I don’t know if it’s the Irish in me, but I’m an ardent four-season potato fan. Every winter I tend to crank up the oven and roast them, savoring each golden, crisp skin and soft, pillowy interior. And as summer approaches, there’s no reason we can’t grill potatoes to achieve that same delicious flavor and texture.
When thinking about how to grill potatoes, three simple methods come to mind.
A couple of these techniques still require kitchen time, but I promise it’s low effort and you won’t mind when you taste the end result of beautifully charred, richly flavored potatoes off the grill.
So head to the market, pick up some spuds and get grilling.
Top photo: Vincent Keiman via Unsplash
This is the most straightforward method for how to grill potatoes. Toss cut potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper and maybe some herbs; plop into foil packs and let the grill go to work.
For a tried-and-true method, look at the Grilled Foil-Wrapped Potatoes recipe at Serious Eats, which describes how to divide into packets if you're serving more than a couple of people. They keep it classic with lemon and herbs, but again, you can play around with what seasonings you love.
Note that when I grill potatoes using a gas grill, the cooking time is a little longer than suggested. And if your potatoes are on the larger size, you may want to quarter them instead of halving.
In keeping with the easy spirit of summer cooking, I recommend grilling with skewers, as Byron does with his mouthwatering Grilled Basil Pesto Potato Skewers at his site Lord Byron’s Kitchen. I follow Byron’s advice by parboiling the potatoes briefly, and I can't think of a better summer topping than basil pesto.
Skewering also makes it super easy to grill; no flipping individual potatoes here. Just some persistent turning and you’ll have a summer side dish that works beautifully for any occasion.
The first time I encountered this brilliantly simple method for grilling potatoes, it was when I was working on a grilling show with Emeril Lagasse. Years later, Emeril's Grilled Smashed Potatoes are still my favorite.
If I’m entertaining, I boil the potatoes earlier in the day, and they’re all set to go later when the grill is fired up. They go so nicely alongside a plate of meaty burgers and rose cocktails in the summer.
Tip: If your potatoes are on the small side or you think you'll worry about them falling through the grill grates, you can use a grill grid/tray – I’ve had success both ways!
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