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The Secret to Great Grilled Potato Wedges

A kiss from the grill lifts potato wedges to new heights. 
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Published July 12, 2022.

The Secret to Great Grilled Potato Wedges

If it grows in the ground, runs or flies above it, or swims in water, I will grill it. 

But not everything you can eat can be simply slapped on hot grill grates and cooked until done and come out well. Some things, such as potatoes, need a little finesse. 

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Now, you can wrap a russet in foil and let it roast atop the grates or even nestled into the coals below for a nice take on a baked potato. You can oil and season new potatoes and let them slowly roast, rolling them around occasionally, on a cool part of the grill for a while until they’re tender. But what I’m talking about here are wedges of potatoes cooked over the heat of the fire until they look and taste like they’ve been grilled. The proof is in the grill marks, and then it’s in your mouth.  

To do that, you have to have a trick up your sleeve. Because raw potato wedges slapped on the grill won't cook through by the time they’re browned or, worse, will fall apart and into the mouths of the hungry grill goddesses below. 

Grilled Potato Wedges with Lemon-Dill Mayo

If you’re not already grilling your potatoes, this is the recipe to get you started.
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The easiest way to get great grilled potato wedges is to precook the potatoes first to soften them; then all you have to do is mark them on all sides on a hot grill, which takes about 10 minutes. Precooking the potatoes opens up their flesh so that it readily absorbs the smoke and grill flavor. 

Senior Editor Matthew Fairman found that the microwave was the best tool for precooking the potato wedges. Just oil and season the wedges (we like Yukon Golds for their mix of good flavor and sturdy texture) and nuke them, covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. 

Microwave you r potato wedges

Then uncover them (so they don’t steam and overcook) and get on with lighting the grill and laying the spuds down on it. Easy. 

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