German Potato Salad
Growing up in Oak Forest we lived just a house away from our church. I used to look forward to getting the monthly church bulletin because it usually featured a prized recipe from one of the members. This one is adapted from Audrey Trumpey’s recipe. It’s the one I grew up on and my mom still makes today. German Potato salad can be eaten hot, warm, at room temperature or cold. I love it all ways and I hope you do too.
Ingredients
8 cups peeled, diced red potatoes
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
6 green onions, sliced thin
1 lb. diced bacon, reserve 4 Tbsp. bacon grease
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/3 cup water
6 hard boiled eggs, sliced or very coarsely chopped
Method
Place the diced potatoes in a 4 quart sauce pan and fill with water just covering the potatoes. Bring the pot to a boil and cook until just tender. Drain and set aside. Fry the bacon pieces either on the stove or in the oven. I prefer the oven method as it is less messy. I evenly arrange the bacon on a rimmed sheet pan and place it in a 400 degree oven. For the diced pieces, I give them a toss midway between cooking. It takes about 20 minutes. Once the bacon is done, remove the pieces from the pan and place them on a plate lined with paper toweling to drain. Reserve 4 Tbsp. bacon fat. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.
Pour the reserved bacon fat into a heavy bottomed Dutch oven and saute the celery and onions (not green onions) until they begin to turn soft. Add the salt, pepper and the flour and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the vinegar, sugar, and water and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, bacon, and green onions and stir to combine. Cover and heat in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss in the hard boiled egg slices, stir to combine. Cover and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Enjoy!
