Grilled Potato Tips | Tips & Techniques

Grilled Potato Tips

I love how potatoes taste when they come off the grill. They are a simple, yet rewarding addition to any meal, so when I add them to my dinner menu, there are two things I do to make them a success.

Use a Grill Basket

The only downside to grilling potatoes, especially smaller varieties, is the process of individually shuffling them around the surface of the grates. For this reason, I almost always use a grill basket. While you may lose out on grill marks, you make up for it with convenience and efficiency. Unless you really like your spuds, potatoes are a side dish, so the more I can streamline their grilling, the more attention I can shower on the main event.

The Parboil

Great potatoes need not only flavor but texture. While I tend to keep my seasonings to a minimum, the true secret to great grilled potatoes is a parboil. To speed the cooking of a dense potato, I place them in a pot of boiling water for 8-10 minutes and then immediately, to stop the cooking, cool them in a colander under cold running water. After grilling, this process allows the potatoes to form a satisfyingly crunchy crust with a soft hot middle.