This evening I walked downstairs after putting the kids to bed, and wondered “hmmm… I wonder what would happen if I grilled tater tots.”
Notice that quote doesn’t end with a question mark. That’s because when you say the words “I wonder,” it’s actually a statement. Sorry, it just drives me nuts when people end an “I wonder” statement (or any other declaration) with incorrect punctuation.
I hate that?
Anyway. I took some tots out of the freezer, grabbed an aluminum pan and some spray, and got to work.
What you’ll need:
- Tater tots
- An aluminum pan
- Nonstick spray
- A grill
- A spatula or some tongs
How I Grilled the Tots:
- Preheat the grill, but leave one of the burners on medium heat. For example, on my own grill, I have three burners, I turned the left and the middle on high, and left the right on medium.
- Spray the aluminum tray with nonstick spray, and place a layer of tots in the bottom of the pan.
- Once the grill is heated (mine was up around 450 on the built-in thermometer) place the tray of tots over the medium burner (far right for me)
- Close the lid and cook for 10 minutes.
- Check the tots, and carefully flip them with tongs or a spatula.
- Cook for another five minutes, and then flip again.
- Cook for a final 5-7 minutes, and remove them from the heat. Note: if you want crispier tots, crank up the heat and get them sizzling!
The verdict: This worked pretty well. The tots were cooked through, and had some crispiness to them. I’ll admit I was less than gentle when I flipped them, which is why some of them crumbled, but that’s an easy fix (be gentle). I was also cooking some bacon simultaneously, and I let a few of the pieces drip into the tot pan, which was delicious.
If you’re wondering, I think you should go for it!
Love, Food & Beer 