Parboil before you grill

Parboil them first.

That’s the whole secret. Cut your potatoes into halves or quarters (or keep small new potatoes whole). Boil them in salted water until just fork-tender — about 8-10 minutes. Don’t overcook. Drain, let them steam dry for a minute, then smash them slightly with a spatula or your palm (gently, you want cracks, not mush).

Now you oil them up — olive oil, salt, pepper, maybe garlic powder. The cracks create crispy edges. Get your grill screaming hot. Direct heat, 400-450°F. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side until deep golden and charred in spots. The interior stays fluffy and tender because the parboiling did the cooking; the grill just adds the crust.

Don’t skip the smash. Surface area = crunch. And don’t move them around too much on the grill — let that crust form.

This is not where you experiment with shortcuts. Parboil or regret it.