Syracuse Salt Potatoes � Lot's Wife Would Have Loved These

Not only is this Syracuse salt potatoes recipe one of the most delicious ways to cook baby spuds, it�s also one of the most interesting. I generally don�t like when people watch me cook their food, you know, in case anything gets dropped (#5secondrule), but these are kind of fun to do in front of guests; just to see that look of shock in their eyes, as you dump in all that salt. Amazingly, only a small amount of salt gets inside the potatoes, and by �small amount,� I mean �perfect amount.� 

This recipe really takes the guesswork out of seasoning. Of course, I could go into all the science behind why these don�t absorb too much salt, but that would mean having to learn it first, and then figure out how to explain it, which sounds like an awful lot of work. Instead, I�ll let my intrepid readers take wild guesses.

I mention in the video that these were invented by Irish salt miners, which is true, except I don�t think they used actual mines, but salt pools instead. Apparently digging is a lot harder than waiting for water to evaporate. Regardless, they used this abundant supply of salt to boil less-than-perfect quality new potatoes, and the rest is culinary history.

Regarding the amount of salt, I used a ratio of 1 cup of kosher salt to 5 cups of water. Believe it or not, this is actually less than traditionally used. Hey, we all don�t have salt factories in our backyards. A cup of the brand I use weighs about 6 ounces, which means if you�re using regular, fine table salt, you�ll need just over a half-cup to get the same amount of salt.

Anyway, other than having to sponge-up some salt speckles from the stovetop, this recipe is fast, easy, and truly unique. So, if you want to serve something this St. Paddy�s Day that truly celebrates Irish-American heritage, then I hope you give these salt potatoes a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 servings:

2 pounds of small new potatoes, scrubbed

5 cups of water

1 cup Kosher salt

melted butter