Griddle Crispy Smashed Baby Potatoes with Garlic-Dill Sour Cream Dip
Boil baby potatoes in salted water on a camp stove for 15 to 20 minutes until fork-tender, then drain and let them steam dry. Smash each one flat on a hot oiled griddle over medium-high heat and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until deep golden, finishing with butter and paprika. Serve with a cold garlic-dill sour cream dip. Total time is about 45 minutes.
Smashed potatoes are a snack that disappears fast. The outside turns crisp and lacy on the griddle. The inside stays soft and fluffy. Boiling first means they cook through, so the griddle only has to do the browning.
The dip is just sour cream, garlic, lemon and dill stirred together in a bowl. Keep it in the cooler until the potatoes are ready. Everything else is pantry stuff, and one flat-top does the work.
Griddle Crispy Smashed Baby Potatoes with Garlic-Dill Sour Cream Dip
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium-high flame (griddle), medium-high boil (pot)
- Pack weight
- 2.5 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- Two burners
- Some water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- flat-top griddle or griddle plate for your stove
- 2-burner camp stove (or a griddle with its own burner plus a stove for the pot)
- 4-quart pot with lid
- metal spatula
- flat-bottomed mug or small pan for smashing
- mixing bowl
- cutting board and knife
- small grater (or knife for mincing garlic)
- paper towels
Steps
-
Mix the dip
Stir the sour cream, garlic, dill, lemon juice and chives in a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover it and put it back in the cooler.
-
Boil the potatoes
Put the whole potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water by an inch and add the kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance.
-
Drain and steam dry
Drain the potatoes carefully, holding the lid slightly ajar over the pot. Let them sit uncovered for 3 minutes so the surface dries. Dry potatoes crisp better.
-
Heat the griddle
Set the griddle over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Spread 2 tablespoons of oil across the surface.
-
Smash the potatoes
Set the potatoes on the griddle with space between them. Press each one down with the bottom of a flat mug or a sturdy spatula until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Season the tops with salt and pepper.
-
Crisp the first side
Cook 4 to 5 minutes without moving them, until the bottoms are deep golden and release easily. Drizzle on the last tablespoon of oil if the griddle looks dry.
-
Flip and finish
Flip the potatoes and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Move them to one side of the griddle. Melt the butter there, then toss the potatoes in it with the paprika and garlic powder for 30 seconds.
-
Serve hot
Pile the potatoes on a plate and serve right away with the cold dip. Put leftover dip back in the cooler within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if it is above 90°F.
Trail Notes
Boil the potatoes at home, cool them fast, and pack them in a zip bag in the cooler for up to 2 days. At camp, smash and griddle them straight from the cooler, adding a minute or two per side.
Let the potato water cool, strain out any bits and scatter the water broadly at least 200 feet from water sources and camp. Wipe the griddle with a paper towel and pack out the used towels and any food scraps.
Plain Greek yogurt works in place of sour cream. For a spicy version, stir a teaspoon of hot sauce into the dip.
Raw baby potatoes keep fine without ice, so boil them fresh at camp. Skip the dip and finish with a squeeze of lemon and hot sauce instead.
Campers ask
Why do I have to boil potatoes before smashing them on a griddle?
Boiling cooks the inside until it is fluffy, so the griddle only has to crisp the outside. Raw potatoes would burn before they cooked through.
How do I keep smashed potatoes from sticking to the griddle?
Dry the potatoes well, preheat the griddle fully and use enough oil. Wait until the bottoms are golden before flipping, because they release on their own when ready.
Can I use bigger potatoes for smashed potatoes at camp?
Yes, but halve anything bigger than 2 inches and boil it a few minutes longer. Smaller potatoes give a better ratio of crisp to soft.
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