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Kohls Deli-Style Hot German Potato Salad (Light Roux, Midwest Deli Version)

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Ingredients (serves \~6)

  • 5–6 medium Yukon Gold or red potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled or scrubbed, cut into 1” cubes
  • 4–5 slices bacon (≈½ lb), diced
  • ½ cup finely diced onion
  • 2 tbsp finely diced celery
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ tsp celery seed
  • ⅓ cup white or apple cider vinegar
  • ⅓ cup water (or use some potato cooking liquid for extra flavor)

Instructions

  1. Cook the potatoes

  2. Place potato cubes in a pot of salted water.

  3. Bring to a boil, simmer 10–12 minutes until just tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.

  4. Cook the bacon & aromatics

  5. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

  6. Add onions (and celery if using) to the fat. Sauté 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent.

  7. Make the light roux-style sauce

  8. Sprinkle flour over the bacon fat + onions. Stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste (this is the light roux).

  9. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Stir.

  10. Gradually whisk in vinegar + water until smooth. Heat gently, stirring, until sauce is slightly thickened but still pourable. Don’t over-thicken — it should lightly coat the potatoes.

  11. Combine with potatoes & bacon

  12. Add cooked potatoes and reserved bacon to the sauce. Gently fold to coat evenly.

  13. Taste and adjust seasoning (vinegar or sugar) as desired.

  14. Serve

  15. Traditional: Serve warm directly from the skillet.

  16. Cold: Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate — the sauce sets lightly but still clings to the potatoes.

Notes / Historical Context

  • Light roux: 2 tbsp flour in ½ cup fat + onions is enough to create a silky sauce without heaviness — typical of Milwaukee/St. Louis deli variations.
  • Sugar + vinegar balance: Medium sweet-tang is consistent with Kohl’s and other Midwestern German-American versions.
  • Optional celery: Some vintage community cookbooks from Milwaukee include it; you can omit if you prefer.

Experimental AI recreation of Kohl's deli potato salad https://chatgpt.com/c/69519548-f0c4-832e-a35e-5927ad2721a1#:~:text=Kohl%E2%80%99s%2DStyle%20Hot,with%20cold%20cuts.

TODO:

  • Test the recipe
  • Correct the format