Perfect Baked Potatoes - Oven or Grill

Brandess's Note:

I despise bland baked potatoes! This is a cooperative recipe that I put together using techniques I have gathered from my father, brother in law, eldest brother and myself. I know that you will love the ease of putting together these very flavorful baked potatoes. NOTE: There is a pictorial tutorial in the photo gallery to the left.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

POTATO

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 4 teaspoons butter

FLAVORED OIL

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed and finely minced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (choose mesquite -o-r- hickory flavor)

SEASONING MIX

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked

Directions:

1. FLAVORED OIL: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, liquid smoke and garlic. Set aside.
2. SEASONING MIX: In a small dish mix kosher salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Set aside.
3. Wash, scrub and dry potatoes well. With a sharp paring knife, cut out a nice wedge from the potato's middle. Remove the wedge and place 1 teaspoon of butter in the hollow. Sprinkle with seasoning mix. Replace the wedge pressing down gently.
4. Place each potato on its own sheet of foil. Rub the potato with the olive oil mixture making sure to get some of the crushed garlic on the potato. Sprinkle with additional seasoning mix and roll up tightly in aluminum foil.
5. OVEN: Place potatoes in a 350 degree oven for 60 minutes.
6. GRILL: Place potatoes on the grill away from the coals, close the lid and grill for 40-60 minutes depending on the temperature of your grill.

Reviews

[Devlin4]

More prep time than outcome yields, my family could not really tell a difference. I'm gonna try it again! Hard to pass judgement with one attempt.

[lynniek]

I followed the recipe exactly and wow - these were delicious! I've never tried flavoring potatoes before baking and it just made the skin AMAZING. The inside of the potato was good, but nothing amazing ... we still all added our usually toppings. But the skin was SO good. I've never eaten the skin before and I devoured it tonight! I did mine on the grill with two burners lit for about 45-50 minutes - I flipped and rotated them around every 5-10 minutes.

[Chipfo]

Oh my, I never thought a potato wrapped in foil could taste so good! I usually just rub the washed potato with olive oil and salt it and bake it, not in foil. But this is the exception. I made this and I loved it, I may have just found a new way to bake potatoes. Thank you Brandee, these are excellent!