This Jalapeno, Corn, and Bacon Potato Salad is a cinch to make using a foil packet and your grill. Tossed with a creamy cilantro dressing, this is sure to be a hit at summer BBQs.
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I feel like there are two kinds of people in this world. There are people who LOVE summer camp and there are people who think those that love summer camp are crazy. I fall firmly in the love it camp. I started going to camp in 6th grade and went every summer after all the way through high school, even becoming a counselor so I could stay all summer long.
The crazy thing is, I don’t tolerate heat particularly well, bugs and I aren’t on speaking terms, and I’m one of the least athletic people on the planet. You wouldn’t think summer camp would be my scene, but it totally was. I loved bonding with cabin mates over humidity-induced hair issues, telling stories about what may lurk in the murky greenish-gray depths of the lake, and staying up late giggling about our camp crushes.
But most of all, I loved hobo dinners. One night during the week we always had hobo dinners, which consisted of a burger patty, potatoes, and carrots wrapped in foil and cooked on a campfire. Nothing tastes better than a meal cooked over an open flame, especially if you’re a hungry tween who’s waited 25 minutes for it to be done.
This Grilled Jalapeno, Corn, and Bacon Potato Salad is my gourmet take on those humble hobo dinners. I’ve never been a big fan of mayo-y potato salad, but this version cooked in a foil packet with jalapenos, corn, and onion is turning me into a convert. If you’ve never made a foil packet before, it’s super simple. Just make a giant T shape out of two pieces of foil, load it up with your ingredients, drizzle it with bacon grease (<<yes, you read that right), salt, and pepper then grill until the potatoes are tender and smoky.Put that pot of boiling water away and let the grill do the work for you!
The finished packets are tossed with a spicy cilantro honey lime dressing then generously sprinkled with crispy bacon. It’s amazing served warm or you can pop it in the fridge and serve it chilled whenever you’re ready.
The key to any great potato salad is to start with great potatoes. I love to use red skinned potatoes from Idaho because of their creamy texture and thin skin, which doesn’t need to be peeled. Look for the “Grown in Idaho” seal in your grocery store to make sure you get the very best.
To learn more about the Idaho Potato Commission and what makes them unique, check out their website, and follow them on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter.
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Grilled Foil Packet Jalapeno, Corn, and Bacon Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound bacon
- 2 pounds Idaho® red potatoes (cut into wedges or bite sized chunks)
- 2 jalapenos (seeded and chopped)
- 2 ears corn (kernels sliced off the cob)
- 1/2 red onion (chopped)
- Salt and pepper
For the dressing:
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1 jalapeno (seeded and roughly chopped)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the grill over medium high heat (Mine was between 400°- 425° F).
- Cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel lined plate to dry. Reserve the grease.
- Place two long pieces of foil in a T shape on a counter. Spread half the potatoes out in a single layer in the center of the T. Top with half the jalapeno, corn, and red onion.
- Do the same thing with a second set of foil and the rest of the vegetables. Drizzle the vegetables with the reserved bacon grease and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.
- Fold the foil over the vegetables and seal tightly. Place the packets on the grill for 10 minutes. Flip, then grill for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes can be pierced with a fork.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing. Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- When the potatoes packets are done, place them in a large bowl and gently toss with the dressing and the cooked and crumbled bacon. Serve warm, or store in the fridge and serve cold. Before serving, top with additional cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Either purchase heavy duty foil or use double layers of regular foil so they don’t tear.
Nutrition
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Looking for more great foil packet recipes? Try these!
Grilled Banana S’more Foil Packets
Sweet Potato and Chicken Sausage Foil Packets
Grilled Lemon Tilapia and Vegetable Foil Packets
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep NeighborFood running!
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