Campfire Foil Potatoes
Whole russets, oiled and salted, buried in coals until a stick slides through.
- calories
- 330
- weight
- 10 oz
- cal / oz
- 33
- protein
- 7 g
- serves
- 4, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 45 min
- total time
- 50 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Campfire coals
- Grill grate
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Canoe / raft
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- Foil packet
- Grab and go
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Russet potatoes | 4 medium | scrub and dry at home so you carry no dirt |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | dropper bottle |
| Coarse salt | 1 tbsp | |
| Ground black pepper | 1 tsp | |
| Heavy-duty foil | 4 sheets |
Method
- Burn the fire down to a bed of coals. Flames char the skin and leave the middle raw.
- Rub each potato with oil, then roll it in salt and pepper until coated.
- Wrap each one tight in a sheet of heavy foil, seams folded over twice.
- Set the packets directly in the coals, or on a grill grate over them if the bed is very hot. Turn every ten minutes.
- Start checking at 45 minutes. Push a knife or a tent stake through the foil into the center. If it goes in with no resistance, it is done. Otherwise bury it again and check every ten minutes.
- Open the foil away from your face. The steam is the reason they cook.
This started as an air fryer recipe, which is no use in a campsite. The mechanism transfers anyway: oil on the skin, salt on the oil, dry heat all around. Coals do what the fryer’s fan does, just slower and less evenly, so the fix is turning the packets and testing by feel rather than by clock.
The foil is not optional over a fire. Bare potatoes in coals burn through on one side before the center gives up, and heavy foil holds enough steam to cook the inside while the skin still crisps against the metal. Potatoes are heavy for what they deliver in calories, so this is car-camping and basecamp food. Nobody should carry four russets uphill.
Packing
Potatoes travel loose in a mesh bag so they do not sweat. Pre-cut the foil sheets at home and fold them flat into the same bag. Oil, salt, and pepper live with the rest of the kitchen kit.
Variations
- Halve them lengthwise before wrapping and they finish in about 25 minutes.
- A packet of instant gravy or a foil pouch of chili turns a side into dinner.
- Sweet potatoes work the same way and run about ten minutes faster.
https://domesticsuperhero.com/air-fryer-baked-potatoes