Smoked Baked Potatoes
Smoked Baked Potatoes – A classic comfort food, smoked to fluffy perfection. Talk about the perfect side for steak, chicken, or pork. Slather it in butter and sour cream and toss in some bacon bits and chives to elevate a humble tater to something mouthwatering and extraordinary.✨
Honestly, this is my most requested side dish for the smoker. There’s just something about that fluffy salty potato that goes so well with other smoked foods. Besides, how cool is creating an entire meal in my beloved smoker? Simplifying our lives and making insanely flavorful food at the same time is always good! 😍
Another plus is that making baked potatoes in the smoker is super easy. Simply toss them on the smoker with some seasoning beside your meat, one rotation during cooking, and done! And did I mention they’re budget-friendly too? Seriously, these things are almost too good to be true.
Why Smoked Baked Potatoes Are the Best
Ok, I’ve already mentioned a lot of pros to smoking baked potatoes, but here’s the number one reason they are the best baked potatoes you’ll ever try: the flavor. They’re everything you love about regular baked potatoes with a smokey element that’s absolutely mindblowing. Plus, the skin gets crispy and flavorful. No more tossing out the skins around here! I’m serious; the skin alone will knock your socks off.😋
Recipe Ingredients
- Potatoes – Four medium-sized potatoes, preferably russets, are all you need for this recipe. Feel free to scale up the recipe if you’re feeding a crowd.
- Olive Oil – Slather your taters in olive oil to achieve that crispy skin, which may just be my favorite part of this dish. 🤤
- Seasonings – Keep it simple here to let the potatoes shine. I use my favorite BBQ rub and some salt. But you can use the seasoning mix of your choice.
- Toppings – IMO, butter and sour cream are must-haves, but if you’re going for loaded, you might want some shredded cheddar, chopped chives, bacon bits, and just about anything else you love to top your baked potatoes with.
How to Smoke Baked Potatoes
Prep Potatoes
- Wash potatoes thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towels or a kitchen cloth. Set them in a clean bowl or aluminum pan. (Photos 1&2)
- Prep the Taters – Poke several holes in each tater with a fork. This ensures that the potato cooks evenly and prevents it from bursting or exploding while it cooks.
- Season – Brush the potatoes with olive oil and rub with your seasoning of choice. Sprinkle them with salt to taste. (Photo 3)
Smoke
- Load the Smoker – Place the potatoes directly on a pellet grill or smoker grate and close the lid. (Photo 4)
- Smoke It – Cook for about 1½-2 hours or until they’re tender. You’ll feel it when you pierce them with a fork or sharp knife.
Plate
- Prep Toppings – While the potatoes are smoking, prepare your desired toppings.
- Cool Slightly – Take them out of the smoker as soon as they’re done. Then let those babies cool for a few minutes before slicing them open.
- Cut – Next, slice each potato down the middle, being careful not to cut it completely through. Gently squeeze the ends of the potato to open up the center. (Photo 5)
- Fluff – Then, use a fork and gently fluff the inside of the potato and loosen the flesh. (Photo 6)
- Serve them immediately with your choice of meat, or top them with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Variations
- Chili Stuffed Baked Potato – Make a meal of your potatoes. Fill smoked baked potatoes with chili for a filling main dish. It’s super tasty! 😄
- Pulled Pork Baked Potato – Try a pulled pork stuffed baked potato instead of pulled pork tacos. Pure heaven!
- Smoked Baked Potato Soup – Ramp up your favorite potato soup recipe with this deliciousness.
Tips and Tricks
- To ensure even cooking, rotate the potatoes halfway through cook time.
- Want bacon bits to top your potatoes? Throw a few strips on the smoker along with the potatoes. Pull them off when they reach your desired level of crispness, and chop them up. There’s nothing like fresh bacon bits! 🥓
- Keep an eye on these until you figure out a specific cook time for potatoes in your smoker. Smokers vary, and cooking time can change depending on your potato’s size and how frequently you open the lid to check on them.
Make-Ahead Instructions
These are best fresh off the smoker and prep time is almost nonexistent. Don’t sweat it! Toss them in alongside your main dish, and you’ll be good to go!
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve hot potatoes fresh off the smoker with or without toppings. Either way, they taste amazing!
You can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. To reheat them, use the microwave or pop them in a 350°F/177°C oven. It will take them about 10-15 minutes to heat through.
FAQs
Russet potatoes are the best for baking because of their high starch content and fluffy texture when cooked.
Nope! Smoke them as they are if you want that tasty, smokey flavor. If you wrap them, you’ll keep the smoke flavor out, and they’ll taste like oven-baked potatoes.
No need! Russets especially will cook evenly with a single rotation, and the seasonings on the outside are sufficient to give it a spectacular flavor. What’s not to love about super hands-off smoking? Just season the taters and throw them in the smoker. 🙌
What Goes With Smoked Baked Potatoes
Um…just about anything! 😆 Make a fully smoked meal by serving them alongside smoked lobster tail and smoked asparagus.
Grilled foods also complement these potatoes beautifully. Try serving them with some grilled boneless chicken thighs or some good old grilled ribeye. I also like to serve chicken and baked potatoes with a fresh, crunchy wedge salad.
More Amazing Side Dish Recipes to Try
- Grilled Onions
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Grilled Caesar Salad
- Smoked Brussel Sprouts
- Oven-Roasted Red Potatoes
Conclusion
I’m so happy to share this versatile and super simple smoked baked potato recipe with you! Already made these? Drop your hottest smoked-baked potato tips in the comment section below! The home cook community appreciates you!🫶
Smoked Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoon (14g) BBQ rub (or favorite seasoning)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash potatoes thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towels or a kitchen cloth. Set them in a clean bowl or aluminum pan.
- Using a fork, poke several holes in each potato. This ensures that the potato cooks evenly and prevents it from bursting or exploding while it cooks.
- Brush the potatoes with olive oil and rub with your seasoning of choice. Sprinkle them with salt to taste.
- Place the potatoes directly on a pellet grill or smoker and close the lid.
- Cook for about 1½-2 hours, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork or sharp knife.
- While the potatoes are smoking, prepare your desired toppings.
- Once the potatoes are done, remove them from the smoker. Let them cool for a few minutes before slicing them open.
- Next, slice each potato down the middle, be careful not to cut all the way through. Gently squeeze the ends of the potato to open up the center.
- Then, use a fork and gently fluff the inside of the potato and loosen the flesh.
- Serve immediately as is, with your meat of choice, or top with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- To ensure even cooking, rotate the potatoes halfway through cook time.
- Want bacon bits to top your potatoes? Throw a few strips on the smoker along with the potatoes. Pull them off when they reach your desired level of crispness, and chop them up. There’s nothing like fresh bacon bits! 🥓
- Keep an eye on these until you figure out a specific cook time for potatoes in your smoker. Smokers vary, and cooking time can change depending on the size of the potatoes and how frequently you open the lid to check on them too.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
What temperature is the smoker?
Hi Nancy! The smoker should be set between 225°F (107°C) and 250°F (121°C) for smoking baked potatoes. This low and slow cooking method will give them a delicious smoky flavor. Enjoy your tasty smoked baked potatoes!