Everytime i make potatoe salad the darn things fall apart?!


Question:

Everytime i make potatoe salad the darn things fall apart?

why does this happen i cut them all the same put in cold water bring to boil with salt fifteen minutes and let them drain...its red potatoes.....after they cool should i just take out the perfect looking ones?


Answers: Let them boil for 15 minutes, but not a rolling boil. Then drain them, cover the colander with a clean towel, and let them "steam". They will be perfect every time.

If I had to guess, I'd say you're bringing them to a full boil and leaving them like that for the full 15 minutes. Of course they'll fall apart. Turn the flame down to medium after they come up to a boil, wait 15 minutes, test them with a knife. When you feel a little bit of resistance in the middle, drain and steam as mentioned above.

Hope I helped! :) It sounds like you are cooking them too long and not letting them cool long enough. You're boiling them for too long. Try cutting the time back by a few minutes. your cooking them too long.just shorten up the cook time.. . just glue em.
no one will know the difference. You are overcooking the potatoes...even if they seem a little firm take them out and then rinse them in cold water. You are cooking them too long. Do it the same way you are doing it but only cook them for 11 minutes! Drain and put them back in the cooking pot so they can dry out and cool a little, about 10-15 minutes. They will then suck up all the good ingredients you are using for your potato salad! I made that same mistake and my grandmother told me I was cooking them too long! Grandmothers know everything! if they get mushy and fall apart dont cook as long or try a different potatoe good luck.. well they're supposed to be soft and maybe fall a bit apart to an extent.. if they are like mashed potatoes you are probably just cooking them too long. or you can cut them into bigger pieces then cook for 15 minutes. Are you letting them cool long enough? Are you boiling them too long? It's probably the latter. Go 2 minutes less boiling time cook them until you can just barely jab a fork thru and let them cool slowly on the stove, then in the fridge. wait till they are actually cold to proceed.

but to get you use to the right consistency i'd say cook them whole then cut them up. You may be cooking them too long. I suggest that you carefully monitor your potatoes as they cook. You can check if they are ready by stick in a knife in them and if it goes thew easily then they are done but if there is some type of density in the middle then they are not done. As soon as they are done you put them under cold water to stop them from cooking any longer. You should leave them in the water for 5 to ten minutes and then season as usual. Enjoy and Good luck [!] Potato Salad doesn’t have to be pretty. It tastes the same no matter what it looks like.
Just don't over cook the potatoes, don't under cook them. Wash them good with a clean vegetable scrub bush and rinse. try not boiling the potatoes so long cut the time by 2 minutes and see what happens Instead of boiling the potatoes, steam them so that they don't absorb all the excess water and to hold their shape better, cook until you can just pierce the potato with paring knife. Boiling to long...
Maybe try white potato's. You are over cooking them. You can also cook them a day ahead of time, and put them in the fridge overnight. It seems to help. I tend to cook them too long myself, so cooking ahead, and letting them cool overnight in the fridge really helped. You're using the right potato .Potato salads require a waxy potato and Reds are waxy What you are doing wrong is that you're cutting them up prior to cooking them.
Cook them whole , Slightly under cook them. Drain and then run cold water on them.
Make sure that they have cool interiors prior to cutting them up.
That's it Do not over cook your potatos.
.
After peeling each potato and cutting into fourths, long ways,put the potatos in a bowl of cold tap water, so they will not turn brown before you are finished peeling and cutting them.

When finished peeling and cutting put the potatos in a pan with water enough to cover the potatos.

Cook the potatos for 11-15 minutes and use a slotted spoon to lift the potatoes and place potatoes in a bowl with fitted lid, don't put the lid on tight just lay it on top of the bowl.

Allow the potatos to reach room temperature.
After they are cooled down put the lid on the bowl tightly.
Put the bowl of potatoes in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Try not to be in a hurry, you can cook the potatoes the day before then the next day the potatoes will be cold and ready to be cut into cubes for a lovely potatoe salad. Gently boil (simmer) until fork tender. Cook the potatoes whole and with the skin on. Then cool them immediately, instead of draining, place them into cold water - pull skin off and cut into fourths. I mix the wet ingredients (mayo, mustard, and yolks) in a seperate bowl, so that the potatoes don't have to be stirred as much. Just drain them all and use any way.They are still good.You are boiling for too long if they fall apart.A salad doesn't matter,so mix well and enjoy.Try boiling them whole with the skin on,that's how I eat mine....



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