Dutch Oven Baked Potatoes are one of those recipes that just work, giving you potatoes with fluffy centers, crisp salty skins, and hardly any effort at all. Whether you’re cooking over a campfire, using charcoal in the backyard, or even making these at home in the oven, this method is easy to adapt and hard to mess up.
Campfire baked potatoes are a simple, no-fuss approach that’s perfect for camping trips, cookouts, or an easy side dish at home. They go great with a juicy cast iron steak piled high with all your favorite fixings.
Summarize and Save the Recipe
There are plenty of ways to make a baked potato, from the microwave to foil-wrapped in the oven. But when you’re camping—or just cooking outdoors at a backyard cookout—those options aren’t always practical. That’s where a camp or Dutch oven really shines.
Cooking baked potatoes in a Dutch oven over hot coals is simple, reliable, and perfect for outdoor cooking. You get evenly cooked potatoes with fluffy centers and seasoned skins, all without foil or fancy equipment. You might also love these Dutch Oven cheesy potatoes.
Why Campfire Baked Potatoes Work
- Steady, Even Heat. Cooking the potatoes in a cast iron Dutch oven gives you consistent heat from both the bottom and the lid, which is the key to evenly baked potatoes. No hot spots, no guessing, and no half-raw centers.
- No Foil Means Better Texture. Skipping the foil lets excess moisture escape, so the skins dry out and lightly crisps up. The result is a fluffy interior with a sturdy, flavorful skin that actually tastes good.
- Built for Cooking Over Coals. This method is designed specifically for campfire or charcoal cooking, where you’re working with embers instead of precise temperatures. The Dutch oven holds and distributes heat, so small fluctuations don’t ruin the cook. Just like when making our chuck wagon bacon and beans.
- Scales Easily for Groups. Whether you’re cooking a few potatoes for dinner or loading up the pot to feed a crowd at camp, this recipe adapts without changing the technique. Same setup, same results.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Potatoes: Russet potatoes are the gold standard for classic baked potatoes for good reason. Their high starch content and thick skin create that fluffy, dry interior with a crisp, sturdy exterior that holds up beautifully to Dutch oven and campfire cooking. You’ll also see them labeled as baking potatoes or Idaho potatoes in the U.S. If you’re cooking in the UK, look for jacket potatoes. Use Russet potatoes to make cheesy Hasselback potatoes too!
- Olive Oil & Salt: A light coating of olive oil does more than add flavor. It helps the potato skin dry out and crisp rather than steam in the Dutch oven. The oil also gives the salt something to cling to, ensuring the seasoning stays on the skin where it belongs rather than falling off into the pot. Coarse kosher salt or sea salt works especially well here for texture and even coverage.
- Optional Toppings: The possibilities are endless, but our favorites are butter, sour cream, salt, pepper, bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onions. These same toppings also go great with a bowl of easy broccoli cheese soup.
How to Make Dutch Oven Baked Potatoes
To get started, heat the coals in a charcoal chimney. Once they're hot, place approximately 12 coals on the bottom of the camp table, fire pit, or grill. Then nestle the Dutch oven or camp oven on top of the coals.
- Step 1: Apply a thin layer of oil to the outside of each potato.
- Step 2: Liberally salt the skin of the potatoes.
- Step 3: Place the potatoes in the camp oven or Dutch oven.
- Step 4: Cover with the camp oven lid and place heated coals over the entire lid. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour. Use a lid lifter when done.
- Step 5: Allow the potatoes to cool for several minutes before cutting and dressing them, as the steam will be incredibly hot. Serve with our Dutch oven beef brisket for a hearty meal.
Expert Tips
- Potato Size Matters: Cooking time depends on the size and shape of your potatoes. Thinner, elongated potatoes are usually done in about 45 minutes, while larger, stouter ones can take up to 75 minutes. They’re ready when a fork slides in with no resistance.
- No Need to Pierce: You don’t need to poke potatoes with a fork before cooking. Despite the long-standing myth, baked potatoes won’t explode in the Dutch oven—skipping this step actually helps the skins bake up better.
- Balance the Heat: If the bottoms of your potatoes are browning too fast while the centers are still firm, you likely have too much heat underneath. Shift a few coals to the lid to balance top and bottom heat and keep the potatoes cooking evenly.
- Rotate for Even Cooking: Campfire coals aren’t always perfectly even. About halfway through cooking, rotate the Dutch oven or give the lid a quarter turn to help prevent hot spots and promote consistent doneness.
- Mind the Steam: Keeping the lid fully sealed traps moisture, which can soften the skins. For slightly crisper skins near the end of cooking, crack the lid briefly to let excess steam escape.
- Storage Tip: Let the baked potatoes cool completely before storing. Store leftovers in an airtight container or sealed bag in a cooler with ice, or refrigerate at home, and use within 3–4 days. Reheat thoroughly before serving.
Repurpose Leftovers: When camping, we love to use leftover campfire baked potatoes to make this pastrami hash for breakfast the next day!
Dutch Oven Baked Potatoes Recipe FAQs
Yes. If you’re cooking at home, preheat your oven to 400°F and place the covered Dutch oven on the center rack. Bake the potatoes for 45–75 minutes, depending on their size, until they’re fork-tender with no resistance. There’s no need to flip the potatoes; just keep the lid on to mimic the steady heat you’d get from cooking over coals. For slightly crisper skins, you can remove the lid during the last 5–10 minutes of baking.
