How Long to Cook Jacket Potatoes on a Charcoal BBQ?
Medium-to-large Russet potatoes take about 45-60 minutes over indirect heat at 350-400°F. Time alone is a rough guide, though — potato size varies enough that the more reliable signal is internal temperature. You’re looking for 205-210°F at the center, or a knife/skewer that slides in with no resistance. If you don’t have a thermometer, squeeze the potato gently with a towel or oven mitt — it should give easily all the way through.
What You’ll Need
- 2-4 medium-to-large Russet potatoes
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Charcoal (lump or briquettes)
- Optional: a wood chunk (apple or hickory) for extra smoke
- Optional: aluminum foil
Setting Up a Two-Zone Charcoal Fire
Yes, potatoes cook well on a charcoal grill — the key is not cooking them directly over the coals, where the bottom would scorch long before the inside is done. Instead, pile your lit charcoal on one side of the grill, leaving the other side empty. That gives you a hot direct-heat zone and a cooler indirect zone, and the indirect side is where the potatoes actually cook. If you want a little extra smoke flavor, drop a small chunk of apple or hickory wood onto the hot coals before you close the lid.
How to Cook Jacket Potatoes on Charcoal
Prep the Potatoes
Scrub the potatoes and dry them well. Pierce each one several times with a fork — this lets steam escape as the potato cooks and keeps it from building up enough pressure to split the skin. Rub the outside with olive oil and sprinkle generously with kosher salt.
Cook Over Indirect Heat
Place the potatoes on the cool side of the grill, away from the coals, and close the lid. Cook for 45-60 minutes, turning once or twice for even cooking, until the internal temperature hits 205-210°F. Smaller potatoes will land at the shorter end of that range; larger ones will need the full hour or slightly more.
Crisp the Skin (Optional)
If you want a crackly, crispy skin rather than a soft one, unwrap the potato (if you used foil) once it’s fully cooked and move it directly over the hot coals for 2-3 minutes per side. Watch it closely at this stage — direct heat can burn the skin quickly.
Should You Wrap Jacket Potatoes in Foil?
Both work, but they give you a different result. Wrapping in foil traps steam against the skin, which produces a softer, more oven-like texture and gives you slightly more protection against flare-ups or uneven heat — a good default if you’re not confident in your grill’s temperature control. Leaving the potato unwrapped exposes the skin directly to the grill’s dry heat, which produces a firmer, crispier skin closer to a true “jacket potato” texture. If you’re after that crisp skin but want the steam-and-protect benefit of foil early on, cook wrapped for most of the time and then finish unwrapped over direct heat for the last few minutes, as described above.
What Toppings Go on a Jacket Potato
Once the potato is done, split it open lengthwise and fluff the interior with a fork before adding toppings. Classic options include butter and soured cream with chives, grated cheese melted in while the potato is still hot, baked beans, or a simple combination of butter, salt, and cracked black pepper. If you’re already running a two-zone fire for other grilled mains, a jacket potato is an easy side to add alongside something like pellet grill roasted potatoes if you want to offer both a whole-potato and a cubed option on the same table.
FAQ
How long to cook jacket potatoes on a charcoal barbecue? 45-60 minutes over indirect heat at 350-400°F, or until the internal temperature reaches 205-210°F.
Can you cook potatoes on a charcoal grill? Yes — set up a two-zone fire with coals on one side, and cook the potatoes on the cooler, indirect side so they cook through without burning.
How do you cook baked potatoes over charcoal? Pierce, oil, and salt the potatoes, then cook them on the indirect side of a two-zone charcoal fire for 45-60 minutes, turning occasionally, until fork-tender.
Should I wrap baked potatoes in foil when grilling? Foil gives a softer, steamed skin and more protection from uneven heat. Skipping foil gives a crispier, more traditional jacket-potato skin. You can also combine both — wrap for most of the cook, then finish unwrapped over direct heat to crisp the skin.