GrillinFools
Yukon gold potatoes are sliced thin every couple millimeters, but not all the way through, creating a bit of an accordion type effect. The potatoes are placed on a sheet of foil with a couple pats of compound butter on top which will melt down in between the slices of potato. The foil is wrapped up around the potato and then each one is placed on a 275F pellet grill to soften. Then the grill is cranked up to north of 400F, the foil peeled back and the potatoes are roasted to brown a bit. Grilled hasselback potatoes are fairly simple but the flavor is out of this world and the presentation is pretty sweet too.
Recently, I cooked a chateaubriand slathered in garlic and onion just in time for Christmas. It was the best beef tenderloin I’ve ever had. I also cooked some hasselback potatoes to fill out the plating and I have to say, the potatoes might have been better than the beef. I know that sounds like hyperbole, but I’m not kidding. These potatoes were absolutely addictive! And these things are so simple to make. Grilled hasselback potatoes with compound butter will be going into a regular rotation for my family.
This recipe, along with that chateaubriand, would make you the rock star of your Christmas dinner.
Grilled Hasselback Potatoes Ingredients:
- ¾ lb salted butter (3 sticks)
- 1 cube Dorot Gardens garlic
- 1 cube Dorot Gardens onion
- 2 cubes Dorot Gardens parsley
- 6 Yukon gold potatoes
- salt to taste
Like buttah!
The key to this recipe is the compound butter. And the best part of this, we can make that butter the night before, a week before or even a month before. The butter can be frozen for months, if necessary. Because we can preserve this for so long, let’s make some extra.
Start by leaving the 3 sticks of butter out on the counter for a few hours to soften. Then combine the Dorot Gardens garlic, onion and parsley cubes of deliciousness and blend together. Then lay down the parchment or wax paper and roll into the biggest, tastiest tootsie roll ever:
See that bowl in the pic above? Make sure to grab a rubber spatula and scrap every ounce of that flavor bomb onto the paper before tying them up on the ends. Don’t let one iota of that go to waste (unlike the crime that happened in that pic where that butter was left behind).
Why are They Called Hasselback Potatoes?
Evidently the hasselback technique was introduced by a hotel in Sweden called the Hasselbacken back in the 1940’s.
What is the Hasselback Technique?
On the day of the cook, slice those potatoes. There are a few ways of doing this. You can eyeball it and slice every couple millimeters but not all the way through the bottom. Also, you can set a potato down between two pencils or two chop sticks to keep from going all the way through the bottom of the potato. The third option is one these things:
What is the easiest way to cut Hasselback potatoes?
Some argue that placing a chopstick (or pencils) on either side of the potato, lengthwise, is the easiest way to slice hasselback potatoes. The serving spoon method works too. Both methods make sure to keep from slicing through the bottom, but don’t guarantee thin, even slices. This little unit below both ensures no slicing all the way through and the slices are uniform and ultra thin. One could cay this device makes the process foolproof (and we love foolproof at GrillinFools.com):
Perfection is indeed possible
Indeed, I’m talking perfect hasselback potatoes:
Time to do some gift wrapping
Then grab that compound butter and some aluminum foil:
Slice off a couple pats of butter:
How great does that butter look?!
A couple pats of that will make these potatoes into something amazing.
Add a couple pats to the top of each potato:
Who’s a little salty?
A little salt right here is a good idea (and pepper if you want):
Then wrap up each tater in a sheet of foil:
How do you Grill Hasselback Potatoes?
Prep the grill for two zone grilling (or indirect grilling). That means the grill has one side with coals and one side with none.
The potatoes go on the side with none.
Target temperature inside the grill is 275F.
Here are the potatoes next to my chateaubriand on my pellet grill:
It doesn’t take nearly as long for the potatoes to cook as say a regular baked potato because they are sliced. These took about 90 minutes to get soft.
That’s what we are working on here.
Grab a heat resistant glove and give them a pinch about an hour in to see where they are.
Then open up the top of the foil (carefully so you don’t burn yourself):
I took these potatoes off the grill while I cranked up my grill to 500F so I can get some browning on my potatoes.
When the grill hit 500F, put the potatoes back on.
You can also add another pat of butter right on top if you want:
How do I know Hasselback Potatoes are Done?
Once the butter melts and the hasselback potatoes brown, the taters are done:
Remove the hasselback taters from the grill and serve, in this case next to that chateaubriand:
Who wants one?
Finally, enjoy these amazing spuds
Grilled Hasselback Potatoes with Compound Butter Summary:
These potatoes were absolutely sublime. We devoured a bunch of them, but I was able to keep a couple from being mowed down and made them into some epic hash browns. Those that were in attendance for that shoot are still talking about those potatoes (and the chateaubriand, for that matter). All of this would make for an unforgettable Christmas dinner.
If you have any questions or comments on this cook, feel free to leave them below or send me an email and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can.
This is the fourth recipe I’ve partnered with Dorot Gardens to create. I honestly can’t get enough of this stuff. My only wish is that I’d like to see thyme, oregano, rosemary and maybe just an Italian herb blend. If that ever happens, I’m the first one to buy those varieties. I love me some Dorot Gardens.
Also, if you could leave us a great review with lots of stars that would be most appreciated!
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Recipe Card:
Grilled Hasselback Potatoes with Compound Butter
Equipment
- wax or parchment paper
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
- ¾ lb salted butter (3 sticks)
- 1 cube Dorot Gardens garlic
- 1 cube Dorot Gardens onion
- 2 cubes Dorot Gardens parsley
- 6 Yukon gold potatoes
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Set the butter out on the counter for a few hours to soften up
- Then combine the Dorot Gardens cubes of garlic, onion and parsley in a bowl and blend thoroughly
- Then spread the compound butter on the wax or parchment paper and roll up into giant tootsie rolls
- The butter can be stored in the fridge for a few weeks or months in the freezer
- The day of the cook, slice the potatoes every couple of millimeters but not all the way through the bottom
- Slice off a couple pats of the compound butter and place them on top of each of the potatoes
- Wrap each spud in aluminum foil and go prepare the grill
- Set up the cooker for two zone or indirect grilling with coals on one side and nothing on the other
- Target temp inside the grill is 275F
- Place the foiled potatoes on the side of the grill with no coals and close the lid
- After 60 minutes put on a heat resistant glove and give them a pinch
- Once the potatoes soften up they are close
- Remove the potatoes from the grill and crank the heat up to above 500F
- Once the grill is above 500F open the tops of the foil and place the grilled hasselback potatoes back on
- Add another pat of butter to each tater and wait for the butter to melt and the potatoes to brown
- Remove the grilled hasselback potatoes from the cooker and serve
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