Buttered Campfire Potato Wedges
A deliciously smoky alternative to your average oven-roasted potato wedges. Crispy and slightly charred on the outside yet fluffy on the inside, these wedges are easily the best campfire side dish!
or read on for step-by-step instructions with photos
What are Idaho potatoes?
We were camping through Idaho, so naturally, I wanted to eat some Idaho potatoes. Also known as russet or baking potatoes, they’re starchier than their potato cousins and are great for baking, mashing, or frying.
In fact, many restaurants strictly use this variety for fries. That extra starch leads to a really crispy exterior and fluffy interior. That’s exactly how these wedges turned out with the bonus of a little char from the campfire.
It was totally worth the extra effort while camping. If you’re not camping though, this is still a great recipe for grilling on a barbecue, pan-searing in a cast-iron pan, or baking in the oven.
What you’ll need
Ingredients
2 Idaho potatoes (aka russet or baking potatoes)
4 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper, to taste
Equipment
Pot for boiling potatoes
Grill or cast-iron pan
Knife & cutting board
Tray or aluminum foil
Tongs
Makes: 4 portions (4 wedges each)
Prep: 10 min Cook: 20 min
How to make it
Step 1
Prep and boil potatoes.
Cut the potatoes into wedges, then place them in a pot. Cover potatoes with cold water, add a pinch of salt, and place on high heat to bring to a boil. Use a lid to get the water boiling a little faster if you have one.
The potatoes I used were quite large, so I got 8 wedges out of each potato.
Step 2
Cook until tender then drain.
Once the water comes to a boil, remove the lid if you’re using one, and cook the potatoes until they’re just shy of tender, about 8 minutes after the water comes up.
Use a fork or knife to check the doneness by poking the thickest part of a potato wedge, it should slide off easily when lifted. Then Carefully drain and place them on a flat surface like a cutting board, tray, or aluminum foil to allow them to steam off a little.
I used my pot lid to drain the water while holding back the potatoes but you can use tongs or a spoon to fish them out, or a colander or sieve if you have one handy.
Be careful not to overcook these or they will fall apart and be difficult to grill. In that case, you might want to switch gears and make mashed potatoes instead!
Step 3
Season.
Using the same pot or a new bowl, season the potatoes with butter, salt & pepper, and toss to coat.
I seasoned them in batches in my little pot and then placed them on a sheet of aluminum foil.
The residual heat from the potatoes helped melt the butter. If they start cooling down though, just melt the butter in the pot first. If you have a large enough pot or bowl you can season them all at once.
Step 4
Grill potatoes.
Grill until slightly charred and crispy on the outside.
I had to do this in batches because my grill pan could only fit 6 wedges at a time. I placed the grilled wedges back on the same sheet of aluminum foil until all were done.
Step 5
Serve.
These wedges are worthy of eating on their own, but if you’re having them as a side dish as we did, wrap them with aluminum foil and set aside until everything else is ready. Then simply reheat them in their foil package.
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My tips
Transform leftovers - top leftover wedges with chili, grated cheddar, sour cream, and green onions for a take on chili cheese potato wedges.
Make them vegan - use olive or coconut oil in place of butter to make these potato wedges vegan.
How to reheat - when reheating leftover potato wedges, add a small amount of water to avoid a dry, mealy texture. Read my article on how to revive leftover fries with water for a more in-depth explanation of how this works.
Use the right tools - using a grill basket for grilling the potatoes can be very helpful, ensuring nothing slips through the grates.
I personally use one that’s very similar to this Weber grill basket on Amazon.
For more recommendations, check out my article on the top 10 campfire cooking tools I can’t live without.
Substitutions
Potatoes - Idaho (aka russet or baking potatoes) work best to get that crispy outer layer. Any potato could work though, they just won’t get as crispy on the outside.
Fat - I used butter because I love the flavor it gives the potatoes. Any other oil or fat could work such as olive oil, avocado oil, chicken fat, or bacon fat.
Aromatics - I kept it simple and only used butter, salt, and pepper. But don’t be afraid to add aromatics such as garlic, spices, dried, or fresh herbs.
Cooking method - once the potatoes have been boiled and seasoned, you can pretty much crisp them up any way you want. Just cook until golden brown and crispy in an oven, on a grill, or in a pan on the stove.
Storage
Stored in aluminum foil or a storage container, these potatoes last for one week in the fridge or 3 days in a cooler.
I don’t recommend freezing these potatoes as they become mealy, wet, and lose their texture when defrosted.
Dietary Notes: Gluten-free, Egg-free, Vegetarian
That’s it, enjoy!
I served these potato wedges with grilled steak & zucchini and it quickly became one of the better meals we’ve had while camping.
A little squeeze of lemon brought the whole thing together and helped cut through the butteriness of the potatoes.
These potato wedges were a simple and refreshing change from the typical campfire hot dog or burger.
Summary
Easy Grilled Potato Wedges Recipe
Upgrade your campfire meals with these smoky potato wedges. Crispy outside, fluffy inside, your new favorite fireside snack!
Makes: 4 portions (4 wedges each)
Prep: 10 min Cook: 20 min
Ingredients
2 Idaho potatoes (aka russet or baking potatoes)
4 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prepare potatoes. Cut into wedges and place in a pot with cold water and salt, then bring to a boil.
Cook until tender. Boil potatoes until almost tender, about 8 minutes. Check doneness with a fork or knife. Carefully drain and let potatoes steam off excess moisture on a flat surface.
Season. Toss potatoes with butter, salt, and pepper in the pot or a bowl.
Grill. Grill until crispy and slightly charred.
Serve. Enjoy as a standalone snack or as a side dish. If serving later, wrap in foil and reheat before serving.
Top Tips
Give leftover wedges a tasty makeover with chili, cheddar, sour cream, and green onions for a take on chili cheese fries.
Keep it vegan by using olive or coconut oil instead of butter.
Add a splash of water when reheating leftover wedges to keep them from getting dry and mealy.
What’s your favorite camping side dish? Share it in the comments below!
Enjoy!
