Why dry the potatoes before smoking them?

The drier the potatoes are, the better the smoke sticks to them. After boiling for 10 minutes, leave them in a colander for at least 15 minutes, and longer if you can.

How long do the potatoes smoke in Charlie?

Cook them for 40 to 60 minutes at around 220°C (430°F), on the Flat Bed Plancha Rack or a roasting tray higher up in the oven, with some wood chips or a wood chunk on the coals, until the skins turn smoky gold.

Can I make smoked potato salad ahead?

Yes. It works warm or cold, so you can smoke the potatoes ahead of time. Keep the finished salad in the fridge if you are not serving it straight away.

What should I serve with smoked potato salad?

It suits big cooks from the Charlie Oven, such as grilled steaks or spatchcock chicken. The chilli, lemon and coriander keep it fresh alongside rich meat, and the coriander stalks add plenty of flavour.

Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Potatoes

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Smoked Potato Salad

Name: Smoked Potato Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 60 min
Yield: 4 to 6
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1kg charlotte potatoes; 2 tbsp olive oil; 20g Coriander; 4 tbsp mayonnaise; 4 spring onions, chopped; 2 red chillies, sliced; Juice of 1 lemon; Sea salt and black pepper

A little smoke changes a familiar potato salad. Mayonnaise gives it creaminess, lemon and chilli keep it lively and coriander adds freshness. The potatoes take a turn in Charlie before meeting the dressing. A lively side for a spread of grilled food.

Chris TaylorFire cook and author

Smoke

Prep5 minutes

Cook60 minutes

Serves4 to 6

DifficultyEasy

Oven temperature220°C (430°F)

RackCharlie Oven Cooking Rack and Flat Bed Plancha Rack

CharcoalHalf a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal, enough for a hot smoke at 220°C (430°F)

Ingredients

1kg charlotte potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
20g Coriander
4 tbsp mayonnaise
4 spring onions, chopped
2 red chillies, sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt and black pepper

Equipment

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

Charlie Charcoal Oven$6,400.00Choose your oven, Charlie Charcoal Oven
Charlie Oven Cooking Rack$300.00
Flat Bed Plancha Rack$300.00
Charlie Oven Tongs 55cm$46.00

Method

Setting up Charlie

Fill your Charlie Oven with half a football of Stag British Ash Charcoal and light using a natural firelighter or air lighter
Allow the oven to reach 220°C (430°F) for a hot smoke
Place the cooking rack directly above the charcoal for boiling the potatoes
Move the Flat Bed Plancha Rack higher in the oven for indirect smoking

Get your Charlie Oven to around 220°C (430°F). This is a hot smoke.
Put a large pot of water on to boil on the cooking rack placed directly above the charcoal and cook the potatoes for 10 minutes. Remove and let them dry in a colander for at least 15 minutes. The longer the better.
When dry, throw the potatoes into a large bowl and rub with olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper.
Tip the potatoes onto the Charlie Flat Bed Plancha Rack or an oven roasting tray and place further up inside the oven to cook indirectly. Throw some wood chips or one wood chunk onto your coals and shut the door. Cook for 40 to 60 minutes until you have a smoky golden colour on the skin.
Remove the smoky potatoes from the oven and let them rest. You can serve this warm or cold. Meanwhile, pick the coriander leaves and roughly chop the leaves. Finely chop the stalks, as they have great flavour.
In a large bowl, mix the smoked potatoes with the mayo, spring onions, sliced chillies, lemon juice and coriander leaves and stalks. Serve with something massive.

Tips

Let the potatoes dry thoroughly after boiling: the drier they are, the better the smoke will stick to them
Add wood chips or a wood chunk to the coals for extra smoky flavour
This salad works brilliantly warm or cold, making it good for preparing ahead
Don't throw away the coriander stalks: they pack loads of flavour when finely chopped
Pairs well with grilled steaks, spatchcock chicken, or any big meat from the Charlie Oven

More recipes

The cook

Chris Taylor

Fire cook and author

Chris "Chops" Taylor worked as a home economist on MasterChef before turning to fire cooking, and has co-written Fire Feasts and Backyard Baking with DJ BBQ. He co-founded Whittle and Flame charcoal and has taught steak and fire cooking masterclasses on Charlie.

More recipes by Chris Taylor

Frequently asked questions

Why dry the potatoes before smoking them?

The drier the potatoes are, the better the smoke sticks to them. After boiling for 10 minutes, leave them in a colander for at least 15 minutes, and longer if you can.
How long do the potatoes smoke in Charlie?

Cook them for 40 to 60 minutes at around 220°C (430°F), on the Flat Bed Plancha Rack or a roasting tray higher up in the oven, with some wood chips or a wood chunk on the coals, until the skins turn smoky gold.
Can I make smoked potato salad ahead?

Yes. It works warm or cold, so you can smoke the potatoes ahead of time. Keep the finished salad in the fridge if you are not serving it straight away.
What should I serve with smoked potato salad?

It suits big cooks from the Charlie Oven, such as grilled steaks or spatchcock chicken. The chilli, lemon and coriander keep it fresh alongside rich meat, and the coriander stalks add plenty of flavour.