LOADED TWICE BAKED POTATOES

Posted on by jamesskiphansen

I don’t know why I don’t make these more often…they’re so good!

This is my recipe for Twice Baked Potatoes. Changed up the ingredients to suit your taste, that’s the fun part. Even if you just add a little butter and salt and pepper, it’s a winner.

My suggestion: Don’t whip the potatoes, as this can make them too gummy. Just scoop out the flesh and fold in the stuff.

Ingredients:

  • 2 large Russet potatoes
  • Canola oil
  • Kosher salt and white or black pepper
  • 1 stick (or more) of unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes plus more for melting
  • 3 thick slices of bacon, cooked, chopped
  • 1/3 cup cream (warmed)
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled, smashed
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 1/2 cup shredded white cheddar
  • 2 tbsp sour cream (opt.)

Directions:

  • Place the cream in a small saucepan with the garlic clove, thyme, and rosemary sprig. Bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes to steep and infuse with all that flavor from the garlic and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
  • I like to minced my bacon in a small food processor. Save 1/3 of it for garnishing.
  • Preheat the oven to 400. Wash and dry your potatoes. Rub with canola oil. Bake for about 1 hour until fork tender. Remove from oven.
  • Slice off the top 1/3 of the potato. Save the top for later. You need to remove the flesh while it is still hot, so place the potato in a kitchen towel. Using a large soup spoon, scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl. Scoop the flesh out of the top you cut off and save the top.
  • While the potato flesh is still hot, add 1/3 of the butter and fold in until melted. Add 1/2 the warm infused cream and fold. Add another 1/3 of the butter and fold it in. Add the rest of the cream and the rest of the butter and fold together. Fold in the minced bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and reseason if necessary.
  • Place the cut off tops of the potato in the bottom of the potatoes. This will help give it more height for a better presentation. Spoon the potato flesh into the skins evenly and smooth a rounded top. Take a fork and rough up the surface of the flesh. Brush the tops of the potatoes and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the top is nice and golden brown. Garnish with minced bacon and chopped chives.