© 2024 WKNO FM
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

A Side with a Twist

Justin Fox Burks

For your Fourth of July cook-out, consider a tasty twist on a traditional picnic side: Grilled Potato Salad.

Potato salad will be on many tables this holiday, but this grilled version is guaranteed to wow your guests. 

Grilling potatoes gives them a delicious smoky flavor. The grill also gives them a delicious crispy texture that makes for a unique and tasty salad.

Simply throwing raw potatoes on the grill not only won’t get you a crispy grilled potato, but it would take forever to cook. Boiling the potatoes before grilling ensures that you will have potatoes with a nice crispy crust with a soft done interior. Plus the potatoes will finish in only about 10 minutes once on the grill.  

When pre-cooking the potatoes, reduce the temperature of the water right when it comes to a boil. You want to cook the potatoes at a gentle simmer so that they do not break before being put on the grill.  Also, leave the skin on to help the potatoes hold up better while grilling.

To prevent the diced potatoes from falling through the grill grates, be sure to use a grill screen. Covering the grill grates with a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil will also do the trick if you don’t own a grill screen.

As for the dressing, I recommend skipping the traditional mayo-based potato salad dressing. I find that mayonnaise masks the smoky grill flavor as well as makes the potatoes loose their crispness. Instead, use a simple mustard vinaigrette.  Inspired by the German-style potato salads, I find that a grainy mustard really brings the salad together. Roasted red peppers and thinly sliced red onion offer the finishing touch.

This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish. Happy Fourth of July!

Grilled Potato Salad

  • 2 pounds small red potatoes
  • Vegetable oil, for the grill screen
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (about 1/2 small onion)
  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then lower the temperature to a simmer. Cook just until they are tender but still firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Cut into 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl.

Preheat a clean grill with a grill screen to medium-high with the lid closed for 8 to 10 minutes. Lightly brush the grill screen with oil.

Toss the potatoes with the olive oil until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the potatoes on the grill. Close the lid and cook, turning the potatoes occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes total.

Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the roasted red peppers and red onion. Toss to combine. In a small bowl whisk together the mustard, vinegar, and remaining olive oil.

Add to the potato salad and toss until well coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm or chilled.

Serves 4 to 6.

Reprinted with permission from Simply Grilling by Jennifer Chandler.

Jennifer Chandler graduated at the top of her class from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She is a full-time mom to two daughters in Memphis, Tennessee, and is a freelance food writer, restaurant consultant, and author of four cookbooks The Southern Pantry Cookbook, Simply Salads, Simply Suppers, and Simply Grilling.