This Cheese and Bacon Potato Skin post was originally published in September 2016, this is an updated post with new pictures and information
Just talking about cheese and bacon potato skins makes me think of sitting in a “fern bar” in the 80s with several of my teen age friends, or hanging out in a bean bag chair listening to Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall, Kool & The Gang’s Celebration or U2 With or Without You. Now add some delicious cheese and bacon potato skins to the scene while the record plays, yes, I said record, it’s a black vinyl circle that plays music. So these snacks have been around since the 70’s, but what I remember is the 80’s when I was a teenager.
It seems the cheese and bacon potato skin is having it’s own revival. My teenage sons seem to have the same love and nostalgia for these treats as I did.
We will share several versions of potato skins because they are the perfect grab and go snack or meal. This recipe is the most classic with gooey cheddar cheese and crisp bacon. Check out our other versions which move more toward the healthy side and include breakfast ideas as well.
How To Make Cheese and Bacon Potato Skins
Buy a 5 pound bag of small baking potatoes, they are the perfect size for potato skins. Bake in your oven for an hour at 400 degrees or poke with a fork all over and microwave for about 5 minutes or until cooked through.
Brush the potatoes with a mixture of half butter and half oil. The oil in this step crisps up the skins and the butter adds delicious flavor. Then sprinkle with kosher salt or some McCormick’s Steak Seasoning.
Once cool enough to handle, the classic cheese and bacon potato skins are hollowed out leaving the potato pulp for another use. For a heartier version we suggest making a simple mashed potato mix (see below in recipe) and putting the potato pulp back into the skin for a more filling snack or meal on the go.
Once you have baked the potatoes and hollowed them out, you can either continue with the recipe of keep them covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days until you are ready to fill them. You can also freeze the potato skins at this point so that you and family members can pull an empty potato skin and fill as they like with various fillings when they are ready to eat.
After baking the potatoes, they will need a second baking. Brush the potatoes with the remaining oil and butter mixture, be sure to get the potato edges so that they crisp up nicely. Bake the hollowed out potato skins with the cut side up for about 8 minutes, flip and bake for another 5-8 minutes to brown up the potato edges.
For the second baking, start with the hollowed out potato skin cut side up, like on the right side, then flip for a few minutes like on the left side.
If you are in a hurry you can skip this second baking step (except the one to melt the cheese and warm the other ingredients), but your potato skins will be lacking the crisp, firm texture and will not have the nice brown edges.
Fill with cheese and cooked, crumbled bacon and pop back in the oven to melt, about 2-3 minutes more.
Toppings For Cheese And Bacon Potato Skins
Top the cheese and bacon potato skins with cool sour cream and sliced green onions. Perfect!
How To Freeze Cheese and Bacon Potato Skins
If you want to have a variety of flavors beyond the classic cheese and bacon potato skins, and are making several different kinds of fillings, you can make the potato skins through step #4 and freeze the empty potato skins by themselves without the filling. Place cooked potato skins in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once frozen, place in a freezer bag, squeezing excess air out. Then you can reheat the potato skin and the different fillings separately.
To freeze filled cheese and bacon potato skins, follow the same instructions above. Microwave on the reheat setting or on the high setting for about a minute. If thawed then only 30 seconds. If you are reheating several potato skins then preheat oven to 325 degrees and heat for about 15 minutes.
Here’s to the eighties and to the perfect on the go snack!
Cheese and Bacon Potato Skins
Cheese and bacon potato skins are perfect for parties, whether a tailgate, a fall get together or for a summer picnic. Easy, classic, delicious!
Ingredients
- 8 Slices bacon Chopped
- 4 Whole Russet Potatoes Small to medium size
- 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil For rubbing the uncooked potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon Steak Seasoning We used McCormick Steak Seasoning
- 2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese Grated
- 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
- 3 Whole Green Onions Sliced, about 1/2 Cup
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
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Wash and dry potatoes. Rub with canola or vegetable oil and cook potatoes for 45 minutes to an hour until cooked through. If you aren't worried about calories, you can cook the bacon first and use the drippings to rub the potatoes instead of the oil for a crispier skin and added flavor.
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Don't have time to bake the potatoes in the oven? Then pierce the potatoes several times with a fork to release steam and microwave for 6-8 minutes, flip and microwave another 6-8 minutes or until cooked through. The skins tend to shrivel more in the microwave, but let's face it, we don't always have an hour to wait for the oven baked potatoes.
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Chop bacon into small pieces and cook over medium heat in a skillet until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towel lined plate.
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Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice lengthwise in half. Scoop out potato leaving about a 1/4" to 1/2" border. Mix 1 Tablespoon melted butter with 1 Tablespoon canola oil. Brush inside and outside of potato with the melted butter/oil mixture then sprinkle the outside of the potato skin with the kosher salt. Oil a baking tray or line with parchment paper, place potato skins cut side down on tray and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and flip potatoes, cook for another 4 to 8 minutes or until potatoes have a nice golden color on the rims.
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For traditional potato skins you will reserve the scooped out portion of potatoes for another use. If you want a heartier snack then mix the leftover pulp from the 4 potatoes with 2 Tablespoons softened butter, 1/4 cup milk or cream, pinch or two of kosher salt and pepper. Mix with a fork and put back into the potato skin after brushing the skin with the butter/oil mixture and sprinkling with the steak seasoning.
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Sprinkle the skins with cheese and cooked bacon, put back in the oven to cook another 5-8 minutes, just until the cheese melts.
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Slice green onions and top the potato skins with sour cream and green onions. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
-Potato skins will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze them on a parchment lined baking sheet, once frozen put them in a ziplock bag marked with recipe and date frozen. Reheat refrigerated potato skins for 30 seconds in the microwave (if frozen for 1 minute) or 10 minutes in an oven set at 325 (if frozen for 15 minutes).
-Use russet potatoes in 5 - 10 pound bags. Typically these will be the perfect size for potato skins, smaller sizes hold up better.
-Option: If you need another use for the scooped out potato pulp make some mashed potatoes for dinner that night by adding some butter, milk and salt and pepper.
Used these cheese and bacon potato skins for a tailgate. Made at home and rewarmed on the grill. Yummy,
These classic snacks are perfect for tailgates. Enjoy