Randy Chandler
Potato skins with cheese and bacon are a delicious and easy-to-make snack, side, or appetizer. They can be adapted to your liking, with various cheeses, toppings, and fillings. The basic recipe involves baking potatoes, allowing them to cool, scooping out the insides, and filling the skins with cheese and bacon. The potato skins are then baked again until the cheese is melted. This simple dish can be made in large batches and stored in the fridge or freezer for future meals or snacks.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Oven temperature | 375-475°F (190-245°C) |
| Baking time | 40-60 minutes |
| Potato type | Russet, baking, sweet |
| Potato preparation | Scrub, wash, dry, poke holes, coat with oil, season |
| Cheese type | Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Parmesan, Colby, mozzarella |
| Bacon type | Smoked, thick-sliced |
| Additional toppings | Sour cream, green onions, jalapenos, ham, pineapple |
| Cooking method | Oven, air fryer, microwave |
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What You'll Learn
Potato skin preparation
To prepare potato skins with cheese and bacon, start by selecting the right potatoes. Russets are a good choice due to their thick skin, but other types such as red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes can also be used.
Once you have your potatoes, give them a good scrub and wash to remove any dirt. Poke holes in the potatoes using a fork or a sharp knife. This step helps to prevent the potatoes from bursting in the oven. You can also rub the potatoes with a bit of canola oil, olive oil, or butter, and sprinkle them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to add extra flavour.
Preheat your oven to 375-425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake them for about 40 minutes to an hour, or until they are fully baked and tender. If you're short on time, you can also microwave the potatoes until they are cooked through.
Once the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the oven and let them cool down. When they are cool enough to handle, use a spoon or a knife to carefully scoop out the insides of the potatoes, leaving about a quarter to half an inch of potato flesh around the edges to create a sturdy shell.
At this point, you can brush the inside of the potato skins with a butter or oil mixture, if desired. This will add extra flavour and crispness to the skins. Return the empty potato shells to the oven for about 10 minutes to crisp them up.
Now you have your potato skins ready to be filled with cheese and bacon!
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Bacon cooking
Bacon is a key ingredient in potato skins, adding a savoury, salty, smoky flavour to the dish. It is best to use smoked bacon, and thick slices will provide the best flavour. The bacon should be cooked before adding it to the potato skins.
There are several ways to cook bacon. One popular method is to bake it in the oven. First, line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the bacon strips on top. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, until crispy. Alternatively, you can cook the bacon in a frying pan on the stovetop. Fry the bacon strips until they are crispy and cooked to your liking.
Once the bacon is cooked, it should be chopped into small pieces or crumbled. You can also choose to fry the bacon with other ingredients, such as mushrooms, before adding them to the potato skins. This will create a more complex flavour.
When making potato skins, the bacon is usually added after the initial baking of the potatoes. The potatoes are first baked, then cut in half and scooped out. The bacon is then added to the potato skins, along with cheese, and the skins are baked again until the cheese is melted.
Bacon can also be cooked ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. This can be a time-saving step when preparing potato skins, allowing you to assemble and bake the final dish more quickly.
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Cheese and other toppings
The most popular cheese for potato skins is cheddar, which can be shredded or grated. You can also use other cheeses such as Monterey Jack, pepper jack, mozzarella, or Parmesan. If you want to add some spice, try using pepper jack cheese or adding cayenne pepper to the mix. For a more authentic flavour, use Parmigiano-Reggiano, which is the Italian version of Parmesan.
You can also add other toppings to your potato skins, such as:
- Sour cream
- Green onions, sliced or chopped
- Butter
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Olive oil
- Canola oil
If you want to get creative, you can add other ingredients such as ham, chorizo, chillies, chilli beans, or even pineapple. You can also add other vegetables such as mushrooms or spring onions. For a vegetarian option, leave out the bacon or use a vegetarian substitute.
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Cooking methods
There are several methods for cooking potato skins with cheese and bacon, with the oven and air fryer being the most popular options. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to cook potato skins with cheese and bacon using these two methods:
Oven-Baked Potato Skins:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Scrub and wash the potatoes. For a crispier skin, you can also dry the potatoes after washing.
- Poke holes in the potatoes using a fork or a sharp knife. This allows steam to escape during baking, preventing the potatoes from bursting.
- Rub the potatoes with olive oil or canola oil. This helps to crisp up the skins and enhances the flavor.
- Season the potatoes with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You can also sprinkle other seasonings of your choice.
- Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are fully baked and tender.
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop out the insides, leaving about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of potato flesh intact.
- Place the potato skins back into the oven for an additional 10-20 minutes, or until they are crispy.
- Remove the potato skins from the oven and top them with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped, crispy bacon. You can also add other toppings like green onions, sour cream, or jalapeños.
- Put the potato skins back in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve immediately.
Air-Fried Potato Skins:
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Follow steps 1 to 7 from the oven-baked method above to prepare the potatoes.
- Brush the potato skins with butter or oil.
- Place the potato skins in the air fryer basket and cook at 400°F for about 20 minutes, or until crispy, flipping them halfway through.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese and chopped bacon over the potato skins.
- Return the potato skins to the air fryer and cook for an additional 2-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Top with your choice of additional toppings, such as green onions, sour cream, or chives.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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Serving suggestions
Potato skins with cheese and bacon are a great appetizer, side dish, or snack. They can be served as a main course with beans and salad, or as a side dish to a bigger meal. They are also a good option for a weekend fakeaway-style meal, a special lunch, or a picnic.
You can serve these potato skins with a variety of dips and sauces. Sour cream is a popular choice, and you can also serve them with horseradish sauce for dipping. For a more substantial meal, you can pair them with crockpot spinach and artichoke dip.
These potato skins can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for a few days, or even frozen, so they are a good option to prepare ahead of time for a party or gathering. They can be reheated in the oven or microwave, though they are best served fresh.
If you want to add some spice to your potato skins, you can add crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper to the mixture. You can also add some paprika for a rich, smoky taste.
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