While making these Warm Sour Potatoes with Bacon, I had a thought. Bacon is a limelight hog. Its name and sexy flavor elbows all other ingredients out of the way overshadowing them. I will admit bacon adds great flavor to this recipe. However, sorry bacon, the sour tang is really the star of this dish. Let’s have a moment to acknowledge the poor pushed-aside potatoes.
I have a secret sour weapon in my kitchen for making these Warm Sour Potatoes with Bacon. It’s a German product called Essig Essenz, a concentrated white vinegar. You can find it on Amazon and some specialty stores in the USA. Unfortunately, at those places, it costs ten times more than in Germany which is usually between 1 and 2 euro. I make sure to tuck one in my suitcase on my return trip.
Essig Essenz has 25% acidity in comparison to the 5% contained in most household white vinegar. This is vinegar on sour steroids so you would use less to create the sour flavor.
If you are lucky enough to have it, I recommend starting with one tablespoon. Taste the result, and add more a 1/2 teaspoon at a time to the sauce until it has the perfect sour flavor for you. For those of you who are Essig Essenz-less, substitute apple cider vinegar as instructed in the recipe below.
Warm sour Potatoes with Bacon are a flavorful and tangy perfect accompaniment for sausages or any meat dish. They are a hearty addition to any winter dinner. For lighter fare, serve with a side salad.
If you have an aversion to regular bacon, you can substitute turkey bacon in the recipe instead. To make the dish vegetarian, substitute any vegan or vegetarian bacon or “fake-on” product for the pork bacon.
Warm Sour Potatoes With Bacon
Ingredients
- 6 medium-sized boiling potatoes about 2 pounds, peeled and cut into small pieces.
- 2 cups cold water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup diced lean bacon
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or 1 tablespoon of concentrated white vinegar (Essig Essenz)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
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Place the potato pieces, salt and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
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Boil the potatoes until they become soft (easily pierced with a fork.)
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When the potatoes are done, drain the liquid through a sieve placed over a bowl and return the potatoes to the pan. Cover the pan to keep them warm. Transfer the liquid to a heatproof pitcher.
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In a medium-sized frying pan cook the bacon over medium heat until the pieces turn crispy.
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Stir the all-purpose flour into the pan. Lower the heat and stir constantly until the flour has combined with the bacon grease and the mixture browns slightly. Be careful not to burn it.
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Slowly pour the hot reserved liquid into the pan, stirring constantly. Once all the liquid is in the pan, turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil.
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When the sauce has thickened, turn the heat down to low and stir in the apple cider vinegar. Cover the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes.
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Pour the sauce over the warm potatoes and toss gently to coat them thoroughly. Add salt and/or freshly ground pepper to taste.
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Transfer to a bowl and serve.
Like this Warm Sour Potatoes with Bacon Recipe? Check out some of these other perfect potato dishes:
CORIANDER ROASTED POTATOES
SPECK SAUERKRAUT STUFFED POTATOES
GERMAN FRIED POTATOES WITH SAGE
