Russet potatoes are the classic choice for baking. They have thick skins that crisp up beautifully and starchy insides that become light and fluffy when cooked. If you’re after something a little different, try Yukon Gold potatoes.
Their yellow flesh is naturally creamy, offering a buttery flavour even before you start adding toppings.
Though they won’t fluff up quite like a Russet, their unique texture brings a new dimension to your baked potato repertoire. Think of them as the luxurious, plush jumper of potatoes, adding a touch of elegance to your dinner.
Keep recipes away from pets, due to unsafe ingredients like garlic and chives. Read more on food safety for people and pets.
Don’t give leftover potatoes to garden birds or wildfowl, due to salt and butter (which can smear on feathers, affecting waterproofing/insulation).
Preparing Your Potatoes
Before anything else, give your potatoes a good scrub. Dirt is no one’s favourite flavour, and a clean skin makes all the difference.
Running them under cold water, use a sturdy brush to remove any grime. This simple step ensures your potatoes are as appealing on the outside as they will be on the inside.
Next up, you need to prick your potatoes with a fork. Why? This allows steam to escape during cooking, preventing any potato explosions in your oven.
It’s like opening a little escape hatch for them. After that, give them a rub with some olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. This isn’t just for flavour; it helps the skin crisp up nicely.
Baking Techniques for Perfection
For the perfect baked potato, the oven method is unbeatable. Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F) and place seasoned potatoes directly on the oven rack for even heat distribution.
Bake for about an hour or until a skewer slides easily into the centre. For extra-crispy skin, pop them under the grill for a minute or two. Just keep an eye on them, so they don’t burn.
Pressed for time? The microwave offers a quick fix: place seasoned and pricked potato on a microwave-safe plate.
Cook on high for 5 minutes, turn the potato over and microwave for another 5 minutes. If it’s not soft all the way through, cook in 1-minute bursts until done.
Never microwave baby or pet food.
Topping Suggestions
You can’t go wrong with a classic combination of vegan butter and a dash of salt. It’s the little black dress of potato toppings. The butter melts into the fluffy interior, creating a simple, delicious dish. Flora is free from palm oil.
This recipe for vegan sour cream (Jessica in the Kitchen) is ideal to serve on baked spuds with chives. All you need is 5 ingredients: fine sea salt, water, lime juice, apple cider vinegar and raw cashews.
Before blending, you have to soak the nuts in water for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Look in stores for Only Plants Vegan Sour Cream, the perfect tangy condiment for your favourite veggies, sandwiches and soups.
Most people in England enjoy a good barbecue. But it pays to know how to hold one without polluting everyone in your garden and beyond, how to keep safe, and how to find delicious plant-based recipes to enjoy, along with your baked spuds!
Keeping Safe at the Garden Barbecue
If you smoke, use a personal ashtray to prevent wildfires (like dropping a match to paper in dry weather).
Not to scare you, but barbecues have many safety hazards, so here is condensed advice from fire crews, who often are the ones getting called out in emergencies.
- Site barbecues on flat surfaces away from sheds, trees and shrubs, and keep them away from children and pets. Keep a bucket of water and sand nearby.
- After your barbecue, ensure it’s cool before moving it (can take hours) and never bring it inside (or a tent) as it can give off carbon monoxide fumes for hours after being put out.
- Most fire crews (and environmentalists) are not fans of disposable barbecues, as they can leave hot ground underneath for hours (which can harm children, pets and wildlife) and also can carry smouldering ash via the wind to nearby land and properties.
- Use only enough charcoal to cover the base with recognised firelighters, and never put hot ash into a dustbin, as it could melt the plastic and start a fire.
- If using gas barbecues, follow all the safety advice like turning taps off before changing cylinders (in well-ventilated areas) and turning the cylinder off (before the controls) to ensure residual gas in the pipework is closed up. If you suspect a leak, brush soapy water around the joints to watch for bubbles, then tighten (not too much).
Lighting a More Sustainable Barbecue
An alternative is to make barbecued foods with a normal grill, then take the food outside. Great Vegan BBQ Without a Grill (this links to Amazon simply because we can’t find it listed anywhere else in the UK) is a good book to help you do this.
