Ultimate Smoked Baked Potatoes: Easy, Flavorful & Perfect for Any BBQ

Transform your classic comfort food with an unforgettable smoky twist! This smoked baked potato recipe combines the beloved fluffiness of a traditional baked potato with the rich, aromatic depth that only a smoker can provide. If you own a smoker, this easy-to-make recipe is an absolute must-try. Finish these perfectly cooked potatoes with all your favorite toppings for a savory side dish that’s guaranteed to be a hit at any gathering or a delightful addition to your weeknight meal rotation.

Overhead view of a smoked baked potato topped with cheese and bacon on a white plate.

🥔 Why These Smoked Baked Potatoes Are Irresistible

An Unforgettable Flavor Fusion: Baked potatoes are already a universally adored side, celebrated for their simple yet satisfying appeal. This recipe elevates that experience by introducing a profound smokiness that infuses every bite. The earthy, savory notes from the smoker beautifully complement the creamy, starchy interior of the potato, creating a truly irresistible flavor profile. It’s a culinary upgrade that will have everyone asking for your secret!
Effortless Preparation, Incredible Results: Despite their gourmet taste, these smoked baked potatoes couldn’t be simpler to prepare. The process is incredibly straightforward, requiring minimal active effort on your part. You’ll simply wash and prep the potatoes, give them a generous rub with oil and your chosen spices, and then let your smoker work its magic. It’s a ‘set it and forget it’ kind of recipe, making it perfect for busy cooks or when you want to enjoy your company instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
The Perfect BBQ Companion: Planning your next summer barbecue or outdoor get-together? These smoked baked potatoes are the ultimate side dish. Their robust flavor stands up perfectly to grilled meats like smoked chicken legs, juicy steaks, or tender ribs. Pair them with a refreshing strawberry goat cheese salad or a crisp coleslaw to complete your spread. The best part? They’re incredibly versatile when it comes to toppings. Go wild with classic butter, cool sour cream, crispy bacon bits, a generous sprinkle of shredded cheddar, or fresh chopped chives. Or, better yet, combine them all for a truly decadent experience!
Customizable to Your Liking: Whether you prefer a subtle hint of smoke or a more intense flavor, this recipe is easily adaptable. Experiment with different types of wood chips (hickory, apple, mesquite, oak) to find your favorite smoky essence. Furthermore, the blank canvas of a baked potato allows for endless topping creativity, ensuring that every serving can be unique and tailored to individual tastes.

Three smoked baked potatoes sliced open and topped with cheese and bacon, arranged on a white plate.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips for Perfect Smoked Potatoes

Mastering the Smoker Temperature and Timing: The key to a perfectly tender smoked baked potato lies in consistent low and slow cooking. Always ensure your smoker is fully preheated to 250℉ before you place the potatoes directly onto the grates. While the general cooking time is between 2 1/2 to 3 hours, remember that individual potato sizes will affect this. Larger potatoes will naturally take longer. Also, every smoker has its quirks, and external factors like ambient weather can influence the internal temperature. Therefore, always use the “fork-tender” test: when the tines of a fork or a small knife easily pierce the skin and slide into the center with little to no resistance, your potatoes are ready. Patience truly is a virtue here, as the slow smoking process yields an incredibly flavorful and soft interior.
Don’t Hold Back on Seasoning: The skin of a baked potato is just as important as the inside. To achieve that delicious, flavorful crust, be generous with your seasoning! Brush the potatoes liberally with olive oil – this not only helps the spices adhere but also contributes to a crispy skin. Then, rub them down with a robust blend of salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Feel free to experiment with other spices you love, such as paprika (smoked paprika adds another layer of depth!), chili powder, or your favorite pre-made barbecue rub. A well-seasoned exterior is crucial for an all-around delicious potato experience.
Choosing the Right Potatoes: For the best results, opt for large russet potatoes. Their high starch content and thick skin make them ideal for baking and smoking, yielding a fluffy interior and a sturdy, flavorful crust. Try to select potatoes of similar size to ensure even cooking, preventing some from being undercooked while others are overdone.
Smart Reheating Options: If you find yourself with leftover smoked baked potatoes (a rare occurrence, we know!), reheating them is a breeze. For a quick warm-up, simply pop them in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. If you prefer a slightly crispier skin, reheating them in a conventional oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 15 minutes will do the trick. This method helps revive some of that delightful textural contrast.
Consider Your Wood Choice: The type of wood chips or chunks you use will significantly impact the smoky flavor profile. Hickory offers a strong, bacon-like flavor; applewood provides a milder, sweeter smoke perfect for a subtle touch; mesquite is intense and earthy; and oak is a versatile choice that delivers a medium smoke. Experiment with different woods to discover your preferred combination and enhance the overall taste of your smoked baked potatoes.

