Ingredients:
- 4 large russet potatoes (10–12 oz. each)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. flaky kosher salt, for the skins
- 8 strips natural, uncured thick-cut bacon
- 4 tbsp. salted butter, softened
- 4 oz. cream cheese (full-fat), softened
- ½ c. full-fat sour cream
- 3 tbsp. heavy cream
- 1 c. sharp cheddar, freshly grated, for the filling
- ½ c. sharp cheddar, freshly grated, for the top
- ½ c. smoked Gouda, freshly grated
- ⅓ c. green onions, thinly sliced (whites and greens), for the filling
- ¾ tsp. fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp. melted butter, for brushing the tops
- ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp. green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Directions:
- Prep both pans. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed metal baking sheet with parchment paper for the potatoes. Line a second rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack on top for the bacon. Scrub and thoroughly dry the potatoes, prick each one all over with a fork, rub with the olive oil, and sprinkle generously with the flaky kosher salt. Arrange on the parchment sheet. Lay the bacon flat across the wire rack in a single layer, not overlapping.
- Bake the potatoes and bacon together. Slide both sheets into the oven. Check the bacon at 20 minutes — it should be crisp with golden fat. Pull it when done (usually 20 to 25 minutes). Tip 2 tablespoons of the drippings from the foil into a small heatproof bowl and reserve; let the bacon cool on paper towels, then crumble. Leave the potatoes in until a knife slides in with no resistance, 55 to 60 minutes total.
- Cool, halve, and scoop. Let the potatoes rest 10 minutes — long enough to handle, not long enough to go cold. Slice each one in half lengthwise. Scoop the flesh into a large bowl with a spoon, leaving about ¼ inch of potato still clinging to each skin.
- Mix the filling. Lower the oven to 375°F. To the warm potato flesh, add the softened butter, cream cheese, sour cream, and the reserved 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings. Mash by hand or beat on low speed just until smooth — do not overwork it, or it’ll turn gluey. Fold in the 1 cup of cheddar, the smoked Gouda, the ⅓ cup of green onions, three-quarters of the bacon crumbles, the sea salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Add the cream a tablespoon at a time until the filling is rich and mounds beautifully without running. Taste and adjust the salt before you fill the shells.
- Mound and top. Arrange the potato shells on a baking sheet (fresh parchment if you like). Mound the filling into each one generously — heaping, not flush. For a dinner-party finish, pipe it in with a large star tip. Brush the tops with the melted butter, dust lightly with smoked paprika, and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of cheddar.
- Second bake. Bake at 375°F until the filling is hot through and the cheese has melted, ~ 20 minutes.
- Broil and finish. Switch the oven to high broil. Broil the potatoes 6 to 8 inches from the element for 60 to 90 seconds, watching every second — the moment the cheese bubbles, they’re done. Scatter the reserved bacon and the 2 tablespoons of green onions over the tops. Serve hot.
Liz’s Notes:
Make-ahead, especially if you have a stakeout on the schedule. Build them all the way through Step 5, then cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Pull out 30 minutes before the second bake and add 5 minutes to the oven time.
Why the bacon drippings? Well, because it tastes good, of course. It layers the bacon flavor into every bite instead of only the crumbled pieces. Oven-baked bacon renders cleaner drippings than skillet, bit don’t let my Mamma know I said that. She swears by her cast iron. Pour the drippings straight from the foil. Southern cooks have been doing this with every other vegetable imaginable for generations. It works the same magic here.
Taste as you go. Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper are a matter of taste — start with the amounts given and adjust before you fill the shells.
On the bacon: Natural, uncured bacon gives you a cleaner, truer pork flavor without the nitrate aftertaste.
Cheese note: Grate from the block. Pre-shredded bags are coated with anti-caking starch and won’t melt the same way.
Enjoy!