Best Twice Baked Potatoes
Best Twice Baked Potatoes
INGREDIENTS- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Garnish: Minced fresh parsley thyme, cilantro, chives
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 7-8 ounce russet (or large Yukon Gold) potatoes; scrubbed, dried and rubbed lightly with canola or vegetable oil
- 1 cup 4 ounces shredded cheese: sharp cheddar, Gruyere, Mexican blend or your favorite, divided
- ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2-4 medium scallions thinly sliced, divided
- 4 strips bacon cut into ¼” lardons, cooked crisp, divided
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat oven to 400°F and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
- Place a cooking rack over a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Lightly rub each potato with oil and sprinkle with salt & freshly ground black pepper.
- Place the potatoes, evenly spaced, on the rack over the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the potatoes to an internal temperature of 209°F or until fork tender (45 minutes-1 hour).
- Remove the potatoes from the oven, and leave the oven on.
- Once the potatoes have cooled on the rack 10 minutes, cut the potatoes in half crosswise.
- Leave a 1/8 inch-¼-inch thickness of flesh in each shell, and carefully scoop out the potato flesh into a medium-large mixing bowl.
- Transfer the potato shells back to the prepared baking sheet and cook at 400°F for 10 minutes (this is so the shells can crisp a little and hold their shape after filling).
- While the shells cook, mash together half the cheese, sour cream, buttermilk, half the butter, half the scallions, half the bacon lardons to the baked potato flesh until smooth.
- Season with salt & pepper and mix together.
- Transfer shells from the oven and set the oven to broil.
- Fill the potato shells, mounding in the middle, with the mashed potato mixture and top with remaining cheese, scallions, bacon lardons and butter.
- Broil until the cheese has melted and the potatoes are spotty brown and little crispy on top, approximately 5-10 minutes.
- Watch closely.
- Allow the potatoes to cool 10 minutes and serve.
- Enjoy!