Smoked Baked Potato
intro
Fluffy, smoky russet potatoes slow-smoked to tender perfection, with crisp salty skins and a pillowy interior ideal for loading with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep the potatoes
Scrub 4 large russet potatoes under cold running water to remove all surface dirt, then pat completely dry with paper towels. Poke each potato 8-10 times all over with a standard dinner fork to allow steam to escape during cooking, preventing skins from splitting or bursting.
Season potato skins
Rub each dried potato all over with 3/4 tablespoon (approx 11ml) of extra-virgin olive oil to coat the entire surface evenly. Combine 1 tablespoon kosher flake salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder in a small ramekin, then sprinkle the seasoning evenly over every oiled potato, pressing lightly to help spices adhere to the skins.
Preheat the smoker
Drain the pre-soaked hickory wood chips fully and add them to the smoker's designated wood chip tray. Preheat your outdoor smoker to 225°F (107°C), waiting until a consistent, thin wispy blue smoke flows from the vent (approximately 10-12 minutes after chips begin smoldering) before adding food.
Smoke the potatoes
Place the seasoned potatoes directly on the middle rack of the preheated smoker, leaving 1 inch (2.5cm) of open space between each potato to allow even smoke circulation and consistent cooking. Close the smoker lid and maintain a steady 225°F (107°C) temperature for 1 full hour, avoiding frequent lid openings that cause heat and smoke loss.
Finish cooking potatoes
After 1 hour of low-temperature smoking, increase the smoker's internal temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue cooking for 45-55 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the largest potato: it should read 210°F (99°C), and skins will be crisp, deeply golden, and slightly wrinkled.
Rest and serve
Use long heat-resistant tongs to transfer the cooked potatoes from the smoker to a clean platter, and let them rest for 5 minutes at room temperature. Slice each potato open lengthwise down the center, fluff the soft interior flesh with a fork, top each with 1 pat (14g) of unsalted butter, and serve hot.
Tips
2.Wait for thin, wispy blue smoke before adding potatoes: thick, billowing white smoke comes from over-burning wood chips and will leave a bitter, ashy taste on the potato skins.
3.For extra-fluffy interior flesh, give each whole cooked potato a gentle squeeze while wearing heat-resistant oven gloves before slicing, to break up soft inner starch without mashing it.
OMG these smoked baked potatoes are an absolute game changer for our weekend cookouts! I threw them on the Traeger while I was smoking brisket and they came out so fluffy inside with that perfect smoky crust. My whole crew fought over the last one, will 100% make these every smoke from now on.
My kids loved it! I was worried the smoke flavor would be too strong for my picky 7 year old but he ate two whole potatoes loaded with cheese and sour cream. So easy to toss on the smoker while I prepped the rest of our Sunday family dinner, zero stress.
Wait, do you have to wrap them in foil the whole time? I tried making these last night and the skin was a little chewy, not crispy like I wanted. Flavor was on point though, that smoke is chef’s kiss.
SO good for meal prep! I made a big batch of these on Sunday, stuffed them with broccoli and cheddar, and had quick lunches all week. They reheat perfectly in the air fryer, no sad soggy potatoes here. Easy recipe, zero fancy ingredients needed.
Brought these to our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people would not stop asking me for the recipe! I topped them with a little chili oil and chives to zhuzh them up, and even the people who say they ‘don’t like smoked food’ went back for seconds.
Made these vegan with a little dairy-free sour cream and coconut bacon on top, and wow. The smoke flavor is so deep you don’t even miss the butter, honestly. Super easy recipe, perfect for when my omnivore friends come over for BBQs, everyone is happy.
Wait, cook time is 2 hours? I left mine on for 1.5 hours at 225 and they were rock hard in the middle. Did I do something wrong? I used big russet potatoes, maybe that’s the issue?
Loaded these up with pulled pork, melted cheddar, green onions and a dollop of sour cream last night and it was a full meal all on its own. Why have I been making regular baked potatoes my whole life when these exist??
This was the first thing I ever made on my new smoker and it turned out perfect!!! I was so nervous I’d mess up my first cook but these were foolproof. The skin was salty and crispy, inside was light and fluffy, even with my very amateur setup. 10/10 easy recipe for new smoker owners.
Pro tip: Melt a little garlic butter and brush it on the skins the last 15 minutes of cook time. Your whole backyard will smell insane, and the skins get this next level crispy buttery flavor that is unbeatable.
Made these while watching the game last Sunday, didn’t have to babysit them at all. Tossed em on, set a timer, drank a couple beers with my buddies, and they were done right when halftime hit. SO good, way better than the sad delivery fries we usually get for game day.
So happy this recipe is naturally gluten free! I brought these to my friend’s BBQ where half the group has dietary restrictions and everyone could eat them, no special adjustments needed. The smoke flavor is so rich you don’t even need a ton of toppings to make them taste amazing.
I make these every single time I smoke a brisket now, they absorb all that extra smoke rolling around the smoker and they taste incredible. No extra wood needed, just let them ride along with the brisket for the last two hours of the cook and you’ve got the perfect side.
I was skeptical that a baked potato could be that much better than the oven kind but wow, I’m a convert. The smoke gets all the way through to the fluffy center, and the skin is so much more flavorful than regular baked potatoes. Only knocked off a star because I wish they cooked a little faster, but they’re worth the 2 hour wait, no question.
Made these on my little portable pellet smoker while we were camping last weekend and they were the star of the trip! We ate them with grilled steaks and campfire corn, and even the campground neighbors stopped by to ask what smelled so good. So easy to make even with a tiny setup.
Don’t have a fancy Traeger or big offset smoker? I made these on my little cheap electric smoker and they still came out perfect! You don’t need thousand dollar equipment to make great smoked food, this recipe proves it. So easy, so forgiving.
Turned these into a fully loaded baked potato bar for my teen’s birthday party and it was such a hit! Had cheese, bacon, chili, sour cream, chives, broccoli, and even buffalo chicken as toppings, and all the kids raved about how good the potatoes tasted. Way easier than making a bunch of different main dishes.
Wait, how do you guys get the skins extra crispy? I love the fluffy inside but my skins keep coming out a little rubbery even when I oil them. I’ve tried different temps but can’t nail it, would love tips!
These are officially part of our regular Sunday dinner rotation now! We usually have them with smoked meatloaf and green beans, and my husband says they’re better than any restaurant baked potato he’s ever had. Win for the home cook!
Leftovers of these are insane! I diced up the leftover potatoes the next day, fried them up in a cast iron with a little paprika and onion, and had the best breakfast hash of my life. Don’t sleep on repurposing these, they’re so versatile.