Loaded Potato Skins
Crispy potato shells loaded with cheese, bacon, and sour cream - the ultimate pub snack
- 6 mediumrusset potatoes
- 8 slicesbacon(cooked crispy, crumbled)
- 2 cupsshredded cheddar cheese
- 4 tbspbutter(melted)
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 0.5 tspgarlic powder
- 0.5 tspblack pepper
- 0.5 cupsour cream(for serving)
- 3 tbspchives(chopped, for garnish)
Bake and hollow potatoes up to 2 days ahead. Crisp and fill just before serving.
- 1Preheat oven to 400°F
- 2Scrub potatoes and prick several times with fork
- 3Bake directly on oven rack for 60 minutes until tender
- 4Let cool enough to handle, then halve lengthwise
- 5Scoop out flesh leaving 1/4-inch shell (save flesh for another use)
- 6Increase oven to 450°F
- 7Brush potato skins inside and out with melted butter
- 8Season with salt, garlic powder, and pepper
- 9Place on baking sheet cut-side up and bake 10 minutes until crispy
- 10Fill each skin with cheese and bacon
- 11Return to oven for 5 minutes until cheese melts
- 12Top with sour cream and chives before serving
Russets are essential - their starchy flesh creates the crispiest shells. Don't discard the scooped potato - make mashed potatoes. Brushing both sides with butter is crucial for crispness. Pre-cook bacon until very crispy; it won't crisp further in the oven. Serve immediately while shells are still crunchy.
T.G.I. Friday's claims to have invented potato skins in 1974, though similar preparations existed earlier. The appetizer became a symbol of 1980s casual dining and has remained a game day staple ever since. The genius lies in the textural contrast between the crispy shell and molten toppings.