Today, I feel like a mind reader.
I’ll predict the reaction of anyone who hasn’t lived in or visited Western New York: “Boiled potatoes with butter. Big deal.”
Gently, you’re wrong. Very wrong.
These are not ordinary boiled potatoes. These are salt potatoes.
Look at the pictures. Notice the white, dusty coating on the skins?
That delicate dusting is the result of boiling the potatoes in heavily salted water, then draining and allowing them to air dry. You might still be thinking, “So they were boiled in salty water. Whoopee.” Trust me—have a little faith.
I only share my favorite recipes, and this is one of them.
Salt potatoes are a staple on the Upstate and Western New York summer barbecue, picnic, county fair, and carnival circuit. Wherever there’s a grill, you’ll often find a pot of salt water on the boil for a big bowl of buttered salt potatoes.
In this region, salt potatoes define summer almost as much as potato salad. They are summer.
They’re so beloved they’re even sold in “kits”—small, uniformly sized potatoes packaged with a packet of salt—in many grocery stores. My husband requested them for his Father’s Day cookout, and I guarantee lots of households in our area will serve them on the Fourth of July.
So what makes salt potatoes different from ordinary boiled potatoes? With plain boiled potatoes, you drop them into lightly salted or unsalted water, cook until tender, and serve with butter and herbs.
Salt potatoes use a specific ratio to make the cooking water very salty. A common formula is: bring three quarts of water to a boil, stir in three-quarters of a pound of fine table salt, then gently add about 4 1/4 pounds of small new white boiling potatoes.
When the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander and let them air dry for a few minutes to form that signature white salt dusting. Transfer to a serving dish, top with pieces of cold butter so it melts over the hot potatoes, and serve—hot, warm, or even cold. The first bite is pure joy.
This method changes the potatoes’ texture and flavor. The heavily salted water raises the boiling point slightly and alters the way the potato starches cook and set, producing an exceptionally creamy interior without becoming waterlogged.
The result: potatoes that are tender, creamy, and perfectly seasoned—salty but not overwhelmingly so. They’re a revelation compared with the average boiled potato.
You might wonder what to do with a large batch—4 1/4 pounds—of cooked potatoes. Eat them, for starters, but if you have leftovers, they are remarkably versatile.
- Home fries: Chop leftover salt potatoes and fry them in butter or bacon grease until golden. You’ll have the best home fries you’ve ever tasted.
- Crash hot potatoes: Use leftover salt potatoes for smashed, oiled, and roasted “crash” potatoes—just reduce any added salt since the potatoes are already seasoned.
- Smashed potatoes: Reheat, lightly smash, add a splash of cream, minced garlic, pepper, and chopped herbs, and stir until creamy. Great with steak or grilled mushrooms.
- Potato salad: Cut chilled salt potatoes into bite-sized pieces, toss with mayonnaise, chopped onion and celery, a squirt of mustard, and black pepper for quick potato salad.
- Cold potato snack: For a late-night treat, grab a cold salt potato from the fridge, spear it, and nibble—simple and addictive.
One last point: should you toss the potatoes with butter or pour melted butter over them? I prefer the latter. Letting butter melt and run over the potatoes highlights the salty crust and creates little pools of butter to dip into. Tossing them in melted butter covers the salt dusting and reduces that contrast, though they’re still delicious either way.
This recipe is a perfect example of how simplicity can yield intense, refined flavors. Eating salt potatoes—whether you dip each bite in the pooled butter or savor the melted butter trailing down your fork—is one of summer’s purest pleasures.
Salt Potatoes
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 3 quarts water
- 12 ounces fine salt approximately 1 1/2 cups
- 4 1/4 pounds small new white boiling potatoes one-to-two bite sized, washed
- 1 stick cold butter 4 ounces, cut into pieces
- Optional: chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
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Bring the water to a boil in a large stockpot over high heat.
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When the water boils, stir in all the salt until dissolved.
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Lower the potatoes into the water carefully, one or two at a time to avoid splashing.
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Return the water to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15–25 minutes depending on size. Test doneness by skewering a large potato; the skewer should pass through easily.
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Pour the potatoes and water into a colander and let them air dry for 5–10 minutes to form the salty coating.
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Transfer to a serving dish and dot with pieces of cold butter so it melts over the hot potatoes. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve.
To store leftovers:
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Place potatoes and any melted butter in a container with a tight-fitting lid or a zipper-top bag and refrigerate.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate provided for convenience. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use if you need precise values.
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