You can make all these recipes in the oven, slow-cooker, stove-top or grill pan, even if you don’t have a grill or smoker. Recipes include smoky chipotle black bean burgers, Texas BBQ brisket, hot dogs and kebabs.
- The Great Welsh Charcoal is one of a growing number of companies that makes charcoal from tree offcuts, rather than chopping down trees.
- Slate Charcoal offers natural firelighters made from recycled wood (that would otherwise go to landfill), blended with wax. You only need one or two, so a pack should at least a year. They burn for up to 10 minutes and also good for wood burners, fire pits and chimeneas.
Eco Grill is an alternative to disposable barbecues, which can take 200 years to decompose. Made from alder wood, this is still highly flammable so use in accordance with safety regulations and tips above. With a burn time of 2 hours, it’s ready in 20 minutes. It needs no chemicals, lighters or fluids, just a match. The grill then burns down to a powder.
In the US, they sell solar ovens, which use the sun rather than fuel to cook food. These have tubes that stay cool and you can plug them into a suitable UK power bank when there’s no sun or at night. Cook fuel-free meals in 20 minutes to feed two people.
A Book of Plant-Based Vegan BBQ Recipes
Vegan BBQ is the ultimate guide for 70 simple summer recipes, plus delicious sides, dips and snacks to brighten up any alfresco event.
Learn how to get the most out of your ingredients, how to host the perfect plant-based barbecue with friends and what kit you need (with tips on small barbecue set-ups for balconies or bijou gardens).
The book has extensive information on the best kind of charcoal and other items to use, with lots of good safety and sustainability advice. Once you’re sorted, recipes include:
- Buttered Hasselback Squash
- Sizzling Fajitas
- Brown Sugar Baked Beans
- BBQ Patatas Bravas
Consider Using Air-fryers for ‘BBQ Taste’
Crispy Smashed Potatoes (Ela Vegan)
Air-fryers (buy new for safety) lets you create ‘fried foods’ with little or no oil. You can use them to make homemade chips and also cook ‘frozen meals’ in them. They cost less energy too, and help to reduce chip fat fires (throw yours out, they are the biggest cause of house fires).
Consumer experts recommend Tower Compact Fryer for small kitchens. This costs around £40 and is ideal for 1 to 2 people, and includes a grill plate. It has a mechanical timer and safety cut-out.
Consider a silicone air fryer basket (also in rectangular shape). This has 2 sheets (measure air basket before ordering). The slotted holes and air-flow means this offers an easy way to keep your air-fryer clean.
The dishwasher-safe liners capture oil and large food bits, and the drain channel keeps oils from soaking food, while bevelled edges allow for more space for ingredients.
Silicone is made from a blend of sand and fossil fuels, but it’s food-safe, lasts years, is easy to recycle and can be sent off for recycling at end of use.
Silicone can also withstand temperatures up to 250° C, so you can cook with peace of mind. Designed to fit most air fryers, this liner can also be used for steamers, ovens, Instant Pots, roasting and microwaves.
Barbecue Etiquette for Vegans
This can take a bit of delicate planning. Vegans don’t want to feel excluded, but obviously don’t want to be eating ‘bits of meat’ so it’s likely you’re going to have to either make something inside separate (or just serve baked potatoes and salad).
Or else have a separate area of the barbecue (the vegan books above get rid of the problems, as everyone loves veggie burgers!)
You don’t want things turning ugly, like some vegans who have tried to take legal action against neighbours grilling meats in their garden next door.
Obviously it’s upsetting. But it’s thing kind of behaviour that usually gives vegans a bad name.
Just hold your nose, and invite them to your next vegan barbecue, they may be so surprised and delighted at the tastes, they’ll try some plant-based options at their next barbecue!
Coconut Coir BBQ Briquettes
BBQ Coal are briquettes made from sustainably-sourced coconut shells, unlike others that cause deforestation from hardwoods. They are easy to light and give consistent heat and good to grill on the BBQ, producing less ash than charcoal.
To use, arrange in a pile in the centre of the grill for direct heat, or one inside for indirect heat. After lighting the coal with a chimney starter (don’t use gasoline or flammable liquids), wait for the coal to heat and turn grey (10 to 15 minutes) before placing food with a spatula or tongs.
Control temperature by adjusting air vents on the grill, or moving food closer or further away from the grill. Let coals cool down completely, before disposing of safely.
