Salt Potatoes

One of Jane's favorites. Salt potatoes are a regional dish of Syracuse, New York, typically served in the summer when the young potatoes are first harvested. They are a staple food at fairs, barbecues and clam bakes.

The Syracuse, New York, area has a long history of salt production. Salt springs located around Onondaga Lake were used to create consumable salt that was distributed throughout the northeast via the Erie Canal. Salt potatoes originated in Syracuse and once comprised the bulk of a salt worker's daily diet. During the 1800s, Irish salt miners would bring a bag of small, unpeeled, substandard potatoes to work each day. Come lunch time, they boiled the potatoes in the "free-flowing" salt brine.

Salt potatoes are bite-size "young" white potatoes scrubbed and boiled in their skins. The proper size potatoes are Size B, Grade US No. 2. As the potatoes cook, the salty water forms a crust on the skin and seals the potatoes so they never taste water-logged like ordinary boiled potatoes often do. The resulting potatoes are creamy, as the starch in the potatoes cooks more completely due to the higher boiling temperature of the extra-salty water. The potatoes have a unique texture closer to fluffy baked potatoes, only creamier. The standard recipe calls for one pound of salt for every four pounds of potatoes. One minute after they’ve been drained, the characteristic salt crust will appear on the potato skins. After cooking, salt potatoes are served with melted butter.

3 quarts (12 cups) water
1 pound of salt [non-iodized table salt]
3 to 4 pounds small boiling potatoes

Bring salt and water to boil. Add potatoes and cook approximately 20 minutes, or until done. Drain (but do not rinse) and serve hot with butter or margarine.