How Long to Cook a Baked Potato on a Gas Grill

A medium-large russet potato takes about 50 to 70 minutes to bake on a gas grill, depending on its size and the grill’s temperature. Cook it over indirect heat at 400°F (204°C) with a little oil and salt for a fluffy center and well-seasoned skin; serve it split open with your favorite toppings.

Ingredients

4 medium-large russet potatoes, 10–12 ounces each (280–340 g each), scrubbed and dried
1 tablespoon olive oil or neutral oil (15 ml)
1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g), or 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (about 4 g; brands vary)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 0.5 g), optional
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28 g), for serving, optional
¼ cup sour cream (60 g), for serving, optional
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (about 3 g), for serving, optional

Instructions

Prepare the potatoes. Scrub each potato under cool running water to remove soil, then dry it thoroughly with a clean towel. Use a fork to prick each potato 6–8 times around its surface. These small vents let steam escape as the potato cooks. Rub the skins with the oil, then season all over with salt and pepper. Allow about 12 minutes for washing, drying, pricking, and seasoning.
Set up the gas grill for indirect heat. Clean the cooking grates and preheat the grill with its lid closed to about 400°F (204°C), which usually takes around 10 minutes. On a two-burner grill, turn one burner to medium and leave the other off. On a three- or four-burner grill, light the outside burners and leave the middle burner or burners off. Adjust the lit burners as needed to hold the grill near 400°F; the potatoes should sit above the unlit area, not directly over a flame.
Arrange the potatoes. Set the potatoes on the grate over the unlit burner or burners, leaving a little room between them for heat to circulate. Close the lid. Keep the grill lid closed as much as possible because every long opening releases heat and can extend the cooking time. If your grill has a built-in thermometer, check it occasionally rather than relying only on the burner dial.
Grill until tender. Cook for about 50–70 minutes, turning the potatoes once halfway through if your grill has hot spots. Start checking at 50 minutes. A skewer or thin knife should slide into the center with little resistance, and the potato should feel soft when gently squeezed with tongs. For a more precise texture check, the center of a fully tender baked potato is often around 205–210°F (96–99°C); this is a doneness cue, not a food-safety minimum. Larger potatoes and grills running below 400°F may need more time. If the skins are getting very dark before the centers soften, lower the heat slightly and continue cooking over indirect heat.
Rest and serve. Transfer the potatoes to a plate or tray and let them rest for 5 minutes. Cut a lengthwise slit in each one and press the ends gently to open it up. Fluff the inside with a fork, then add butter, sour cream, chives, or other toppings. The timing in the recipe facts uses a 60-minute grill time, plus 10 minutes to preheat and 5 minutes to rest; actual grill time varies with potato size and equipment.

Tips

Choose potatoes of similar size. Russets are especially suited to this method because their starchy interiors turn fluffy and their skins bake up nicely. If the potatoes vary a lot in size, remove the smaller ones as soon as they are tender and leave the larger ones on the grill.
Skip the foil for a drier, more substantial skin. Wrapping potatoes in foil holds in steam, giving the skin a softer, steamed texture. If you prefer that result, wrap each seasoned potato loosely in foil, but still cook it over indirect heat and begin checking for tenderness at about 50 minutes.
Use the grill thermometer, not just a fixed burner setting. Gas grills differ, and wind or a frequently opened lid can shift the temperature. Make small burner adjustments to maintain roughly 400°F (204°C), and move a potato to a cooler part of the grate if one side is browning much faster.
Do not skip drying and pricking. Dry skin takes the oil and seasoning evenly, while fork holes give steam a way out. Avoid cutting a deep slit before grilling; it can let moisture escape from the center and make the potato cook less evenly.

Serving Suggestions

Serve each potato hot as a simple side for grilled vegetables, corn, steak, chicken, fish, or beans. For a satisfying main course, split one open, fluff the center, and add a generous topping such as chili, sautéed mushrooms, steamed broccoli, or black beans. A small bowl of sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped chives, and salsa lets everyone finish a potato to taste. If you are serving several sides, keep the toppings separate until the potatoes come off the grill so the skins stay as dry as possible.

