Salt Potatoes

[RedAngie]

I had never heard of such a thing until the other day. After looking it up it sounds interesting.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_potatoes


But these bags were $6.99. Five bucks for the taters and $1.99 for a packet of salt, it seems.

Instead I bought these two mutant fused Russet potatoes.



I often seek out oddball or misshapen produce if I’m gonna chop, dice, mash, etc. No need to look pretty.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

My ShopRite has an Ugly Produce section where they put all the misshapen vegetables at a discount. I usually pick up produce from there. I don't care if my apple has a hump. It still tastes great.

 

[porschegrl]

What a weird coincidence. I first heard of salt potatoes on The Kitchen.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jeff-mauro/salt-potatoes-with-butter-and-chives-7164297

I made them after the initial airing of this show, and I'm not sure I made them again til this past week. Leftovers are in the fridge. Super easy and flavorful.

 

[robinb]

Interesting! My DH is from Syracuse. Maybe we’ll have salt potatoes this weekend.

 

[RedAngie]

I think I’ll try them soon. But I’ll buy just a small bag of baby potatoes and use the kosher salt I already have.

 

[lynxstch]

Interesting! My DH is from Syracuse. Maybe we’ll have salt potatoes this weekend.

LOL I had never heard of them until a friend in Syracuse was telling me about them. She sent me some but I didn't find them remarkable. Sadly, she passed away almost 6 years ago, and this thread title caught my eye and brought up a lot of good memories of my friend.

 

[mmouse37]

Well this is interesting......I have been born and raised in New York and travelled the State quite a bit over the years and never heard of Salt Potatoes!!! We even have family that lives in Central New York and never heard about Salt Potatoes from them either.

 

[robinb]

I think I’ll try them soon. But I’ll buy just a small bag of baby potatoes and use the kosher salt I already have.

The recipe posted calls for a full cup of kosher salt! I would have to buy a box of salt before I try it since my kosher salt is for grinding and is expensive.

 

[mmouse37]

The recipe posted calls for a full cup of kosher salt! I would have to buy a box of salt before I try it since my kosher salt is for grinding and is expensive.

I buy a box of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for a few bucks....its a 3lb. box. I usually buy it to salt the walkway but its meant for cooking.

 

[porschegrl]

Well this is interesting......I have been born and raised in New York and travelled the State quite a bit over the years and never heard of Salt Potatoes!!! We even have family that lives in Central New York and never heard about Salt Potatoes from them either.

This reminds me of a post on the restaurants forum a couple years ago: https://www.disboards.com/threads/no-italian-restaurants-serve-chicken-vesuvio.3760806/

The dish in question (chicken vesuvio) is apparently a Chicago thing, but I lived my whole life in the Chicago area and had never heard of it. Of course, probably the last thing I'd ever consider on any menu is a chicken dish. So it makes sense that I never noticed it before.

Just now, I looked up a random Italian restaurant in the suburbs, and yep, there's chicken vesuvio on the menu!

 

[amcnj]

I too am unfamiliar with salt potatoes. Makes sense though, people making use of what is commonly found in their area. I wonder if hypertension was common too.

I would try them, but also would just buy new potatoes and salt and make them myself. Curious to see if they really are much different. Now let’s see if I ever remember to make them!

 

[jdb in AZ]

I too am unfamiliar with salt potatoes. Makes sense though, people making use of what is commonly found in their area. I wonder if hypertension was common too.

I would try them, but also would just buy new potatoes and salt and make them myself. Curious to see if they really are much different. Now let’s see if I ever remember to make them!

Three heart surgeons read this thread and passed out.

 

[robinb]

This reminds me of a post on the restaurants forum a couple years ago: https://www.disboards.com/threads/no-italian-restaurants-serve-chicken-vesuvio.3760806/

The dish in question (chicken vesuvio) is apparently a Chicago thing, but I lived my whole life in the Chicago area and had never heard of it. Of course, probably the last thing I'd ever consider on any menu is a chicken dish. So it makes sense that I never noticed it before.

Just now, I looked up a random Italian restaurant in the suburbs, and yep, there's chicken vesuvio on the menu!

Chicken Vesuvio is delicious! I first had it at Harry Caray’s restaurant in downtown Chicago. Harry was still alive and holding court in another room. I make it a couple times a year.

 

[fla4fun]

I have made something similar, but didn’t realize salt potatoes are a thing. When I get the little baby potatoes, I boil them in well salted water, but it’s more like a tablespoon of salt than a cup or more. They do get a salt sheen on them after they are drained, but they are not overly salty to eat, especially when served with unsalted butter. I do think the salt affects the texture of the potatoes. They seem more soft and smooth in texture than they do without the salt.

 

[C&Jx2]

The cooking method is what makes them interesting. There really isn’t much else to them.

 

[porschegrl]

Interesting! My DH is from Syracuse. Maybe we’ll have salt potatoes this weekend.

If you make the Jeff Mauro recipe, I have the same recommendation as several of the commenters on the Food Network site: use less butter. Anywhere between 4 and 6 tablespoons is plenty, IMO. The butter washes some of the salt off the potatoes when you toss them, and the butter that collects at the bottom of the bowl is inedibly salty on its own.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have never heard of them before, but hey potatoes are good so why not

 

[mjkacmom]

They’re at my ShopRite too.

 

[aboveH20]

Interesting! My DH is from Syracuse. Maybe we’ll have salt potatoes this weekend.

Yup! I remember them from my SU days. They were especially big at summer fairs.

 

[_19disnA]

Never heard of them either, but doubt you would find that recipe in the 'healthy eating' section of your cookbook! Way too much salt and the amount of butter also seems excessive. Brush your baked potato with a small amount of oil before baking to get a crispy skin and flaky interior. I think Jeff was a winner of one their 'next foodnetwork star' game shows which landed him the FoodNetwork job, but they have never seemed to find a place for him.