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Measuring Ingredients For Potato Salad?

AJiveMan

AJiveMan

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My spouse's cousin measures all ingredients for potato salad.

How does one measure onion, pickle, celery, eggs, potatoes, mustard and dressing?

I usually just do it on the fly, and use judgement.

Does anyone really measure stuff out?

I've never seen it done before.
 
AJiveMan said:
My spouse's cousin measures all ingredients for potato salad.

How does one measure onion, pickle, celery, eggs, potatoes, mustard and dressing?

I usually just do it on the fly, and use judgement.

Does anyone really measure stuff out?

I've never seen it done before.
Click to expand...

I know I should. Maybe someday.
 
Just do what every celebrity chef does, pretend you know and wing it.
 
The only time I measure it out is when I am making a huge quantity for a large gathering. Otherwise I ad lib it. Someone wanted my recipe a few years back, so I went to the trouble of recording what I was doing when I made it one day.
 
AJiveMan said:
Why? don't you know how to make it, or is it a flop every time?
Click to expand...

I meant I know I should measure the ingredients. But i don't. My potato salads are each very different and good. :)
 
So at first, you start out by saying you need 1 large potato per person. So say you're making potato salad for 4, you add 4 large potatoes... and maybe 1 more for good measure. That's a lot of potatoes. 5 potatoes.

1 onion for every 3 potatoes. So you'll ad 2 onions which you'll fry nicely. THIS IS ALSO DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU LIKE UR ONIONS FRIED OR NOT. YOU CAN JUST CUT THEM UP AND ADD THEM. If you fry, use 5 spoons of oil or a bit less to fry them in.

I don't use eggs coz it's disgusting... but if you must, I guess 1 egg for 3 potatoes will suffice. it really comes down to how much egg u like. I don't, so I don't add any.

Pickles... why would... why would you add pickles... unless they're those pickles that you keep in vinegar, those small ones, then 1-2 per serving, depending on preference (so for 4 people, 4-8 small pickles), sliced up in that thingy that u can slice them in and that's good.

Why not add something more in there? Like mushrooms. Mushrooms are great with potato salad. Chop'em off in 4 pieces each mushroom and fry them a bit until they lose their water.
When you're cleaning them up, make sure you use boiled water.

Why add mustard... I swear, that recipe is wierd.

Celery... wing it.

====
Potato salad is very versatile to do. You can't really go wrong with it. You can improve upon it.
Personally, I suggest you look up potato salad recipes from the germans. they are kings of potato salads and there are dozens of recipes.
 
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PoS said:
Just do what every celebrity chef does, pretend you know and wing it.
Click to expand...

I always do that, wing it. Too much Justin Wilson watching I guess.
 
Rainman05 said:
So at first, you start out by saying you need 1 large potato per person. So say you're making potato salad for 4, you add 4 large potatoes... and maybe 1 more for good measure. That's a lot of potatoes. 5 potatoes.

1 onion for every 3 potatoes. So you'll ad 2 onions which you'll fry nicely. THIS IS ALSO DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU LIKE UR ONIONS FRIED OR NOT. YOU CAN JUST CUT THEM UP AND ADD THEM. If you fry, use 5 spoons of oil or a bit less to fry them in.

I don't use eggs coz it's disgusting... but if you must, I guess 1 egg for 3 potatoes will suffice. it really comes down to how much egg u like. I don't, so I don't add any.

Pickles... why would... why would you add pickles... unless they're those pickles that you keep in vinegar, those small ones, then 1-2 per serving, depending on preference (so for 4 people, 4-8 small pickles), sliced up in that thingy that u can slice them in and that's good.

Why not add something more in there? Like mushrooms. Mushrooms are great with potato salad. Chop'em off in 4 pieces each mushroom and fry them a bit until they lose their water.
When you're cleaning them up, make sure you use boiled water.

Why add mustard... I swear, that recipe is wierd.

Celery... wing it.

====
Potato salad is very versatile to do. You can't really go wrong with it. You can improve upon it.
Personally, I suggest you look up potato salad recipes from the germans. they are kings of potato salads and there are dozens of recipes.
Click to expand...

Yellow mustard for tangy, but, some people use Miracle Whip, we use Hellmans, go figure. My other sister in law used to pour sugar over her potato salad, not just a little either.

I use Kosher dill pickles in mine, some people like bread n butter (sweet) pickles.

I also make my own variation of hamburger helper only sometimes though, hamburger helper out of the box is nasty I think.

But, have you ever watched To Kill A Mockingbird? The scene where the kid pours syrup over meat and gravy?

 
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AJiveMan said:
My spouse's cousin measures all ingredients for potato salad.

How does one measure onion, pickle, celery, eggs, potatoes, mustard and dressing?

I usually just do it on the fly, and use judgement.

Does anyone really measure stuff out?

I've never seen it done before.
Click to expand...


If it is not baked, I follow the recipe until I get the hang of it, then I make it on the fly. With baking, those recipes are formulas and the finished product will not come out right if you don't measure. I never measure with potato salad. But, if you watch the cooking shows on TV, they measure for pretty much everything so people will know exactly what they need to do to make the dish.
 
The key to making great recipes that YOU like is reading the recipe then throw it away and taste and add/subtract as you go along.
 
AJiveMan said:
My spouse's cousin measures all ingredients for potato salad.

How does one measure onion, pickle, celery, eggs, potatoes, mustard and dressing?

I usually just do it on the fly, and use judgement.

Does anyone really measure stuff out?

I've never seen it done before.
Click to expand...

Making potato salad is not like baking bread.

If I'm making PS for a BBQ, I use a 5lb potatos to onion, bell pepper, olives, pickle, egg, mayo, mustard, ratio.
 
AJiveMan said:
My spouse's cousin measures all ingredients for potato salad.

