Mastering Jacket Potatoes On The Bbq: A Step-By-Step Guide

Cooking jacket potatoes on a barbecue is a great way to enjoy a tasty, savoury dish with minimal effort. The process is simple: scrub and pierce the potatoes, rub them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, wrap in foil, and place on the grill for around 45 minutes. This method ensures the potatoes are cooked through without burning. The result is a delicious, tender jacket potato with a crispy skin and fluffy interior, which can be enjoyed with a variety of toppings such as sour cream, cheese, bacon, chives, or butter.

How to prepare the potatoes for grilling

Preparing potatoes for grilling is simple. First, select the right type of potato. Starchy potatoes, such as Russet or Idaho, are best for grilling as they have a high starch content, resulting in light and fluffy insides when cooked. Alternatively, all-purpose potatoes like Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes are also a good option.

Next, scrub the potatoes and pierce them with a fork. This allows the steam to escape while they cook and helps to avoid them from exploding on the grill. Then, rub the potatoes with olive oil and season generously with salt. The amount of oil used can vary, but a good rule of thumb is about 1 tablespoon of oil for every 4 potatoes.

After seasoning, wrap each potato individually in aluminum foil. This protects the potatoes from burning. Then, pierce the foil and potato with a fork. This step is crucial as it allows the smoky flavours from the grill to penetrate the potatoes, giving them a delicious savoury taste.

Finally, place the potatoes on the grill and cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, rotating and flipping them every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking. The potatoes are done when they are tender and can be easily pierced with a knife or have an internal temperature of 205°F.

The best potatoes for grilling

When grilling potatoes, it's best to use potatoes with thin skins and waxy flesh, such as Yukon golds, red potatoes, and new potatoes. Baby potatoes are also a great choice, as they hold their shape well after being sliced, diced, and grilled. Russet potatoes are also a good option, but they don't hold up quite as well due to their high starch content.

If you're looking for a potato that cooks quickly, holds up on the grill, and has a buttery texture and flavour, go for Yukon gold baby potatoes. These are an excellent all-around choice for BBQ potatoes.

For larger potatoes, cut them into 1/2-inch thick slices to make grilled potato slices. If your potatoes are golf ball-sized or smaller, you can cut them into halves or quarters.

To grill russet potatoes, cut them into 1/4-inch slices before grilling. This will ensure they cook evenly and have a crispy exterior and fluffy interior.

How to tell when your potatoes are done

When cooking jacket potatoes on a BBQ, there are a few ways to tell when they're done. Firstly, you can use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the potatoes has reached between 208 and 211°Fahrenheit. If you don't have a thermometer, you can pierce the potato with a fork to check if it is soft enough. The fork should slide in easily with little resistance, and the potato should be dry rather than moist. You can also check that the skin has dried out enough to have a crispy texture.

To ensure your potatoes are cooked through, it's important to cook them for the right amount of time. On a BBQ, jacket potatoes typically take around 40-45 minutes to cook. After 20 minutes, rotate the potatoes and cook for a further 20 minutes. If you are cooking the potatoes in an oven, the ideal temperature is between 375 and 400°Fahrenheit, and they will take about an hour to cook.

How long to cook jacket potatoes on a BBQ

Cooking jacket potatoes on a BBQ is a great way to add a savoury, smoky flavour to your meal. The cooking time will depend on the heat of your BBQ and the size of your potatoes, but you can expect them to be done in around 45 minutes to 1 hour.

First, prepare your potatoes by scrubbing them and pricking them with a fork. This will allow the steam to escape while they cook and prevent them from exploding. Then, rub them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. This will give them a delicious crispy skin. Wrap the potatoes in foil, which will protect them from burning, and place them directly on the grill.

For even cooking, be sure to flip and turn the potatoes occasionally. You'll know they're done when the skin is crisp and the flesh is soft. To test for doneness, you can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature (it should be at least 205°F) or pierce the flesh with a knife. If the knife slides in easily, they're ready to eat!

Once they're done, remove the potatoes from the grill with tongs and let them cool for a few minutes before unwrapping and serving. Enjoy your smoky, fluffy spuds!

How to serve grilled jacket potatoes

Grilled jacket potatoes are a delicious and easy dish to make on the barbecue. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to serve them:

Preparation

First, select the right type of potatoes. Starchy potatoes, such as Russet or Idaho, are ideal for grilling as their high starch content makes them light and fluffy when cooked. Give the potatoes a good scrub and pierce them with a fork to allow steam to escape during cooking. This will help prevent them from exploding. You can also try slicing a cross shape about 1/4-inch deep into each potato, as this helps release steam and makes the interior fluffier.

Cooking

Rub the potatoes with olive oil and season generously with salt. Wrap each potato individually in foil and pierce the foil and potato with a fork. This step will allow the smoky flavour to penetrate the potatoes.

Place the potatoes on the grill and cook them over medium-direct heat for about 45 minutes to one hour. Rotate and flip the potatoes every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking. You can tell the potatoes are done when they are tender and can be easily pierced with a knife, or when they reach an internal temperature of 205°F.

Serving

Once the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the grill using tongs and place them on a plate. Let them cool for a few minutes before unwrapping the foil. For a simple serving suggestion, top the grilled jacket potatoes with butter, salt, and chives. If you prefer a more loaded baked potato, you can add sour cream, cheese, bacon, or other toppings of your choice.

Tips

If you want crispy skins, remove the foil after the potatoes have reached an internal temperature of 205°F. Brush them with oil and put them back on the grill for another 10-15 minutes. After removing them from the grill, cut a slit in the potato to release the steam and prevent the skins from softening.

Now you're ready to serve and enjoy your grilled jacket potatoes!

Frequently asked questions