Syracuse Salt Potatoes

Salt Potatoes, or Syracuse Salt Potatoes, is the coolest, and most fascinating way of cooking these tiny, young potatoes. These salt potatoes are creamy, luscious, melt-in-mouth, so addictive!! Makes a perfect accompaniment to your barbecue, or simply enjoy them as an appetizer. 

 

 

SYRACUSE SALT POTATOES

Syracuse Potatoes or Salt Potatoes is a regional dish of Syracuse, New York. If you have been to the Central New York region, you can't miss these creamy, luscious, melt-in-mouth potatoes. These salt potatoes are a staple food at fairs, barbecues, and local diners. During summers, young, baby potatoes are harvested and boiled in salty brine. This dish was created by Irish salt miners in Syracuse, in the 1800s. 

These Syracuse Salt Potatoes remind me of this dish my grandfather used to make when I was a kid. He used to roast these young, harvested potatoes in a tandoor (a clay oven), with some sand and salt. The roasted potatoes had a nice thin layer of crust outside and were moist, and creamy from the inside. We used to devour these dipped in some melted ghee. YUM!!

The Syracuse Salt Potatoes are quite different in taste than the regular boiled potatoes. Despite these potatoes being cooked in heavily salted water, they are not very salty. As the potatoes are cooked in salty brine, the salty water forms a very thin layer of crust on the potato skin and seals them.

The salt potatoes don't taste waterlogged, like the regular boiled potatoes. The potatoes are moist, fluffy just like baked potatoes, and much creamier. As they dry a little, they form a salty dusting on the outside of the skin, which is not at all salty. When you bite into them, they kind of pop into your mouth, perfectly seasoned, creamy, potatoes!!

INGREDIENTS FOR SYRACUSE SALT POTATOES

3 pounds young or baby potatoes, whole

½ cup table salt

6 cups water

½ cup melted butter or Ghee; For vegan, use olive oil

Pic Shown: Syracuse Salt Potatoes

 

 

HOW TO MAKE SYRACUSE SALT POTATOES

This is one of the recipes I make quite often, my kids devour these salt potatoes. No fuss, hands down, one of the best ways to cook these salt potatoes. The salt miners boiled their potatoes in Salt Springs. I like to use my Instant Pot or pressure cooker, to do the same. You can also make these on a regular stovetop in an open pot. In under 30 minutes, you have the creamiest, luscious salt potatoes ready to be devoured! 

PREP FOR SYRACUSE SALT POTATOES

Scrub the potatoes, and give them a good wash.

INSTANT POT SYRACUSE SALT POTATOES

Add 2 cups of water and ½ cup of salt. Stir to dissolve. 

Note: Stir for a few minutes or until the salt completely dissolves.

Add remaining water, and potatoes. Close lid, vent sealed. Turn ON MANUAL / PRESSURE COOK (high) for 5 minutes.

Note: Adjust the cooking time depending upon the size of the potatoes.

When the pot beeps, once the pressure cooking is done, do a quick pressure release.

Drain the potatoes into a colander and let them dry for a couple of minutes.

Note: You will notice that as the potatoes dry, it forms a salt (white) crust on the skin. 

Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish, and serve warm, with some melted butter or Ghee. Enjoy!!

Note: For vegan, use olive oil

STOVETOP SYRACUSE SALT POTATOES

Add water, salt, and potatoes to a pot. Bring it to a boil. Stir occasionally.

Reduce the heat to medium, and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.

Note: Adjust the cooking time depending upon the size of the potatoes.

Drain the potatoes into a colander and let them dry for a couple of minutes.

Note: You will notice that as the potatoes dry, it forms a salt (white) crust on the skin. 

Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish, and serve warm, with some melted butter or Ghee. Enjoy!!

Note: For vegan, use olive oil

Pic Shown: Syracuse Salt Potatoes

 

 

TIPS FOR PERFECT SYRACUSE SALT POTATOES

Stir the salt in until completely dissolved. You will notice that the water turns cloudy.

Use bite-size, small young (baby) or fingerling potatoes for best results. Adjust the cooking time depending upon the size of the potatoes. I used baby potatoes, and pressure cooked for 5 minutes, followed by a quick pressure release.

Make sure the potatoes are completely submerged in the water. If required add some additional water to cover the potatoes.

When the Instant Pot beeps, do a quick pressure release. The longer the potatoes sit in the brine, the chances are they might get overcooked, and turn mushy.

Drain the potatoes completely. Let them rest for a couple of minutes before transferring them to a serving dish. This will allow the potatoes to dry, and form a salt (white) crust on the skin. Do not rinse the potatoes once cooked.

Salt potatoes are best served warm.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHICH SALT TO USE

I use regular table salt for this recipe. It is inexpensive, easily available, and most important dissolves quickly! However, feel free to use salt of your choice, kosher salt, sea salt, or pink Himalayan salt all work great. Adjust the quantity of salt as they all have different textures.

For ½ cup of regular table salt, you can substitute 1 cup of kosher salt.

HOW MUCH SALT TO USE

I use ½ cup of regular table salt for every 6 cups of water. The water should taste just like seawater, heavily salted. When you add salt to the water, it almost turns cloudy.

WILL MY POTATOES BE TOO SALTY

Not at all. The salty brine forms a nice, thin layer of crust on the skin, thus shielding the potatoes from getting overly salted.

WHAT POTATOES TO USE

Ideally, young harvested or baby potatoes work great for this recipe. Small, bite-sized potato that you can easily pop whole in your mouth. You can also use fingerling potatoes. Adjust the cooking time depending upon the size of the potatoes. It is important to use only whole potatoes for this recipe. Do not prick, peel or cut the potatoes in half.

DO I NEED TO PRICK THE POTATOES

No, do NOT prick the potatoes. The potatoes are cooked in heavily salted water, if the potatoes are pricked all the salt will be absorbed by the potatoes, making them way too salty.

DO I NEED TO PEEL THE POTATOES

No, these potatoes are cooked whole, with the skin on. The potatoes when cooked in salty brine, salty water forms a very thin layer of crust on the potato skin and seals them. This makes the inside of potatoes very moist, and creamy.

HOW LONG DO I NEED TO PRESSURE COOK

The cooking time will vary depending upon the size of the potatoes. I have used tiny, baby potatoes, and pressure-cooked them for 5 minutes. If using large size potatoes, adjust the cooking time.

HOW TO SERVE SYRACUSE SALT POTATOES

Salt potatoes are best served warm, with some melted plain or herbed butter or Ghee. You can also serve it with some herbed sour cream, tastes great.

I like to serve them with some barbecue as a side dish, or as an appetizer. Delish!

CAN I HALF / DOUBLE THE RECIPE

Yes, you can half or double the recipe depending upon the size of the Instant Pot. However, the cooking time remains the same, i.e. 5 minutes of pressure cooking, followed by a quick pressure release.

Pic Shown: Syracuse Salt Potatoes

 

 

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