How does one measure onion, pickle, celery, eggs, potatoes, mustard and dressing?

I usually just do it on the fly, and use judgement.

Does anyone really measure stuff out?

I've never seen it done before.
Click to expand...

Usually, when measuring such things as carrots or celery, they will tell you one or two carrot or celery sticks (whatever the recipe may call for). When referring to things already chopped, then it would be measured in a measuring cup after it was chopped.

I think it is just fine to "eyeball it" so to speak when making things like potato salad, macaroni salad, etc. I always make those to suit my own tastes rather than follow any recipes. I also don't have a problem with altering recipes and making them my own by adding things I like and think would meld well with the ingredients, or maybe even taking some things away that I don't like. :)
 
AJiveMan said:
My spouse's cousin measures all ingredients for potato salad.

How does one measure onion, pickle, celery, eggs, potatoes, mustard and dressing?

I usually just do it on the fly, and use judgement.

Does anyone really measure stuff out?

I've never seen it done before.
Click to expand...

Just as some people can't estimate distance, some people can't estimate amounts. I know very accomplished cooks that must measure or they feel they'll screw up and perhaps they have evidence of that, as many of who say "it's just a half mile up the road" and it turns out to be 200ft or 2 miles, they just can't estimate volumes.

How to measure such things? Dice/chop/slice (whatever) and then put into measuring cup before putting into the potato salad.
 
AJiveMan said:
My spouse's cousin measures all ingredients for potato salad.

How does one measure onion, pickle, celery, eggs, potatoes, mustard and dressing?

I usually just do it on the fly, and use judgement.

Does anyone really measure stuff out?

I've never seen it done before.
Click to expand...

Yep if you want to repeat a certain flavor. Measuring cups and spoons. I do it if I want to use my mothers recipes for a get togethers otherwise, a pinch of this, a handful or two or three of that, a smidge of this.
 
Rainman05 said:
So at first, you start out by saying you need 1 large potato per person. So say you're making potato salad for 4, you add 4 large potatoes... and maybe 1 more for good measure. That's a lot of potatoes. 5 potatoes.

1 onion for every 3 potatoes. So you'll ad 2 onions which you'll fry nicely. THIS IS ALSO DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU LIKE UR ONIONS FRIED OR NOT. YOU CAN JUST CUT THEM UP AND ADD THEM. If you fry, use 5 spoons of oil or a bit less to fry them in.

I don't use eggs coz it's disgusting... but if you must, I guess 1 egg for 3 potatoes will suffice. it really comes down to how much egg u like. I don't, so I don't add any.

Pickles... why would... why would you add pickles... unless they're those pickles that you keep in vinegar, those small ones, then 1-2 per serving, depending on preference (so for 4 people, 4-8 small pickles), sliced up in that thingy that u can slice them in and that's good.

Why not add something more in there? Like mushrooms. Mushrooms are great with potato salad. Chop'em off in 4 pieces each mushroom and fry them a bit until they lose their water.
When you're cleaning them up, make sure you use boiled water.

Why add mustard... I swear, that recipe is wierd.

Celery... wing it.

====
Potato salad is very versatile to do. You can't really go wrong with it. You can improve upon it.
Personally, I suggest you look up potato salad recipes from the germans. they are kings of potato salads and there are dozens of recipes.
Click to expand...

German style hot potato salad, oh yea. Potato salads are exceptionally flexible. There are as many ways of doing them as people. Mustard, ground mustard powder adds a nice kick. Dill pickles too. Don't forget paprika. Tasty goodness.
 
1750Texan said:
Making potato salad is not like baking bread.

If I'm making PS for a BBQ, I use a 5lb potatos to onion, bell pepper, olives, pickle, egg, mayo, mustard, ratio.
Click to expand...

I am gona try the bell pepper in mine next time. That sounds like it would be good. You fine chop or course chop it?
 
PirateMk1 said:
German style hot potato salad, oh yea. Potato salads are exceptionally flexible. There are as many ways of doing them as people. Mustard, ground mustard powder adds a nice kick. Dill pickles too. Don't forget paprika. Tasty goodness.
Click to expand...

I like mine sweet and spicy. I use a good bit of mayo, a little mustard for some zing, pickle relish, diced onion, salt and pepper, and diced boiled eggs. It is heavy on fat, and heavy on taste. Nothing is worse than boring potato salad imo, and the worst is what you buy at the grocery store, or at a German restaurant, in my experience. If I am making a small quantity just for home, I don't need to measure, but a few years ago, I took a huge bowl of it to a party, and several people wanted the recipe, so the next time I made it, I measure everything out as I played it by ear.
 
PirateMk1 said:
I am gona try the bell pepper in mine next time. That sounds like it would be good. You fine chop or course chop it?
Click to expand...

I might try that too except with red and not green peppers. For some reason, I don't really like the green bell peppers. I prefer the red and orange ones.

Imagine how pretty the potato salad would look with red and orange peppers! :mrgreen:
 
Summerwind said:
Just as some people can't estimate distance, some people can't estimate amounts. I know very accomplished cooks that must measure or they feel they'll screw up and perhaps they have evidence of that, as many of who say "it's just a half mile up the road" and it turns out to be 200ft or 2 miles, they just can't estimate volumes.

How to measure such things? Dice/chop/slice (whatever) and then put into measuring cup before putting into the potato salad.
Click to expand...

Memory is the best from of measurement.
 
PirateMk1 said:
Yep if you want to repeat a certain flavor. Measuring cups and spoons. I do it if I want to use my mothers recipes for a get togethers otherwise, a pinch of this, a handful or two or three of that, a smidge of this.
Click to expand...

Mothers are the best teachers for recipes, I still remember how to make biscuits aaaaand gravy!
 
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