♨️ More Hot-Off-The-Grill & Smoker Recipes

Looking to expand your repertoire of smoky, grilled, and barbecued delights? Here are some fantastic recipes that complement these smoked baked potatoes perfectly or stand alone as incredible main dishes:

Achiote Chicken
Mesquite Grilled Chicken
Smoked Potato (for other smoked potato variations)
Grilled Meatloaf
Chicken Spiedini
Smoked Asparagus
Grilled Turkey Breast
Smoked Baked Beans
Smoked Chicken Legs
Grilled Beef Ribs

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5 from 1 vote

Smoked Baked Potato

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 2 hours 30 minutes

Total: 2 hours 45 minutes

This incredibly delicious smoked baked potato recipe is surprisingly simple to make, yet delivers a phenomenal depth of flavor. We start with large russet potatoes, meticulously scrubbed clean and strategically pierced to ensure even cooking. Each potato is then generously brushed with olive oil and coated in a flavorful blend of spices, preparing them for their smoky transformation. Placed on the smoker, they gently cook for 2 to 3 hours, absorbing all the wonderful smoky essence, resulting in a perfectly tender interior and a wonderfully seasoned skin. Get ready to elevate your side dish game with minimal effort!

Cheryl Malik Cheryl Malik

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4 smoked potatoes

Ingredients

For the Smoked Baked Potatoes

▢ 1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper more or less to taste
▢ 4 large russet potatoes approximately 4 pounds total; skins scrubbed under running water
▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil

Suggested Toppings (All Optional)

▢ butter or ghee
▢ sour cream
▢ cheddar cheese
▢ crumbled bacon
▢ finely chopped fresh chives

Get Recipe Ingredients

Equipment

smoker
shallow bowl
Fork
Basting brush
large plate

Instructions

Begin by preparing your smoker. Preheat it to a steady 250°F (120°C). While the smoker is coming up to temperature, prepare your seasoning blend. In a shallow bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to your preference), 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (again, feel free to add more or less to taste). Stir these spices together thoroughly until they are well blended. Set this seasoned mixture aside for later use.
Next, take each of the 4 large russet potatoes (which should already be scrubbed clean). Using the tines of a fork, carefully pierce the surface of each potato. Ensure you cover the entire surface, creating many small vent holes on all sides. These holes are crucial as they allow steam to escape during the smoking process, which prevents the potatoes from bursting and helps them cook more evenly to a fluffy perfection. Be careful not to pierce completely through the potato.
After piercing the potatoes, take your basting brush and liberally coat each potato on all sides with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. The olive oil serves multiple purposes: it helps the seasoning adhere beautifully to the potato skin, contributes to a crispy and flavorful crust, and aids in heat transfer during smoking. Make sure every inch of the potato skin is lightly oiled.
Now it’s time to season! Place one oiled potato into the shallow bowl containing your prepared spice mixture. Gently roll the potato around until its entire surface is evenly coated with the seasoning blend. Don’t be shy – a generous coating ensures maximum flavor! Once seasoned, transfer this potato to a large plate and set it aside. Repeat this process for all remaining potatoes, ensuring each one is thoroughly seasoned.
Once your smoker has reached and maintained its target temperature of 250°F, carefully place the seasoned potatoes directly onto the smoker grates. Arrange them so there’s enough space for the smoke to circulate evenly around each potato. Close the lid of your smoker and allow the potatoes to smoke undisturbed for approximately 2 ½ hours. Resist the urge to frequently open the lid, as this causes temperature fluctuations and extends cooking time.
After 2 ½ hours, it’s time to check for doneness. Gently open the smoker lid and carefully pierce one of the potatoes with the tines of a fork. A perfectly smoked baked potato will be fork-tender, meaning the fork slides into the center of the potato with minimal to no resistance. If you encounter any firmness, simply close the lid and continue smoking the potatoes. Check their doneness every 5 minutes until they reach that desired tender consistency. Remember that larger potatoes may require a bit more time.
Once the potatoes pass the fork test and are beautifully tender, carefully remove them from the smoker using tongs or heat-resistant gloves. Transfer them to a clean plate and let them rest for 3 to 5 minutes. This brief resting period allows the internal temperatures to equalize and the juices to redistribute, resulting in an even more delicious potato. To serve, cut open the center of each potato, gently pressing the sides to allow steam to escape and fluff the interior. Now, it’s time for the best part: load them up with your desired toppings and serve warm immediately! Enjoy the incredible smoky flavor!

Notes

Potato Size Matters: Cook times will vary significantly depending on the size and thickness of your potatoes. To ensure all your smoked baked potatoes cook as evenly as possible and finish around the same time, it’s highly recommended to use potatoes of roughly equal size. This consistency is key for perfect results across the board.
Whole30 Friendly: To keep this recipe compliant with Whole30 guidelines, be mindful of your toppings. Instead of traditional butter, opt for ghee. Absolutely avoid any sour cream or cheddar cheese, as these are not Whole30 approved. Fresh herbs and compliant seasonings are great alternatives.
Paleo Adaptations: For those following a Paleo diet, you can also enjoy these delicious potatoes with a few simple substitutions. Top your smoked baked potatoes with ghee instead of butter. Look for paleo-friendly, dairy-free sour cream and cheddar cheese alternatives, which are readily available in most health food stores, to maintain the spirit of a loaded baked potato while adhering to your dietary needs.
Enhancing Crispness: For an extra crispy skin, you can lightly mist the potatoes with a cooking spray (like avocado oil spray) about 30 minutes before they are finished smoking. This can help achieve a delightful crunch on the outside.
Storage: Leftover smoked baked potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition Information

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.