Potato Salad made with thin sliced russet potatoes, shredded onions and finely chopped celery in a tangy German vinaigrette.

Where I grew up there was a local deli called Otto's that made a fantastic German Potato Salad. It was so popular that he would limit you to 2-pounds for walk-ins and 5-pounds if you called ahead.

He made the potato salad fresh by hand daily and even the cash register was an old vintage cash register with buttons and a crank to print the receipt.

Even my German born and bred stepfather would go there for Otto's potato salad. It was THAT good; like German crack! When he and my mom moved away to Florida, she learned how to make a delicious German potato salad that had bacon and eggs in it.

Though it wasn't the same as Otto's, it is still fantastic and our girls request it every time they're in town.

Eventually Otto retired and closed the deli so I've been trying to figure out how he made it over the years. I used the recipe my mom makes and made some adjustments and I think I came pretty darn close to Otto's.

This recipe makes 2-pounds of potato salad; which is enough for 6 people. It's also gluten and dairy free. ~Enjoy!

Suggested Equipment

Vegetable Brush
Large Pot
Mandoline (or the largest slicer on a Box Grater)
Box Grater
Small Pot
Serving Dish

Ingredients Needed

Russet Potatoes: Look for potatoes that are fresh without any sprouts and are uniform in size for even cooking.

Essig Essence Vinegar German Vinegar: This vinegar is undiluted and will need to be mixed with water first. You'll need 1 part german vinegar to 4 parts water.

Chicken Stock

Granulated Sugar

Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

Finely Diced Celery: Make sure the celery has been washed under hot water to remove excess dirt before dicing.

Shredded Onion: You can use either Vidalia or Yellow onions.

Gather and prepare all of your ingredients before making this potato salad.

Boil the Potatoes

First you'll want to boil the potatoes. Start by scrubbing the potato skins under cold water with a vegetable brush to remove excess dirt; then place in a large pot.

Fill the pot with cold water, place on the stove and heat on high until the water is boiling. Once the water is boiling, cook the potatoes for approximately 20 minutes; then pierce the skin of the largest potato with the tip of a sharp knife to test doneness.

If the knife goes into the potato easily, the potatoes are done. Drain the hot water and fill the pot with cold water to allow the potatoes to cool. Repeat several times until the potatoes are cool enough to handle.

Prepare the vegetables

Dice the cleaned celery into fine pieces; set aside. Next, peel the skin of the onion, cut off a 1-inch thick slice; then grate the onion using the coarse side of a box grater; set aside.

Make the German Vinaigrette

While the potatoes are cooking, add the German vinegar, water, chicken stock, sugar, salt and pepper to a small saucepan. Heat over high heat and cook until the sugar has dissolved; approximately 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Peel and Slice the Potatoes

Once the potatoes have cooled, peel the skins off of the potatoes with a knife. Using a a mandoline, carefully slice the potatoes and place in a serving bowl. Repeat for all potatoes.

Assemble the Potato Salad

Add the celery, onions and prepared vinaigrette to the potatoes and gently mix to coat. You do not want to over mix as the potatoes will still be a little warm and you don't want them to break apart.

Seal the bowl with plastic wrap and leave on the counter to completely cool for 2 hours; then stir the potato salad again. You can either serve warm immediately or refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

This potato salad can be made up to a day before and will last for a total of 5 days if kept sealed in the refrigerator.

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