Bacon and Blue Cheese Potato Salad

I think we can all agree that one of the best things about summer is the BBQ’s.  There is something completely magical about a warm summer evening, a grill, and friends and family enjoying good food and drinks.  It’s probably one of my favorite things in the entire world.  Like, right up there with puppies and books by David Sedaris.

In that same vein, one of the best BBQ accompaniments is the potato salad.  Now, a potato salad is one of those things that can go so right or so wrong.  A bad potato salad is so sad. So bland.  So greasy.  No flavor.  You know you’ve had that potato salad before.  And then a good potato salad is just so damn good.  Creamy, flavorful, cool and spicy.  The perfect partner to a juicy burger or hot dog.  And does anyone else like their hot dogs totally burnt? I freaking love that.

I like to think of myself as a potato salad connoisseur, traveling the globe, sampling various potato salads and bestowing upon them my expert opinion.  No one really wants my opinion, but I give it regardless.  So, the other night, I made it my mission to make my ideal potato salad.  Obviously, bacon would be a factor.  But what else?  Then it hit me.

Blue cheese.

And with that, we’ll begin the recipe.

4 lbs red potatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonaise

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

8 oz crumbled blue cheese

1 tbsp mustard seeds

2 tsp salt

2 tsp fresh black pepper

1/2 cup green onion, chopped

8 strips of bacon, cooked to a crisp

It goes great with steak.

So, first, you want to boil the potatoes.  Put all the potatoes in a big pot, cover with water and bring to a boil.  Then let them sit at a boil for about 6 minutes.  When they’re done, strain the water and let them cool.

While the potatoes are boiling you can fry up your bacon.  If you’re not well versed in frying bacon, the key is to fry it on a low heat.  It takes a while to get the bacon to really crisp up, but a high temperature puts you at risk for burning the bacon.  When the bacon is cooked, transfer it to a paper towel to soak up any excess grease.  Once the bacon is nice and crispy, chopped it up as finely as you can manage and set aside.

Now you’re ready to make the dressing.  It’s pretty simple, just mix the sour cream, mayo, vinegar, blue cheese, mustard seeds, salt, pepper and green onion altogether in a bowl.

When the potatoes have cooled off all the way, mix in the dressing and bacon so that all the potatoes are coated and mushed in.  You are going to love this delicious, creamy salad!  And if you need to make it a day ahead, go for it!  I actually think it’s better when all the mix has been sitting together and melding for a day.

Buen provecho, and happy barbecuing!