Do I need to boil baby potatoes before roasting them?

Yes. Boil them in salted water until cooked through, drain and let them cool. Charlie then crisps and toasts the skins and adds smoky flavour, rather than cooking them from raw.

How long do baby potatoes roast in Charlie?

15 to 20 minutes on the cooking rack at 180°C (355°F), once they have been boiled and cooled. Toast the skins well and do not be afraid to get them close to the fire; the crispier, the better.

Can I cook potatoes directly in the charcoal?

Yes, you can cook them straight in the charcoal for an extra toasted flavour. This works best with slightly larger potatoes, because the skins char hard and you only eat the soft inside.

How should I finish fire-roasted baby potatoes?

Finish them with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of Maldon salt just before serving. A tahini dressing also makes a good finishing touch if you want something richer.

Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Potatoes

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Fire-Roasted Baby Potatoes

Name: Fire-Roasted Baby Potatoes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 60 min
Yield: 2 to 4
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 500g young potatoes; 1 tbsp Olive oil; Maldon salt

Bart Van Der Lee keeps these baby potatoes simple: fire-roasted in Charlie, with coloured skins, soft centres and a little olive oil to finish. Sometimes a good potato needs very little encouragement.

Bart Van Der LeeChef

Roast

Prep5 minutes

Cook60 minutes

Serves2 to 4

DifficultyMedium

Oven temperature180°C (355°F)

RackCharlie Oven Cooking Rack

CharcoalAbout half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal

Ingredients

500g young potatoes
1 tbsp Olive oil
Maldon salt

Equipment

Everything used in this recipe. Already have Charlie? Add the accessories in one go.

Charlie Charcoal Oven£4,958.33Choose your oven, Charlie Charcoal Oven
Charlie Oven Cooking Rack£233.33

Method

Setting up Charlie

Load about half a football of lumpwood charcoal into your Charlie Oven and light it
Allow the oven to reach 180°C (355°F) with the vents adjusted for a steady medium heat
Place the Charlie Oven Cooking Rack in position for grilling

Wash the potatoes and boil them in salted water until cooked through.
Drain the water and leave them to cool down.
Place the potatoes on the Charlie Oven Cooking Rack in your preheated Charlie Oven at 180°C (355°F) and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes.
Toast the skin well to give that smoky aroma. Do not be afraid to get them close to the fire.
Finish the potatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of Maldon salt just before serving.

Tips

You can also cook the potatoes straight in the coals for an extra toasted flavour. This works best with slightly larger potatoes as you will only eat the inside
Potatoes are a great carrier of smoke flavour and really take on the aroma from the charcoal fire
Try adding a tahini dressing as a finishing touch
Do not be afraid to really toast the skin: the crispier the better

More recipes

The cook

Bart Van Der Lee

Chef

Bart van der Lee is a Dutch chef who reached the final of MasterChef: The Professionals in 2020. He trained in the Netherlands, has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants and now works as a private chef based in Greater London. He hosted Charlie Oven’s Fish and Seafood Masterclass.

More recipes by Bart Van Der Lee

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to boil baby potatoes before roasting them?

Yes. Boil them in salted water until cooked through, drain and let them cool. Charlie then crisps and toasts the skins and adds smoky flavour, rather than cooking them from raw.
How long do baby potatoes roast in Charlie?

15 to 20 minutes on the cooking rack at 180°C (355°F), once they have been boiled and cooled. Toast the skins well and do not be afraid to get them close to the fire; the crispier, the better.
Can I cook potatoes directly in the charcoal?

Yes, you can cook them straight in the charcoal for an extra toasted flavour. This works best with slightly larger potatoes, because the skins char hard and you only eat the soft inside.
How should I finish fire-roasted baby potatoes?

Finish them with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of Maldon salt just before serving. A tahini dressing also makes a good finishing touch if you want something richer.