Grandma’s potato salad with sausage and apple

Grandma’s potato salad was always there: whether at family celebrations, barbecue evenings or the classic Christmas with sausages. There was always Grandma Karola’s potato salad. And honestly: there is no potato salad I like better. I have my sister to thank for the fact that we even have this recipe. Grandma Karola always made her potato salad freehand and one day my sister stood next to it and finally wrote it down. The photo of the recipe is definitely saved as favorites in your phone. Now Grandma’s good potato salad is finally getting its blog post and I’m very happy.

My grandma Karola’s potato salad is typical North German potato salad: Mayonnaise, sausage, cucumbers, eggs and apple ended up in her salad bowl. And I can still see her today, standing in the kitchen at the counter by the window or sitting on the stool and snipping everything in front of her. Although: Grandpa probably already peeled the potatoes beforehand, because that was always his job. Grandma Karola always only has potato salad for her Salad mayonnaise taken. The brand is explicitly noted in the recipe that my sister wrote down. I’m not that petty. You can take whatever you like.
I really like the creaminess of the potato salad. Added to this is the crunch of the sour cucumbers. By the way, cucumber water is now such an insider tip for us. We use it to season many salads, including my mother’s pasta salad. Plus, diluting it with water doesn’t make it so heavy and you don’t just have mayo in your mouth.

The Grandma’s potato salad recipe Unfortunately, this is also the last recipe that will end up here with us on ihrkochen.de. The potato and carrot casserole and the sauerkraut casserole with smoked pork are already on the blog. I can’t think of many other signature dishes (if we want to stay New German) with her, even though she always cooked and baked. You can find a detailed portrait of this great woman behind the carrot recipe. Unfortunately, due to dementia, she left us far too early (in the spiritual sense) and I would have liked to have had much, much more time and miss her in many situations.

Grandma’s potato salad doesn’t need many ingredients, but there are a few important pieces of information to make sure the potato salad is perfect.

Waxy potatoes – The most important decision of all. Waxy varieties such as Linda or Sieglinde retain their shape when mixed and do not turn into mush. Jacket potatoes also work, just peel them after cooking.

Ham sausage in a ring – This is the difference to the everyday version. Don’t use smoked sausage or sausage with garlic, otherwise it will drown out everything. The mild ham sausage gives the salad its hearty base.

Apple – When diced a little more coarsely, it provides freshness and a slightly sweet bite that balances out the mayonnaise. A tart apple works best.

Sour cucumbers and cucumber water – The cucumbers bring acid and crunch to the potato salad. The cucumber water is Grandma Karola’s secret ingredient: it makes the mayonnaise smoother and gives the whole thing some flavor.

Salad mayonnaise – The creamy base. Mixed with a little cucumber water, it becomes less heavy and fits better around the potatoes.

Eggs – Boiled hard and diced, they belong in every potato salad of this type. They make it more filling and rounder in taste.

Onions – Finely diced for a savory touch. If you don’t like raw onions, cut them particularly small.

The decisive success factor depends on two things: waxy potatoes and bold seasoning. Potatoes absorb an incredible amount of flavor, especially salt. So be generous and taste again at the end, otherwise it will be bland.

What most people stumble over: potatoes that are cooked too soft. If they fall apart, you’ll have puree instead of salad. After cooking, let the peeled potatoes evaporate briefly so that they don’t fall apart when mixed. When mixing the mayonnaise: first stir with one or two tablespoons of cucumber water until smooth, then gradually add more until the consistency is right. It’s better to approach it slowly than to get too watery. This is best done afterwards, when the potatoes have absorbed the first dressing.

What makes this salad special? The apple and the ham sausage. Last summer I accidentally picked up smoked sausage for a barbecue and the whole salad suddenly tasted like a smokehouse. I’ve been paying close attention to it ever since. By the way, you can eat it straight away, it doesn’t have to be lukewarm and it doesn’t have to sit overnight. If you have leftovers, it tastes almost more intense days later. Meatballs from the hot air fryer go perfectly with this.

This potato salad is more than a side dish, it is a piece of family history. If you make it, be brave when adding salt and treat yourself to the apple, it makes all the difference. Have you tried it? Then show us your result on Instagram at @gernekochen, we look forward to every photo. And if you’re still in the mood for another classic, check out Grandma Sophie’s coleslaw, which goes perfectly on any buffet.