You don’t become a semifinalist for a James Beard Award based on the merits of your entrees alone (however legendary they may be). Your sides dishes must sing, too.
At Oakland’s Horn Barbecue, which is in the running for Best New Restaurant of 2022, the coleslaw, pit beans and potato salad carry their own culinary weight. And chef-owner Matt Horn is sharing the recipes for all of them in his first cookbook, “Horn Barbecue: Recipes and Techniques from a Master of the Art of BBQ” (Harvard Common Press, $30).
This potato salad, credited to his wife and Horn Barbecue co-owner, Nina, gets its zing from mustard, relish and the signature Horn barbecue rub. It’s Matt’s favorite barbecue side.
Nina’s Potato Salad
Serves 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS
2½ pounds red potatoes, diced
1½ cups mayonnaise
¼ cup relish
1 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon Horn Rub (see below)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (from about 4 scallions)
4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
DIRECTIONS
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, partially cover the pan, turn the heat to low, and simmer for about 8 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked through. Drain the potatoes, rinse in cold water and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, rub, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper until well blended.
Add the cooked potatoes, scallions and eggs and gently mix to coat and combine.
Horn Rub
Makes about ¾ cup
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
DIRECTIONS
Add all the rub ingredients to a bowl and stir them together thoroughly with a whisk, fork or spoon. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in a cool, shady place for up to 6 months.
For use with meat: Rub ample amounts of the spice rub onto the surface of the meat, rubbing and pushing firmly to fill any crevices or pores and to ensure the rub adheres to the meat.
— From Matt Horn’s “Horn Barbecue: Recipes and Techniques from a Master of the Art of BBQ” (Harvard Common Press; $30)
