Syracuse Salt Potatoes

SYRACUSE SALT POTATOES

From the episode: Northern Cookout

You will need 1 1/4 cups of non-iodized table salt, 11/2 cups of Morton kosher salt, or 2 1/2 cups of Diamond Crystal kosher salt to equal 14 ounces.

Serves 6 to 8.  

INGREDIENTS
8 cups water
14 ounces salt (see note)
3 pounds small red potatoes or small white potoates, scrubbed
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter , cut into pieces
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 teaspoon pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring water to boil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in salt and potatoes and cook until potatoes are just tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to wire rack set over baking sheet. Let dry until salty crust forms, about 1 minute.

2. Meanwhile, microwave butter, chives, and pepper in medium bowl until melted, about 1 minute. Transfer potatoes to serving bowl and serve, passing butter at table.


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STEP-BY-STEP
Salt Magic

Just out of the salty water, the potatoes will look like any other boiled potato.


One minute after they’ve been drained, the characteristic salt crust will appear on the potato skins.


The high salinity means the cooking water gets hotter than normal, resulting in extra-creamy potato flesh.

RECIPE TESTING
Salt of the Earth (and Sea) A variety of salts are available in supermarkets today: table, iodized, kosher, and sea salt. What’s the difference? Table and iodized salt (simply table salt with iodine added) have fine grains and contain anti-caking agents that help them flow freely. Kosher salt, so named because it is used in the koshering process, has larger crystals and typically contains no additives. Both table and kosher salts are considered “refined salts” because they are mined from rock salt deposits and then purified. Sea salt is harvested by evaporating seawater and therefore has a full, slightly mineral flavor. Though we use table salt in the vast majority of our recipes, the choice is a matter of preference—except when it comes to our Syracuse Salt Potatoes. While table, kosher, and sea salts all performed equally well in this recipe, we advise against using iodized salt as it gives the potatoes a noticeably chemical flavor.