Stuffed baked potatoes are a comfort food favorite. Grilling them over charcoal adds a slightly smoky flavor and a wonderfully crispy skin. In this easy recipe, we'll show you how to make terrific stuffed baked potatoes on a charcoal grill that are perfect as a great side dish or even a main course.
Smoked, stuffed baked potatoes are easy to make. Just bake a potato in a smoker, then scoop out the inside and mix it with cheese, sour cream and guanciale then heat it until the filling is hot and delicious. It's that easy.
This recipe was inspired by my other recipes for Grilled Sweet Potatoes with a Brown Sugar and Butter Glaze and Beef Tallow French Fries.
Ingredients
- Russet potatoes
- Sour cream
- Gruyere cheese
- Butter
- Guanciale or pancetta
- Olive oil
- Chives
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Prepare the Potato
Set up your smoker for indirect medium-high heat (350°F). While the grill is heating up, wash the russet potatoes under cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Prepare the potatoes by poking a few holes in the skin with a fork, then rubbing the skin with olive oil and seasoning both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. The holes allow steam to escape without tearing the potato.
Poke holes in both sides of the potatoes.
Rub the potatoes with olive oil or vegetable oil, and season with coarse salt.
Smoke the Potatoes
Place the potatoes directly on the grill. Smoke them for one hour. It's best to cook the potatoes over lump charcoal. No wood chips or chunks are needed for this recipe. The potatoes will absorb plenty of smoke just from the charcoal. Note that these potatoes were not wrapped in aluminum foil prior to baking. The aluminum foil would prevent the hint of smokiness from penetrating the potatoes.
Place potatoes directly on the grill grate. Turn the potatoes occasionally. Grill for an hour or until the potato skins are crispy and the insides are tender. Give them a squeeze with an oven mitt. If they give they are done. If they are firm, let them cook another 10 minutes and test again.
After an hour, remove the potato from the smoker and carefully slice them in half. Scoop out the potato pulp and place in a large bowl. Leave about ¼" of potato flesh on each potato skin.
Stuff the Potato
Mash the potato pulp, then add the sour cream, cheese, and guanciale and mix thoroughly. Spoon the potato mixture back into each potato half. Add some cold, grated butter on top.
Guanciale is a wonderful Italian cured meat similar to pancetta and is a great alternative to bacon. The difference is that guanciale comes from pork jowl and pancetta come from pork belly. Guanciale tastes richer and a little saltier than pancetta.
Cut the guanciale in ¼" cubes and sauté to render the fat before adding it to the potato mixture.
Spoon the stuffing mixture on top of the potato shells. Top potatoes with cold grated butter and bake inside the grill, on medium heat, for 15 minutes.
Place the potato halves in a shallow disposable aluminum pan and place the pan back in the smoker for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are heated through, the cheese has melted and the tops are golden brown. Sprinkle the potatoes with chives and serve.
For a light lunch, pair a stuffed baked potato with a green salad.
Variations
Try mixing it up with different stuffing ingredients. Cheddar cheese, green onions would also be great.
Equipment
The potatoes in this recipe were prepared inside a Kamado Joe ceramic cooker. A Big Green Egg, pellet smoker or charcoal grill configured for indirect heat would work fine.
Storage
Store leftover stuffed potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Final Thoughts
Grilling stuffed baked potatoes on a charcoal grill is a wonderful, smoky twist on a classic. Grab some russet potatoes and make some today. Enjoy!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe.
📖 Recipe
Smoked Stuffed Baked Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes
- olive oil
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ cup gruyere cheese
- 4 oz guanciale or pancetta, cooked
- pinch salt
- pinch pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 tbs chives
Instructions
- Poke a few holes in the potato with a fork. Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Setup your smoker for indirect heat at 350 degrees. Cook the potatoes for an hour.
- Remove the potatoes from the smoker, cut them in half and scoop out the insides. Mix the scooped out potato with sour cream, gruyere, guanciale, salt and pepper. Scoop the mixture back into each potato skin. Season with paprika and add some grated butter on top.
- Place back on the smoker for 15 minutes until the filling is hot and cheese has melted. Sprinkle with chives and serve hot. Enjoy.
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