Learn everything you need to know about how to make Smoked Potato Salad! We mix smoked red potatoes with bacon, smoked eggs, sweet pickles and other ingredients to make a delicious smoky potato salad to bring to your next gathering.Whether you’ve got a gas or charcoal grill, a Traeger or Pit Boss pellet grill, or even a Masterbuilt electric smoker, we’ve got you covered!
6slicesBacon or 4 slices Thick-Cut Baconcooked crisp and crumbled (optional)
Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley for garnish
Instructions
Hard Boil and Peel the Eggs
First you will want to hard boil your eggs, especially if you are going to smoke the eggs alongside the potatoes.
Fill a saucepan or stock pot with cold water and place the eggs at the bottom in single layer. Make sure they are completely covered with water.
4 Hard Boiled Eggs
Optional: Add a teaspoon of vinegar to help prevent the eggs from cracking in the water.
1 teaspoon Vinegar
Turn to heat to HIGH and bring the water to a boil uncovered.
Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover, and let them sit for 10-12 minutes.
Remove the eggs with a large slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water.
Once cooled, you can move them to the refrigerator to store up to 1 week until ready to peel. Do NOT peel until you are ready to smoke them.
Boil and Prepare the Potatoes
Place the whole potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water until 1-inch above surface of potatoes.
2 lbs Red Potatoes
Bring the water to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook the potatoes until tender, about 20-30 minutes depending on size of potatoes.
Drain the potatoes and dice.
Place the diced potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
¼ cup Olive Oil, ½ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Set Up the Grill or Smoker
Preheat the smoker, or grill setup for indirect cooking, to 180°F.
If using a pellet grill, load the hopper with your chosen pellets, turn on the grill, and set the temperature for 180°F or the "Smoke" setting.
Smoke the Potatoes
Once you’ve got the temperature at 180°F with indirect heat on whatever grill or smoker you are using, place the whole pan of oiled and seasoned diced potatoes in the cooking chamber.
Smoke them for 30-60 minutes until you see them start to turn brown and have a smokey flavor.
If you are smoking your hard boiled eggs for the smoked potato salad as well, make sure to oil the grates well and you can pace them right alongside the pan of potatoes.
Stir the potatoes around every 15 minutes or so to make sure all sides are exposed to smoke. You can also rotate the pan as needed for more even heating.
Prepare the Bacon and Other Ingredients
While the potatoes are smoking, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it is very crispy.
6 slices Bacon or 4 slices Thick-Cut Bacon
Remove the bacon from the pan to cool on a paper towel lined plate and then crumble into smaller pieces and set aside for later.
You can also use this time to dice and measure out the other ingredients for the smoked potato salad.
Remove and Cool the Potatoes and Eggs
Once the potatoes are done smoking, remove them from the grill or smoker and place them in a large mixing bowl.
Add the red wine vinegar while the smoked potatoes are still warm and gently toss to coat all sides of the potatoes.
¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
Cover the bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 20 minutes.
If you smoked the hard boiled eggs, remove them from the grill or smoker and chill the eggs until cool as well.
Mix the Smoked Potato Salad Ingredients
While the smoked potatoes and eggs are cooling in the refrigerator, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, celery, and onion in a large bowl.
½ cup Mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard, ¼ cup Sweet Pickles, 1 Celery Rib, ½ Red Onion
Once the eggs are cool, cut them into ½ inch pieces.
Gently stir the eggs, potatoes and crumbled bacon into the mayonnaise mixture. Optionally garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley.
Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley for garnish
Smoked Potato Salad can be served immediately or refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Notes
Smoked Hard Boiled Eggs Recipe: https://www.madbackyard.com/smoked-eggs/If smoking the eggs, hard boil and peel them first and place them in the grill or smoker alongside the pan of diced cooked potatoes and smoke for the same 30-60 minutes at 180°F.