For serving: butter, chives, sour cream, cheese, bacon bits
Instructions
Wash potatoes. Use a fork to prick holes on all sides of the potatoes.
Wrap potatoes individually in damp paper towels.
Microwave potatoes on high, one at a time, until tender (about 7 minutes per russet potato or 5 minutes per sweet potato).
Remove paper towel and allow potatoes to rest until cool enough to handle.
Slice each potato in half lengthwise. Brush or rub all sides of the potatoes with about 1 - 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste.
Preheat a grill (or indoor grill pan) over medium-high heat. Grill the potatoes flesh-side down for about 5 minutes (or until there are visible grill marks). Flip the potatoes over and place on upper rack of the grill (or on indirect heat) to keep them warm and to allow the skin a chance to get crispy (about 5 more minutes).
Finish potatoes with optional toppings.
Notes
Prick each potato with a fork before cooking. This allows steam to escape so that your potato doesn't explode in the microwave.
Top your grilled potatoes with any of your favorite baked potato toppings -- including butter, sour cream, fresh chives, cheese, or bacon bits.
Scale the recipe for the size of your group. You can prepare just one potato at a time, or you can grill as many as you might need to feed a larger family.
Season your grilled potatoes with any of your favorite herbs and spices. I keep it simple with just salt, pepper and garlic powder, but you can use steak seasoning, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, or my boys' favorite -- Old Bay!
Whole Baked Potatoes on the Grill: microwave the potatoes for just 4 minutes, coat with oil on the outside, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the potatoes in two layers of aluminum foil. Heat the grill to 350°F. Place the foil-wrapped potatoes directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and cook the potatoes for about 30-40 minutes, or until very tender.