Bacon Roasted Potato Skins

Bacon Roasted Potato Skins

Originally posted Sept 11, 2013. Updated 1/6/2021

You know how they say “bacon makes everything better”? These Bacon Roasted Potato Skins are a GREAT demonstration of that fact!
These are highly customizable, and easy to make!

You know how they say "bacon makes everything better"?

Sure, it may be a catchy slogan, but it really does tend to ring true.

Bacon Roasted Potato Skins

When it comes to potato skins, bacon is a no brainer. How often to you see restaurant potato skins *without* bacon, after all?

Trust me when I say my recipe for baked potato skins is the only one you'll ever need.

Aside from the speed and ease of preparing them - no deep frying! - I developed this recipe to make judicious used of bacon - not only the bacon itself, but the drippings.

"Waste not, want not", right?

Before you ever get to topping these babies with bacon, you've already cooked the potato skins with bacon fat, AND sauteed mushrooms in it.

You're welcome! Muahahah!

How to Make The BEST Potato Skins

- Pre cook your potatoes, per the recipe.

- While the potatoes are cooking, chop and fry the bacon until as crispy as you like it.

- Strain out the bacon and set aside. Reserve 1 tbsp of bacon drippings in the pan, transferring the rest of it to a small heat proof bowl.

- Saute the mushrooms in the pan with 1 Tbsp bacon fat, until soft. Strain off and set aside.

- Slice prepared potatoes in half and carefully scoop out most of the potato flesh.

- Prepare a broiling pan with pan spray or brush some vegetable oil to lightly coat. Place potato skins in the pan, cut sides up. Brush generously with remaining melted bacon fat, season with salt and pepper.

- Roast, flip all skins over, and roast again.

- Remove skins from oven, and top as you would like.

- Return pan to the oven, cook until everything is hot and melted.

- Top with sour cream and green onions, serve hot!

Bacon Roasted Potato Skin Toppings

As pictured, our favourite ways to top these potato skins are:

Potato #1: Top generously with bacon sauteed mushrooms and Swiss Cheese

Potato #2: Spread some hot or BBQ sauce on the potato skin, sprinkle generously with bacon, top with cheddar.

... but feel free to run wild with it!

Here are some more ideas:

- Chopped up broccoli florets - especially sauteed in bacon fat - with SO well with cheddar. Add crumbled bacon, or don’t. It’s all good.

- Finely chopped jalapeno adds a kick to any topping combo, but is especially nice with “Potato #2".

- Rinsed and strained black beans and a little salsa, topped with jalapenos, Monterey Jack cheese. Once baked, top with sour cream and a little finely chopped cilantro.

- Shredded pork, chicken, or jackfruit in a bit of BBQ sauce, topped with cheese and (after baking) coleslaw or green onions.

- Chopped up sundried tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives, and feta for a Mediterranean vibe. Top with fresh parsley or dill.

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5 from 2 votes

“Porter House” Potato Skins

You know how they say “bacon makes everything better”? Sure, it may be a catchy slogan, but it really does tend to ring true. When it comes to potato skins, bacon is a no brainer. How often to you see restaurant potato skins *without* bacon, after all? These skins take it a step further...

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 People

Calories: 654kcal

Author: Marie Porter

Ingredients

• 4 Large Russet Potatoes
• 1 lb Bacon
• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms
• Pan Spray or Vegetable Oil
• Salt & Pepper
• Shredded Swiss cheese
• Hot sauce or BBQ Sauce of Choice
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Green onions sliced

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450F.
• Use a fork to prick potatoes all over. Place on a microwave safe dish and nuke for 20 minutes on high.
• While the potatoes are cooking, chop and fry the bacon until as crispy as you like it. Strain out the bacon and set aside. Reserve 1 tbsp of bacon drippings in the pan, transferring the rest of it to a small heat proof bowl.
• Saute the mushrooms in the pan with 1 Tbsp bacon fat, until soft. Strain off and set aside.
• Remove potatoes from microwave. Slice in half and carefully scoop out most of the potato flesh. *
• Prepare a broiling pan with pan spray or brush some vegetable oil to lightly coat. Place potato skins in the pan, cut sides up. Brush generously with remaining melted bacon fat, season with salt and pepper.
  
• Roast for 10-12 minutes, flip all skins over, and roast for another 10 minutes.
• Remove skins from oven, and top as you would like. For ours:
  
• Potato #1: Top generously with sauteed mushrooms and Swiss Cheese
• Potato #2: Spread some hot or BBQ sauce on the potato skin, sprinkle generously with bacon, top with cheddar.
• Return pan to the oven, cook until everything is hot and melted. If you’d like some browning, broil it for a couple of minutes on high.
• Top with sour cream and green onions, serve hot!

Notes

* Usually, we’ll add shredded cheddar and sour cream to this, mash it up, and use it as a filling for some of the potato skins… twice baked potato! We weren’t in the mood for that last when we did these photos, though

Nutrition

Calories: 654kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 765mg | Potassium: 1367mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 3mg

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