Baked potatoes are a traditional accompaniment to steaks and many other foods that you cook on your outdoor grill, and there's no need to turn on the oven in your kitchen as well as the grill in your backyard in order to make them. Start the potatoes in advance of foods that cook faster because they take anywhere from 30 to 80 minutes to “bake.” Then abandon your kitchen for the great outdoors by cooking the rest of your meal on the grill.

Light your grill for medium-high, direct-heat cooking.

Scrub the potatoes thoroughly with water and pat them dry.

Brush the skins of the potatoes lightly with olive oil or melted butter to keep them moist and tender during cooking. This step is optional, so if you prefer less fat or a crisper skin, omit it.

Individually wrap the potatoes tightly with aluminum foil. Double wrap them if you'd like to keep smoke flavor or the flavors of the other foods on the grill from seeping into the potatoes as they cook.

Cover the grill as the potatoes cook for the fastest cooking. If you need to leave the cover off, simply add more cooking time. Cook small potatoes for 30 minutes and large potatoes for 60 to 80 minutes, turning often, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.

Remove the potatoes from the grill and leave them in the foil to keep them hot until the rest of your meal is ready. When you are ready to serve, remove the foil, split the potatoes and add the toppings of your choice. Reduce the fat in your side dish by topping your potato with fresh herbs and spices instead of sour cream and butter.