Potatoes and Onions on the Grill

Oh, the taste of summertime – Potatoes and Onions on the Grill wrapped up nice and neat in a “throw-away” foil packet, making clean-up a cinch. Flavored with garlic and fresh rosemary, these enticing spuds are slightly charred which delivers a smoky characteristic throughout.

I love it that the rain here in the Midwest has finally let up a bit and we’ve been able to pull the cover off the grill. There’s just something about the grill that brings out the “happy” in me! The distinct aroma in the air, a plateful of charred goodness and of course the chatter among friends and family hanging out on our deck. But of course, potatoes in general make me happy. A couple of my favorite side dishes are Hasselback Potato Recipe and Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes. Both are filled with cheesy goodness and flavored with onions and garlic. t. 

 

Why I love this Recipe:

These grilled potatoes and onions are easy and economical because there are only a few ingredients. Potatoes, onions, garlic, rosemary, a little bit of salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. That’s it. Although the combination of flavors is simple, the tastiness of this dish along with the smokiness from the grill makes this one of my favorite side dish recipes.

Anything I can throw on the grill is a “win, win” for me. Grilling in the summertime is my favorite way to cook. It takes all the mess outside and leaves very little clean-up in the end. Meals on the grill are uncomplicated yet have a savory depth to them. This recipe is thrown together in a foil packet, so when done, crumble up the foil and throw it in the trash. It’s that simple.

It can be made for two people or a crowd. Depending on how many you have showing up for dinner, the recipe can be made to accommodate that number. When grilling for a crowd, just make several packets, grill, and then keep warm in the oven while the rest of dinner is thrown on the grill.

What Kind of Potato is best to grill?

The truth is, I’ve used all kinds of potatoes in these foil packets over the years. Probably my favorite are the baby red ones because they are creamier than, say a russet potato. They are considered waxy potatoes and tend to hold their shape well after cooking since their flesh is firm and moist. And because they are small, you only have to cut them in half which saves prep time.

What is the best way to store Potatoes?

Store potatoes in a dry, cool dark place. A pantry is a great choice since there is no direct light shining in. Or an unheated basement is even better. Don’t store your potatoes in the refrigerator as the cold causes the starch to turn to sugar. Also, don’t store your potatoes next to onions. The gases they both release will cause the other one to ripen quickly.

You’ll want to remove them from the plastic bag you purchased them in and transfer them to a basket or an opened brown paper bag. This allows them to breathe. A wire mesh basket works great because you can rinse it off if the bottom potato turns bad. Properly stored potatoes can last four to six months.

What kind of onion works best with Grilled Potato?

I always go for a milder sweet onion for this recipe, like a Vidalia. Most of the time, they’ll just be labeled “sweet onions.” There’s no pungent taste that you find as with yellow onions which can be a little overbearing with these potatoes. I’m looking for a subtle flavoring coming from the onions, garlic, and rosemary. There are some recipes that you want a bold onion flavor, in that case, reach for the yellow onions.

Two ways to prep your potatoes for grilling:

First Way to Prep – Parboiling: Cut the baby reds in half and place in a pan of cold salted water. Make sure the water covers the potatoes. Bring to a boil and turn down the heat to low. Simmer until the potatoes are slightly tender, probably 7-10 minutes. Stick a paring knife into a potato and if it is tender with a bit of resistance in the center, you know it’s good to go.

Second Way to Prep – Place the Raw Potatoes in the Foil to Grill: This is the easier step which bypasses parboiling but the grilling time will be much longer, probably 40 minutes or more at a lower temperature.

I recommend parboiling for three reasons.  #1 It makes for even cooking throughout the grilled potato. #2 It cuts the grilling time way down. #3 The seasoning of the salted water permeates the inside of the potato and adds a full salted flavor throughout.

Putting it all together:

Once the potatoes have been parboiled, combine them with thick slices of sweet onion, and thin slices of garlic. With the rosemary, you can either use whole sprigs or mix the chopped herb in. And honestly, you can add any herb that you favor or have on hand. Thyme adds a lovely flavor as well. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss all of this with a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper until everything is well coated.

You’ll want to use two large pieces of heavy-duty foil for grilling. It’s much more durable than regular foil. Place the potatoes along with all the other ingredients on top of one piece of foil, top it with the other pice and tightly seal around all the edges.

How hot should the grill be?

Turn all the grill burners on high, close the lid, and let it heat to at least 500°F. With this very hot temperature, it ensures a nice crisp char on the potatoes. The foil packet goes directly over the flames, close the lid again and let them cook for ten minutes. Carefully turn the foil packet over and grill for another 10 minutes with the lid closed.

The heavy-duty foil is pretty durable, but you will want to be mindful as it can tear when turning the packet if you are too forceful. You want it sealed well so the steam will permeate all the flavors together and continue to soften the interior of the potatoes. Make sure and use hot pads or tongs when turning as the foil can be pretty dang hot.

When the potatoes are tender remove them from the grill and let them sit for a few minutes. Be careful when you open the foil packet, the steam can be really hot. I can’t tell you how many times I was impatient and popped open the packet early only for a rush of steam to burn my hand. You think I’d have learned by now.

Now it’s time to sit down and enjoy the summer evening. Grab a glass of your favorite wine, enjoy a great meal, put your feet up, and relax because the workday is finally over.

These creamy charred grilled potatoes and onions are an ideal side dish for pretty much anything you want to throw with them. They pair beautifully with my Bison Burgers with Peppadew Jam, Grilled T-Bone Steak, or Juicy Turkey Burgers.

If you love these Grilled Potatoes and Onions, you will love the following potato recipes as well.

Hasselback Potato Ring

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Loaded Potato Skins

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