Reddit Swears By This Mayo Brand For Better Potato Salad

Recipes for potato salad are as plentiful as the number of people who enjoy eating it. They can vary from simple recipes that highlight the spuds to more complex recipes with many vegetables, condiments, and seasonings. While mayo-free versions of potato salad exist, we're focusing on the style that includes this rich and creamy ingredient. According to many home cooks, the type of mayonnaise you use makes all the difference, and if I'm making my favorite variety of potato salad — a Russian version by way of South America — I'll whip some up from scratch. But if you're pressed for time, or the idea of eating raw eggs makes you uneasy, you can use one of Reddit's recommendations for better potato salad: Duke's.

Duke's mayonnaise got its start in South Carolina and used to be difficult to find outside the southeastern United States. However, a Duke's representative told Food Republic that it is now available in 70% to 80% of retailers in the United States. One Redditor claimed that they love using the mayo for "deviled eggs and potato and pasta salads." Another user stated that they "definitely find Duke's a winner" compared to other brands when it comes to making potato salad, as it's "creamier, [eggier], and nowhere near as sweet."

Those specific qualities aren't just a fluke; they are written directly into the recipe. What distinguishes Duke's is its tangy flavor, which comes from the brand's choice of vinegar, and its savoriness, which comes from its lack of sugar — a common ingredient in many other brands. It's also heavier on the egg yolks, giving it a creamier mouthfeel, and the consistency is a lot less gelatinous than many of its competitors. It reminds some people (including myself) of a proper homemade mayonnaise.

Simply using a more flavorful mayonnaise is all it takes to upgrade potato salad for some people, myself included. However, other home cooks on Reddit weighed in with recommended add-ins to make their favorite recipes a little more complex. Many users seemed to enjoy a little — or a lot — of acidity, and called for adding vinegar to the mix, with apple cider vinegar being a particularly popular choice. Others suggested sharp-flavored condiments such as prepared mustard, chopped pickles, or capers. To give their final dish pops of zing and interesting texture, one Redditor said they "might use pickled okra." Chopped pickled green beans are another option, and the bright, tangy flavor of dill is also a popular addition (and complements acidic flavors nicely).

One interesting point that some Redditors commented on had more to do with technique than ingredients. One user commented that they "like to slice the potatoes up and toss them with apple cider vinegar while they're still hot." In a separate thread, another Redditor also advised tossing the hot potatoes with "vinegar or pickle juice" and then allowing them to "sit for a minute." Even if you don't like the flavor of vinegar, adding seasoning to still-hot potatoes will not only infuse them with more flavor, but also help bloom whatever herbs or spices you're using in the recipe, resulting in a dish with more depth when it's time to serve. Just make sure to let the spuds cool completely before adding your Duke's.