Want glorious potatoes, creamy on the inside, golden on the outside, without turning on your oven? You will when you get a look at these amazing Cedar Plank Potatoes. Mashed potatoes get amped up with a good helping of roasted garlic (also cooked on the grill if you want), fresh herbs and cream cheese. They’re grilled golden on a cedar plank and can be fully prepped ahead, making them fantastic for entertaining.  But nobody needs to wait for that, right?
What spurred me to these luscious little domes? My new Napoleon grill of course. My husband and I recently upgraded our backyard with a deck and outdoor gas fireplace. As luck would have it, some of the more expensive items came in under budget. This left a little cash for the frills, like furniture and new grill. We decided upon a Napoleon LEX grill, which has been amazing so far. I love it because it gets crazy hot, has a smoker accessory and searing burner.  Napoleon Grills also have a great user friendly website with numerous recipes, and that’s where I found this great recipe. I couldn’t wait to try them, and you won’t want to wait either.
I have to say, I didn’t really know how bad my old grill was until I fired up my new one. We had the old one for at least 10 years, maybe longer. A couple of parts had been replaced along the way and I figured it still had some life left. I’m sure it did, but not a very good one comparatively to the new grill. I guess we all adapt to what we know and sometimes don’t know any different, as was the case for me. Today I give thanks to my wonderful husband for persuading me to purchase a new one.
Recipe source for Cedar Plank Potatoes, adapted from Napoleon Grills Plank Smoked Mashed Potatoes
- 40 ounces potatoes about 6-8
- 4 ounces garden vegetable cream cheese
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 whole head roasted garlic see note
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh chives finely sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 2 each 3/4" thick cedar planks soaked for 1-2 hours
- Peel potatoes and cut into 2" chunks. Simmer potatoes in lightly salted water until very tender 15-20 minutes. Drain potatoes and return pot to low heat. Mash potatoes over low heat, allowing the potatoes to give off any excess moisture. Once potatoes are smooth, remove from heat and add butter, cream cheese, roasted garlic, salt and pepper. Continue to mash until combined and creamy. Stir in fresh herbs.
- Preheat grill to medium high or 450℉. Scoop potatoes onto pre-soaked cedar planks using a 1/4 cup scoop, leaving at least an inch between scoops (can fit 6-8 per plank). Place planks on grill and cook for 15-18 minutes until hot and golden. Remove planks from grill and use to serve potatoes or gently place potatoes onto serving dish and garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired.
Potatoes can be cooked, mashed, scooped and chilled up to two days in advance. Simply remove from refrigerator and place on pre-soaked planks when ready to grill. Makes 12 1/4 cup scoops.
To roast garlic, preheat oven to 350℉.  Cut the top off the head of garlic and place on a double layer sheet of foil.  Drizzle with oil and fold foil over bulb, crimping all edges to seal packet.  Place on a baking tray and bake for about 45 minutes until golden and soft. Alternatively, you can make roasted garlic on the grill, here's how Grill Roasted Garlic