In short: A raclette outdoors: the potatoes cook in foil packets in the embers, the vegetables and sausages grill on the grate, and the cheese melts in special raclette pans set directly over the fire. A way to enjoy raclette even in the warm months.
Chef’s tip
Barbecue raclette reconciles two camps that ignored each other: those who think raclette is a winter dish, and those who think the barbecue is reserved for summer. The result: everybody is outside, in a sweater, with a plate of melted cheese.
The key is the heat. The cheese melts from below in the pans set on the grate: work over medium embers, not flames, and close the barbecue lid if it has one, so the heat also wraps around the top. Over a fire that is too hot, the bottom burns before the surface melts.
| Prep time | 25 min |
|---|---|
| Cook time | 45 min |
| Total | 1 hr 10 min |
| Servings | 4 people (adjustable) |
| Difficulty | Medium |
Ingredients (for 4 people)
- 800 g sliced raclette cheese
- 1,2 kg baby potatoes
- 4 smoked sausages or diots (Savoyard sausages)
- 200 g cured ham or dried meat
- 2 bell peppers
- 2 red onions
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- A few sprigs of rosemary
- Cornichons
- Coarse salt and pepper
Preparation
- Light the barbecue. Light the barbecue and wait until the charcoal is covered with a thin layer of white ash, with no flames, about 30 minutes. On a gas barbecue, set one zone to medium heat.
- Prepare the foil packets. Wash the potatoes, toss them with a drizzle of oil, the rosemary and the coarse salt, then wrap them in two layers of aluminum foil.
- Cook the potatoes. Set the foil packets on the grate, or at the edge of the embers, and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, turning them from time to time. They are done when the tip of a knife goes through with no resistance.
- Grill the vegetables and sausages. Cut the bell peppers and onions into large pieces, oil them and grill them with the sausages, turning them regularly.
- Melt the cheese. Place the cheese slices in the barbecue raclette pans and set them on the grate, above the medium embers. Close the lid and let melt for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Serve. Pour the melted cheese over the potatoes split in half, with the grilled vegetables, the sausages cut into rounds, the cured meats and the cornichons.
Chef’s tips
- Don’t set the pans over flames: the bottom would burn before the cheese melts.
- Pre-boil the potatoes for 10 minutes before wrapping them in foil if you’re in a hurry.
- Keep a cooler zone on the grate to keep the pans of already melted cheese warm.
- Never use a barbecue in an enclosed space, such as a garage or a closed-in porch.
Variations
- With a half-wheel holder for the barbecue, the cut face of the cheese is heated by the embers and scraped straight onto the plates.
- Add grilled corn on the cob and cherry tomatoes on skewers for a summer version.
- Replace the sausages with chicken skewers or grilled mushrooms.
Which wine to serve?
A dry, chilled rosé, a well-chilled white from Savoie or a blond beer: light drinks for an outdoor raclette.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use electric raclette grill pans on the barbecue?
It’s not recommended: their coating isn’t always designed for the direct heat of embers. Use pans designed for the barbecue.
Charcoal or gas barbecue?
Both work. Gas makes it easier to set a medium heat, while charcoal adds a light smoky flavor.
How long does it take to melt the cheese?
Allow 3 to 5 minutes over medium embers, lid closed. Keep an eye on the first pans so you can adjust.
🧀 The right grill: barbecue raclette equipment, our comparison.
Read also: Traditional Raclette and Baked Raclette Potatoes
