Hot Potato Salad German Style with Bacon & Apples

This is German potato salad done right: warm, tangy, and loaded with crispy bacon and chunks of sweet apple.

Cook the bacon until crisp, then use that rendered fat to sauté onions and celery before whisking in flour, vinegar, apple juice, and a touch of sugar for a sweet-sour dressing that coats every potato cube.

Toss with chopped apples and crumbled bacon, pile it into a casserole, and bake until heated through.

It’s the potato salad that belongs next to bratwurst, schnitzel, or any hearty German feast.

Chef Tips

• Save that bacon fat: The rendered bacon fat is liquid gold. Use exactly 3 tablespoons for sautéing the vegetables for authentic flavor.
• Tart apples work best: Granny Smith or other firm, tart apples hold their shape and balance the sweet dressing. Mushy sweet apples turn to mush.
• Mix gently: Overhandling breaks down the potatoes and makes the salad gluey. Fold everything together with a light touch.
• Serve warm or room temp: This salad is meant to be served warm from the oven, but it’s also great at room temperature for picnics.