minneapolis — davepolaschek

Charlie's Cafe Exceptionale Potato Salad

February 1, 2026

For more on Charlie's, see More on Charlie's.

Originally posted at http://home.covad.net/~robtschlem/HOWITGOES/C719764249/E654488000/ but that's been gone from the net for over two decades.

Makes: a LOT. If you don't have a 5 quart (or larger) mixing bowl, you want to see if you can borrow one.

Mix it all up and let it chill. It's best if chilled overnight.
Without the pimentos, this is not Charlie's Potato Salad
The mayonnaise measurement is approximate, but starting with the same amount as the sour cream and then adding about ¼ cup more should get you pretty close.
Potato salad is best if chilled overnight. It will set-up some, so the next day you may need to add a bit more mayo to thin it. It's better to make it thinner the night before, as it will dry out while chilling overnight. Almost nobody gets it exactly right on the first try.

If not using medium eggs, use 10 large eggs, or 6-8 extra-large eggs.
Use the oldest eggs you have on hand. Older eggs boil better and peel easier.
Boil the eggs separately from the potatoes. Both need to be chilled, so starting with the eggs means you can cut up the potatoes while the eggs are cooking
Get a big pan of water at a rolling boil.
Add the eggs by lowering them gently into the boiling water with a slotted spoon.
When the water is back at a boil, you can reduce the heat.
Room temperature eggs take about 10 minutes. If they're cold from the fridge, expect 15-20 minutes. Slightly overcooked is better than undercooked.
Drain the eggs and put them into a different pan or bowl. Put the coldest water you have over the eggs in the bowl to cool them. I typically add an amount of ice about the same volume as the eggs, then top up with water. When all the ice is melted (30 minutes to an hour, depending on room temperature), drain the eggs and put them into the fridge to chill for at least an hour.

Cut them into the same size chunks. First quarter lengthwise, then cut crosswise into roughly cubic chunks. End pieces, where the potato is narrower, should be slightly longer than the pieces nearer the center, so they all mass roughly the same.
You will need a huge pot with a lot of water to boil this many potatoes. I think I used a 3 gallon pot, but perhaps a 5 gallon one. Do not overcook them. Test with a fork to get them cooked, but still too hard for mashing.
Drain and rinse the potatoes in a strainer with cold water to stop them cooking, and chill immediately. If the potatoes are not completely cold when you add mayonnaise to them, the mayo will separate. Also, salad dressing, such as Miracle Whip, is not a valid substitution.
After chilling, if the potatoes are underdone, you can microwave them to cook them a little more, but you will need to chill them again.

Put all the ingredients into a huge bowl all at once. This makes a very large batch, about 5 quarts. Mix with large strokes, sweeping from the bottom to the top; try not to break the potatoes. Mix well, and adjust the seasonings or add more mayo.