For a classic topping combination, add butter first so it melts into the fluffy potato, then spoon on sour cream and scatter chives over the top. A crisp green salad or crunchy slaw provides a fresh contrast. If the potatoes are part of a cookout, you can grill them while other food cooks, but keep them over the unlit burner so they do not compete with food that needs direct heat.

Variations

Smoky seasoned skins: Mix the salt with ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (about 1 g) and a pinch of garlic powder before rubbing it onto the oiled potatoes. This adds a gentle smoky, savory note without requiring wood chips. If you use a strongly flavored seasoning blend, reduce the added salt and taste the finished potato before adding more.

Cheesy broccoli potatoes: During the final few minutes, warm cooked broccoli florets on a small piece of foil at the edge of the grill. Split the potatoes, add the broccoli, and top with ¼ cup shredded cheddar per potato (about 28 g each). Close the grill briefly to soften the cheese, keeping the potatoes over indirect heat.

Herb and garlic finish: Stir 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (about 4 g) and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (about 1 g) into the butter before spooning it into the potato. Fresh garlic can burn on a hot grill if rubbed on the outside, so add it after cooking instead.

Sweet potatoes: Use four medium sweet potatoes, about 8–10 ounces each (225–280 g each), and follow the same indirect-heat method. Start checking them at 40 minutes; depending on size and grill temperature, they may take roughly 40–60 minutes. Their softer flesh and naturally sweeter flavor pair well with butter, cinnamon, or a savory topping such as black beans.

Storage and Reheating

Do not leave cooked potatoes at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Remove any foil promptly, and refrigerate leftovers in a shallow airtight container once they are cool enough to handle. For faster cooling, cut a large potato in half before refrigerating it. Properly refrigerated cooked potatoes keep for 3–4 days. Store toppings such as sour cream and fresh chives separately, and add them after reheating.

To reheat, warm a whole potato in a 350°F (177°C) oven or covered grill over indirect heat until hot throughout, usually about 15–25 minutes depending on its size and whether it is cold from the refrigerator. A microwave is quicker: cut the potato in half, cover it loosely, and heat in short intervals, turning or rearranging the pieces for even warming. USDA FSIS guidance is to reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C); check the center with a food thermometer, especially when reheating several portions together. You can also freeze baked potatoes for about 1 month for best quality, though the thawed texture may be a little grainier. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a baked potato take on a gas grill?

At a steady 400°F (204°C), allow about 50–70 minutes for medium-large russets. A 10-ounce potato may be ready near the shorter end, while a larger, thick potato can take longer. Treat the clock as a guide: a skewer should reach the center easily, and the potato should feel soft when gently squeezed with tongs.

Should I grill baked potatoes with the lid open or closed?

Keep the lid closed for most of the cooking time. A closed lid lets the grill behave more like an oven and helps maintain a steady temperature around the potatoes. Open it briefly to turn them or check doneness, then close it again so the grill can recover its heat.

Do potatoes need to be wrapped in foil on a gas grill?

No. Foil is optional, not necessary. Unwrapped potatoes develop a drier, more flavorful skin, while foil-wrapped potatoes have softer skins because moisture is trapped around them. Either way, use indirect heat and cook until the center is tender. Avoid leaving cooked potatoes wrapped in foil at room temperature; unwrap and refrigerate leftovers promptly.

Can I cook potatoes directly over the flame?

It is better to avoid direct flame for the full cooking time. Direct heat can char the outside before the dense center is tender. Set the potatoes above an unlit burner and let the lit burner or burners heat the grill around them. If your grill has a hot spot, rotate or reposition the potatoes as needed.

How can I tell when the potato is done without cutting it open?

Grip it gently with tongs and press lightly; a cooked potato gives easily rather than feeling firm in the middle. You can also insert a thin skewer or paring knife through the thickest part. It should slide in without a hard or crunchy center. If you have an instant-read thermometer, about 205–210°F (96–99°C) in the center is a useful baked-potato texture target.

Can I prepare the potatoes ahead of time?

You can scrub and dry the potatoes earlier in the day, then keep them refrigerated and dry until you are ready to season and grill. For the best skin texture, apply the oil and salt shortly before cooking. Fully cooked potatoes can also be refrigerated for 3–4 days and reheated, although their skins will be less crisp than when freshly grilled.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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