Description
Alton Brown’s twice baked potatoes deliver comfort and elegance in one delightful package. Crispy potato skins cradle a creamy, cheesy interior that promises to delight home cooks seeking a memorable side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 russet potatoes (about 907 grams/2 pounds)
- 1.5 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- ¼ cup cooked bacon, chopped
Dairy and Cream:
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup half-and-half, or whipping cream
Seasonings and Herbs:
- 2 tablespoons green onions, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius). Thoroughly cleanse the potatoes under cool running water, then meticulously dry them with paper towels.
- Arrange the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced apart. Pierce each potato multiple times with a fork to allow steam to escape during roasting.
- Roast the potatoes for 60-75 minutes, or until they yield easily when gently squeezed and can be effortlessly pierced with a fork.
- Carefully slice the potatoes lengthwise and delicately scoop out the interior, leaving a thin 1/4-inch shell intact. Transfer the potato flesh to a spacious mixing bowl.
- Mash the potato flesh using a potato masher or fork until a relatively smooth consistency is achieved.
- Incorporate sour cream, half-and-half, parsley salt, chopped green onions, crumbled bacon, and 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese into the mashed potatoes. Stir until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Generously fill each potato skin with the prepared mixture, then sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are thoroughly heated and the cheese develops a golden, bubbling crust.
Notes
- Crisp skin requires thorough drying with paper towels before seasoning.
- Selecting medium-sized russet potatoes ensures consistent baking and filling performance.
- Preheating baking sheet helps create a golden, crispy potato exterior.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly for creamy potato filling.
- Cooling potatoes slightly prevents scrambling eggs during mixture preparation.
- Sharp cheese grater creates lighter, more uniform potato shreds.
- Gentle folding prevents deflating air pockets in mashed potato mixture.
- Butter incorporated while potatoes are warm melts more evenly.
- Silicone spatula helps scrape every bit of flavorful filling into potato shells.
- Letting stuffed potatoes rest briefly allows filling to set perfectly.
- Aluminum foil tenting prevents excessive browning during final baking stage.
- Cold storage works best for make-ahead preparation, lasting up to two days.
- Reheating works wonderfully at 350°F for 15-20 minutes to restore original texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 451 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 753 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 51 mg