How to Grill Baby Red Potatoes

Baby potatoes are immature; they are harvested early.

Baby red potatoes are one of the first tender potatoes of early summer. Available from produce departments or freshly harvested from the garden, they have a creamy texture and thin skin. The red color of the skin also adds color to the dinner plate and the potatoes are usually small enough to be served whole. Grilling brings out their flavor and is a quick way to cook these small delights from the garden. If you don't want to fire up the outdoor grill, substitute a grill pan on your stove top to cook the potatoes.

Things You'll Need

• Scrubber
• Foil
• Olive oil
• Seasonings
• Tongs
• Scissors or knife

Instructions

1. Wash the potatoes under a running faucet. Scrub lightly to remove any dirt, taking care not to scrub through the thin skin.

2. Tear off a 30-inch length of aluminum foil. Place the baby potatoes on one half of the foil sheet. Use whole potatoes if they are less than 2 inches in diameter; cut them into quarters if they are larger.

3. Drizzle the potatoes with 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Season to taste.

4. Fold the foil over the potatoes and roll and crimp the edges to seal the packet closed. Shake the foil packet gently to combine the potatoes, oil and seasonings.

5. Set the foil packet on the hottest part off the grill and close the grill cover. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes. Open the grill and flip the foil packet over with a pair of tongs. Close the grill and allow the potatoes to cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Remove the potatoes from the grill and set aside to cool. Cut a slit in the top of each foil packet to allow the steam to escape as the packets cool. Allow them to cool for approximately 10 minutes before serving.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with ingredients. Add fresh garlic, green peppers or your favorite vegetables and herbs to the packets prior to grilling.

• Speed the grilling time by first boiling the potatoes for five to ten minutes before grilling. They will only need to be grilled for 15 minutes total in order to heat up and take on the flavors of the seasonings.

• Make sure the foil packets are well-sealed, otherwise they may come open when you flip them and spill their contents into the fire.

• Hot steam will escape when the packet is slit or opened. Take care to avoid burns.

References

• North Dakota State University: Potatoes From Garden to Table