Hearty side for fall/winter
- Carbohydrate 37.414785 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.90585500072367 g
- Fiber 4.75327510285377 g
- Protein 4.3389275 g
- Saturated Fat 0.300763000099924 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (216g)
- Sodium 31.4038932291812 mg
- Sugar 32.6615098971462 g
- Trans Fat 0.0907802500195969 g
- Calories 180 calories
Step-by-step
- Prepare a charcoal grill or preheat the kitchen grill.
- Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until tender, approximately 10 minutes. Cool slightly and thread them onto metal or bamboo skewers.
- In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Brush the skewers with the rosemary mixture.
- Place potato skewers on the grill. Grill, basting and turning several times until the potatoes are browned and cooked. If using bamboo skewers, soak in warm water prior to use to prevent burning. If preferred the potato chunks may be cooked without the skewers on a greased BBQ plate turning to brown evenly.
- Cooking suggestion: Using two skewers, makes turning the potatoes easier, I found they spun around the skewer if only one was used.
Pre-Cooking for Structural Integrity
Boiling potatoes for ten minutes in salted water gelatinizes the starches partially before high heat hits the exterior. Skipping this step leaves the center hard while the outside burns on a hot grill. Submerging them in water that registers a rolling boil ensures rapid heat transfer, shortening total preparation time to forty minutes. Cutting tubers into uniform one-inch chunks guarantees even thermal penetration during this initial softening phase. Cooling the pieces slightly before threading prevents the hot starch from crumbling around the metal or bamboo skewers.
Managing Surface Moisture and Fats
Brushing olive oil and minced garlic onto the boiled surfaces creates a hydrophobic barrier that promotes crisp browning over direct flames. Fresh rosemary releases fat-soluble aromatic compounds that bind efficiently to the two tablespoons of oil during the basting process. Dual parallel skewers stop individual potato chunks from spinning freely when flipped with tongs. Replacing olive oil with melted butter alters the smoke point significantly, requiring lower ambient temperatures to prevent acrid flavors from developing on the surface.