Once they have completely cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.
Baked potatoes reheat easily and in several different ways, depending on where you are. At home, you can reheat them in the microwave for 2–3 minutes. Just pierce the potato first to let the steam escape. For better texture, reheat them in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, or pop them in the air fryer at 390°F for 3–5 minutes to re-crisp the skins. While camping, the easiest option is to warm leftover potatoes in a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet set over low coals. Cover loosely and heat just until warmed through, turning occasionally to prevent scorching.
Your coals are ready when the flames have burned down, and it's mostly glowing embers with a light coating of gray ash. At this stage, the heat is steady and even, which is perfect for Dutch oven cooking. If you still see active flames licking up around the pot, it’s too early, and the heat will be uneven.
Yes, you can stack potatoes if needed, especially when cooking for a crowd. Just keep in mind that stacked potatoes may take a little longer to cook and benefit from rotating the Dutch oven halfway through, so heat circulates evenly. For the most consistent results, try to keep potato sizes similar.
This usually means the heat was too low or the potatoes were larger than expected. Campfire coals can lose heat over time, especially in cooler or windy conditions. Add a few fresh hot coals to the lid and bottom, then continue cooking until the potatoes are fork-tender with no resistance.
Serving Suggestions
Turn your campfire baked potatoes into a main dish by topping it with Dutch oven chili or shredded BBQ meats, like smoked Boston butt, smoked brisket, or chopped beef.
Use leftover Dutch oven-baked potatoes to make homemade potato skins.
Get creative with adding flavor and stir in leftover pimento cheese dip or roasted red pepper dip.
If you tried these Dutch Oven Baked Potatoes or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Get the Recipe
Campfire Baked Potatoes in a Dutch Oven
Equipment
- 7 qt Dutch Oven OR
- 12 inch Camp Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 5 russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil +/- as needed
- 2 tablespoon coarse salt +/- as needed
Instructions
- Heat coals in a charcoal chimney.
- Once they're hot, place approximately 12 coals on bottom (camp table, fire pit, etc). Then nestle the Dutch oven or camp oven on top of the coals.
- Apply a thin layer of olive oil to each potato.
- Sprinkle each lightly with salt.
- Place the potatoes in the Dutch oven.
- Cover with the camp oven lid. Place heated coals over the entire lid. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour. (or up to 75 minutes depending on the potato size.)
- Use a lid lifter once done.
- Allow the potatoes to cool for several minutes before cutting and dressing them, as the steam will be incredibly hot.
- Serve with optional ingredients.
Oven Cooking
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Coat each potato with oil and salt and place in the dutch oven.
- Place the lid and cook for 45 minutes. (or up to 75 minutes.)
Notes
- Potato Size Matters: Cooking time varies by size. Thinner potatoes may be done in about 45 minutes, while larger ones can take up to 75 minutes. They’re ready when a fork slides in easily.
- No Need to Pierce: There’s no need to poke potatoes before cooking. They won’t explode, and leaving them intact helps the skins bake up better.
- Balance the Heat: If the bottoms are browning too quickly, move a few coals from underneath to the lid to even out the heat.
- Rotate for Even Cooking: Campfire heat isn’t always even. Rotate the Dutch oven or turn the lid halfway through cooking to prevent hot spots.
- Mind the Steam: For crisper skins, briefly crack the lid near the end of cooking to let excess steam escape.
Nutrition
Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Edward says
Wow, this camp recipe is incredible! I used it and adapted it to fit my 14-inch camp oven. I was able to cook 30 baked potatoes for a hungry group of kids. It turned out amazing! Thanks a bunch!
Ned Adams says
Glad that adaptation turned out so well! It sounds like you had a blast feeding a crew! Thanks for sharing!
GJ says
Another Classic!
Jim Hatch says
Another classic!
Cami says
This makes such a perfect, easy camping meal and they come out perfect!
D says
We love baked potatoes!!
Alex Spencer says
Wow my grandma used to make something similar. Excited for this one. Keep the gold coming, Daddy!
Spencer Adams says
The baked potatoes turn out perfectly tender with a crispy skin, making them a must-try for outdoor cooking!
Dina and Bruce says
Wow, thanks for telling us not to pierce them! They turned out so great! Everyone loved them!
Ned Adams says
Glad they turned out so well with the no piercing tip! Thanks for the feedback!
KATHY Short says
lid on or off when baking the potatoes
Ned Adams says
Lid on for these baked potatoes.
Jennifer says
Should I Preheat dutch oven before potatoes go in? And if I skip the oil on potatoes will they stick pan?
Sorry if silky question , I'm new to cast iron cooking
Ned Adams says
That’s a great question Jennifer, for this recipe you do not need to preheat the Dutch oven.
Marcel says
I had a 7 hour lamb in the oven so needed an alrernative to make potatoes. This recipe was perfect for that.
I used 25 brikets, a bit more on the lide than under the pan, which seemed to give the perfect temperature. I also had some salt/pepper/rosemary seasoning left from the lamb, which I used instead of just salt. I also rotated the potatoes twice during the cooking.
After some 20 minutes I pur some eggplants around the pan to have some vegetables with it, made a perfect meal.
Ned Adams says
Great job on adapting to what cooking methods you had available to you! I am so glad it worked out and you enjoyed!