably don't want to peel the potatoes, because they'll turn brown unless you submerge them in water. If you're like me, you don't have enough room in the fridge to have a huge pot of water with potatoes in it!

Answer 5

They are all right. You can peel the potatoes and put them in cold water (this will keep them from browning) and keep them in the fridge until ready to boil. but I would make it a day or two before so that it is chilled when you serve it. You could also boil the potatoes keep them chilled in the fridge, but drained. Chop the celery and onions ahead of time and then throw it all together with the mayo before you serve it.
Just to share my grandmother's ingredients that gets compliments no matter where I serve it. Use russet potatoes only, celery (whole stalk including leaves chopped) red onion very thin, mayo and a little splash of fresh squeezed lemon....you will not regret it. We do not add eggs to ours but you can if you like. I hope it turns out good. :0)

* sometimes we add celery seed but I like to keep it simple

Answer 6

Is there a Smart and Final near you? They sell an 8 pound tub of potato salad for cheap. Get it and a dozen eggs and some paprika. If you're out of mustard and mayo, get some of that too. Hard boil the eggs and shell. Take a cup or so of the mayo and mix a couple of tbsp of mustard with it. Dump the potato salad into a large mixing bowl, add the mayo mixture, and 8 of the eggs mashed up. Stir it and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with slices of the remaining 4 eggs and a liberal sprinkling of paprika. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. This can be done a day ahead of time.

My gf and I did this (I helped peel and slice the eggs) and she got rave reviews on her "homemade" potato salad.

Answer 7

I find I get less waste and better flavor if I cook the potatoes with the skins on and then peel them when they're cold. That way you can cook the potatoes easily the day before.

Answer 8

i admire potato salad with chopped difficult boiled eggs. this is style of the excellent of the two mixed, and that i discover extra people will consume potato salad over only egg salad. Potato salad additionally seems to pair extra helpful with extra dishes as nicely in my opinion.

Answer 9

You know, you could cook the potatoes in their skins and then peel them when they are cool enough to handle.

And Christopher is right. You can definitely make it ahead and, in fact, it would allow the flavors to blend and will taste great.

If you are just doing the prep work, though, boil the potatoes in their skins and then peel them and put them in a bowl and cover and refrigerate (don't cut them up). Chop up the other vegetables, celery, onion, green onions, etc. Put them in individual plastic bowls with a paper towel folded and placed in the bottom. Cover and refrigerate. That way when your boyfriend is ready he will have his mise en place - everything in its place.

Answer 10

Potato salad can be made up to 4 days ahead.....don't stress, just make your (or his) favorite recipe for potato salad, and place it in a large food storage container, expel the air from the container and store in the coldest part of your refrigerator.....It can be made on Sat or Sun and be just as good......Enjoy and have a stress free holiday season.......

Christopher