Michael Symon's Tangy Secret For Potato Salad That Pops With Flavor

Chef Michael Symon certainly knows a thing or two about delicious side dishes. However, at his restaurant Mabel's BBQ, there's one that stands out in particular: the potato salad. So when Food Republic had the chance to chat with him at the Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Fest, we had to find out what makes it so good.

"For one, it's not a mayonnaise-based potato salad. It's more of a vinaigrette-based potato salad," Symon said, adding that the dish featured a "kind of POP mustard. It's cold, pickled, and fermented mustard seeds that we fold into the potato salad. So as you're eating it, you're getting like caviar pops."

POP mustard is an award-winning artisanal mustard product, the result of a collaboration between Symon and longtime chef, cheesemaker, and mustard enthusiast Michael Januska. The whole-seed style gives it the signature caviar-style texture that Symon described, and it comes in several flavors. The "Original" has floral notes with a touch of citrus from IPA, and is jazzed up with pickled jalapeños, adding layers of flavor that are guaranteed to deepen your potato salad. Meanwhile, the "Smoked" version incorporates applewood-smoked mustard seeds and a touch of brown sugar for a variety that could make your potato salad the perfect pairing with grilled meats at your next cookout. The two also produce seasonal flavors and offer the mustard online and in at least half a dozen grocery stores.

Michael Symon points to Yukon Gold potatoes as the best for potato salad. This makes sense, given that they're among the best types of potatoes for boiling. While you can absolutely use waxy fingerling potatoes, you're not likely to find them in a potato salad that Symon makes — he told Food Republic that they're "too bougie" for that.

Once you've procured your potatoes and you're ready to transform them into salad, Symon recommends cutting them into quarters before boiling them. Then, the magic happens once they're finished cooking. "As soon as you pull the potatoes out of the boiling water, under-cook them a touch and put all the dressing and everything on them when they're warm," Symon said. "They absorb everything, and you just get a deeper flavor potato salad."

Finally, in addition to the dressing, mustard, and any spices, Symon likes to add a little texture to his spud salad. For a slightly soft addition, slice up some eggs and gently fold them in. Then, toss in some diced celery for a pop of color and crunchiness. You can serve it just like that, or you can jazz it up even more with other ingredients that can seriously upgrade your egg salad.