Friday, July 29, 2011

BBQ'd Hasselback Potatoes Recipe

This is the second quick and easy way to enjoy a baked potato during these hot summer months, when heating up, and spending time in the kitchen is not your top priority.  The first one, the BBQ Baked Potato in the post below this one, gives you a simply tasty and easy side dish for those evenings when you crave fluffy potato goodness.  Today's recipe will yield a melt-in-your-mouth buttery potato with a smoothly melted cheese topping.

BBQ'd Hasselback Potato
I originally learned about Hasselback potatoes while at Camp Blogaway earlier this year.  The Idaho Potato Commission presented a hands-on talk on how these potatoes were sliced, dressed and baked with heavenly results.  You can see the original recipe here on their website.  My version is very similar with the BBQ and cheese twist.

Ingredients and Supplies:
One 8-9 ounce Idaho Baking Potato per person
Cold, unsalted butter
2 oz. Old Amsterdam Gouda per potato

Salt and Pepper
Two cutting boards of the same thickness -or- chopsticks
Tin foil



Directions:
Preheat your BBQ to medium
Scrub potatoes clean and let dry
Place potato on counter.  Put cutting boards along length-size of potato
With a sharp knife, cut almost all the way through the potato.  The cutting boards should ensure that you don't cut all the way through, but take extra care on the ends.  (I've lopped off many ends!)  Continue cutting thin slices as you see in the photo above until finished.
Place potato on piece of tin foil large enough to cook potato in.  Carefully spreading the potato, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Thinly slice about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and place along top of potato.
Cover potato completely and tightly. Repeat for the rest of the potatoes.  
Place in BBQ and set timer for 45 minutes.
Remove potatoes and carefully peel top of tin foil away as seen in photo below.  Do not take out yet.
Using a vegetable peeler, thinly slice Old Amsterdam Gouda.  Place pieces of Gouda carefully in between several slices of potato and on top.  Put potatoes uncovered but still on tin foil back on BBQ for 5 more minutes.  The Gouda will melt inside the potato and also crisp up nicely on top of the potato as you see in the top photo.
Remove potatoes from BBQ and transfer to plates, discarding extra butter in tin foil.
Serve immediately!


I hope you enjoy these two BBQ'd Potatoes and find other fun ways to use your BBQ to beat the heat in the kitchen.  Have a great weekend!