This BBQ potato salad recipe is both savory and tangy with a slightly sweet taste, as well as gluten free. This Texas potato salad has the perfect tang, tart slightly sweet essence of BBQ sauce and spices. It is sure to complement any barbecued meat as well as other meats whether on the grill or not.
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Ingredients you will need consist of yellow onion, potatoes, dill pickles, dill pickle juice, brown or granulated white sugar, honey, molasses, ground spices (mustard, turmeric, clove, cinnamon, fennel, and anise), olive oil, celery seed, Worcestershire, yellow mustard, and mayonnaise.
This potato salad for BBQ is the perfect easy, gluten-free, smashed potato salad recipe to pair with your favorite BBQ meat. This Texas-style BBQ potato salad is a great side dish and when paired with ranch-style beans and your favorite meat you have a complete meal any Texan would be proud of.
The Best Potato Salad
Ever notice how BBQ joints have some of the best potato salad? I love this knock-off recipe for BBQ joint potato salad. BBQ joints all have their own spin on the potato salad. I think this combo (put together after tasting several versions) is a great addition to any barbecued meat.
Today I am serving our barbecue smashed potato salad with grilled brats. I am also serving homemade ranch-style pinto beans. You can start the process a day prior to your BBQ, if you desire, for the pickled onions and potatoes in steps one and two. Or even complete the preparation of the potato salad a day before serving, as chilling the potato salad enhances the flavors.
How much potato salad per person will you need? ½ to ¾ cups per person will be needed depending on other sides you may be serving. If only serving potato salad with your BBQ then ¾ cup per person is recommended.
Choose how many potatoes are needed by calculating approximately ½ – ¾ pounds per person. Of course, you may want to make extra just to have it on hand for a day or two. Trust me, it will not last long.
How to Cook Potato Salad
How to cook potato salad with this no-fuss recipe, will have you preparing it more often, when you see how easy it is. This method prevents your salad from becoming too soggy while being refrigerated. I like russet potatoes for potato salad. They just make a potato salad taste better. Do not overcook your potatoes. You want them just soft enough for a fork to pierce so they don’t become mushy.
I make several versions of potato salad and this is one of my very favorite recipes. It goes well with all meats even fish. Its tangy flavor is especially pleasing with grilled or BBQ meats but it really goes well with just about anything. I serve it with just ranch-style beans some of the time and my family loves it.
I always recommend cooking your potatoes whole and then peeling once cooked and slightly cooled to prevent access water from accumulating in your salad. Select potatoes from the hot water one at a time. Running a little cool water over the potato as you pull the peeling off helps the peel to come right off. It is an easy process, just don’t let them cool off too much.
No need to cut up the cooked potatoes. The smash method makes it so much quicker and can add to the flavor since the potatoes when lightly smashed absorb more of the liquid.
Once potatoes are peeled firmly, smash potatoes one at a time, and then begin separating the smashed potatoes with the masher or large metal spoon until lumpy. You are not making mashed potatoes so leave chunks as shown in the photos.
This is such an easy method for preparing potatoes for potato salad. Chopping the potatoes takes a good 10-15 minutes. However, our smash method takes less than one or two minutes. Try to have a fairly uniform appearance before going to the next step.
This smashing and separating process is simple, and easy and makes a more flavorful potato salad.
Once your potatoes have the desired consistency you will gently fold in your diced onions, pickles and pill juice.
Gently fold in your pickle, onion, and pickle juice until evenly distributed. When completed combine your heated mixture and other ingredients until your sauce is creamy. You can adjust the mustard and mayonnaise to your liking. However, the mustard allowed for in the recipe keeps the salad tangy.
Continue to add sauce by folding the ingredients until it is the consistency you prefer. The first time I made this salad I did not add all the sauce. If you like your potato salad really creamy you can add more or put the remainder in the fridge for your next salad. It will keep for up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
Continue to fold in the sauce until the potato salad is the right consistency, adding more sauce if necessary.
This potato salad is so tasty and even better after refrigerating overnight. You can make it the day before serving to give you more time to prepare and cook your BBQ meat or meats.
I served this potato salad with brats and ranch-style pinto beans prepared in the instant pot. Such a great combination. We have served this potato salad many times with grilled BBQ meats, rotisserie chicken, pan-seared meats as well as hot dogs and burgers. It is tasty and delicious every time.
Gluten-Free Options
Gluten-Free products we have used are:
- Nature Nates 100% Pure Raw Unfiltered Honey
- Mt Olive Kosher Dill Spears
- Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Dark Brown Sugar
- Best Foods Real Mayonnaise
- French’s mustard
- Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
- Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Molasses
- Gluten-Free Olive oil (check your labels or manufacturer if no GF designation)
- Gluten-Free Spices (check your labels or manufacturer if no GF designation)
Gluten Free options are provided as a resource only. Always check your product labeling or contact the manufacturer of ingredients you are using. If there is not a gluten-free or GF on the label of the product packaging, read the ingredients label thoroughly. Check for hidden or questionable ingredients. Some ingredients may contain hidden gluten.
This BBQ Smashed Potato Salad is great for your outdoor barbecue on the grill, as well as potlucks or just rounding out that special Sunday dinner.
BBQ Potato Salad Recipe
BBQ Potato Salad
Equipment
- 1 large stock pot
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 small bowl
- 1 large bowl
- 1 large metal spoon
- 1 potato masher
Ingredients
Step One Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1/2 cup dill pickle juice
- 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles
Step Two Ingredients
- 8 medium russet potatoes
- 1 pot water to cover
Step Three Ingredients
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (you may substitute white granulated sugar)
- 1 tbsp organic natural honey
- 1 tbsp organic molasses
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground fennel
- 1/4 tsp ground anise
- 1 small pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
Step One Instructions
- Dice onion; cover onion with pickle juice in small bowl
- Chop the dill pickles (approx. ½ cup total chopped pickles)
- Add chopped pickles to onion and pickle juice
- Keep in refrigerator until potato salad completion
Step Two Instructions
- Clean and place 8 medium russet potatoes into large pan or stock pot.
- Boil potatoes with the skin on for approximately 30 minutes.
- Check for doneness before peeling.
- Let cool slightly and peel skins off.
- You can run some tepid water over them while pulling the skins off.
- Preparing your potatoes this way prevents the potato salad from becoming soggy.
- Place potatoes in a large bowl and take your potato masher, smash each potato and continue to separate pieces with your masher or a fork so no large chunks are left.
- Potatoes should still be lumpy when finished.
- Pour pickle juice, onion, and chopped pickles over the potatoes and fold until evenly distributed.
Step Three Instructions
- Mix sugar together with the honey, molasses and 1 T Worcestershire sauce into a small sauce pan.
- Combine the spices (ground mustard, turmeric, clove, cinnamon, fennel, and anise) adding to the above mixture.
- Add a pinch of cayenne if desired.
- Heat on low for 5 minutes and allow to cool slightly.
- Add ¼ cup olive oil to mixture stirring well.
Step Four Instructions
- Mix together celery seed, yellow mustard, mayonaise, salt and pepper. Add mixture to the cooled saucepan with previously combined ingredients.
- Fold all the ingredients (from saucepan as completed above) into the potato, pickle, onion mixture.
- Additional salt and black pepper to taste, if desired (be aware the pickle juice has sodium and tastes salty as well).
Notes
Nutrition
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