Delicious Syracuse Salt Potatoes

By
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
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Updated on 07/27/19
Salt potatoes on a plate

Roger Stowell/Photolibrary/Getty Images

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
277 Calories
16g Fat
32g Carbs
4g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 277
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 10g 48%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 18882mg 821%
Total Carbohydrate 32g 12%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Protein 4g
Calcium 40mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Potatoes are the quintessential comfort food, whether mashed, baked, scalloped, roasted or boiled. Don't let all the salt in this central New York specialty scare you. Its purpose is to raise the boiling point of the water, so the potatoes cook at a higher temperature. The result is perfectly seasoned potatoes with a creamy texture. Serve simply with melted butter or toss with fresh herbs for a great potato side dish.

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds new potatoes (or any small, white, gold or red potato)
  • 2 cups table salt (or 4 cups kosher salt)
  • 5 1/2 quarts water
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter (cut into thin slices)

Steps to Make It

  1. Clean and rinse potatoes; reserve. Do not use large potatoes cut into smaller pieces for this recipe because the skins protect the potatoes from absorbing too much salt.

  2. Bring the salt and water to boil in a large kettle. Carefully add the potatoes. Boil until fork-tender, about 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size of potatoes.

  3. Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander. Transfer them back into the dry kettle and place over low heat. Toss in the butter and freshly ground black pepper to taste. When the butter is melted, toss everything together and serve.

  4. If you are making salt potatoes for a large group, spoon the potatoes into paper bowls, drizzle some extra butter over them and serve with toothpicks.

Serving Suggestions

These salt potatoes also add the right heft to grilled flounder or halibut, fried cod or catfish. A green vegetable in minimal dress or doctored up with a cheesy sauce rounds out the menu. 

Pair the beef meals with a big red wine like Zinfandel, Malbec, Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon. If you're serving pork or chicken, generally a dry white wine is the most harmonious. Think Sauvignon Blanc, pinot grigio or chardonnay. Same goes for the seafood. 

A classic and low-key American meal like this calls for a simple but memorable dessert that ends the meal with an exclamation point. Some fancy options: chocolate-bourbon layer cake, caramel cake with buttercream or cream cheese frosting, carrot cake, French apple tart or caramel apple cheesecake.