Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 3 pounds Russet potatoes, (scrubbed and washed clean)
  • 2 Tablespoon olive oil
  • kosher salt, (as needed to season potato skins)
  • 4 garlic cloves, (minced)
  • 3 Tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup half & half
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 thick slices bacon, (cut into 1-inch pieces)

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.
  • Scrub and rinse potatoes clean. Pat dry. Place potatoes on prepared baking sheet. Rub potatoes in olive oil. Season generously with kosher salt. Pierce potato with a fork, to allow steam to escape during cooking process. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until potatoes are tender and can easily be pierced with a knife.
  •  While potatoes are baking, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Crumble cooked bacon and set aside. Reserve 2 -3 tablespoons of bacon fat and discard the rest.
  • Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.
  • Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut a slit lengthwise on each potato. Be careful, as potatoes will steam. Spoon out contents of potato and place in a large bowl. Gently smash into smaller pieces, but no need to make mashed potatoes.
  • Add reserved bacon fat, butter, salt and pepper, half & half, and about 3/4 of shredded cheddar cheese to potatoes. Fold to combine.
  • Spoon potato mixture back into empty potato skins. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese over stuffed potatoes. Place stuffed potatoes back into the oven for another 15-20 minutes until potatoes are warm and cheese has melted on top. Remove from oven and garnish with sour cream, additional cheese, and crumbled bacon bits. Serve warm.