This post brought to you by The Kansas Pork Association. All recipes and opinions remain my own.
My sons love bacon—big surprise. They’re boys, and they’re mine. I love bacon just as much, so when the Kansas Pork Association asked me to create a bacon-based recipe and share their “Your Bacon Starts Here” campaign, I eagerly said yes.
After learning more about the Kansas Pork Association and the families behind it, I became even more grateful for the opportunity. Getting to know the people who raise our food matters. They devote their lives to producing what we eat, and their dedication deserves respect. I especially enjoyed the Springer Family Farm video from Wilson, Kansas; watching their sons participate in daily farm care made the connection between family farms and our plates feel real and important. Thank you, Springer family, for raising one of my family’s favorite foods and for showing how you work!
Ready for bacon? Of course you are. BACON!
What pairs better with bacon than more bacon—and cheese and potatoes? These potato skins are not your ordinary snack.
They begin with leftover baked potatoes that have been chilled. Chilling is important because cold potatoes hold onto the rendered bacon fat you’ll brush on them, which both deepens the bacon flavor and helps them crisp up. Using bacon fat also seasons the potato shells so you don’t need extra salt before baking. Place the brushed potato shells in the oven until they begin to brown, then top them with grated extra-sharp cheddar and chopped bacon, and return them to the heat. That point is a perfectly delicious stopping place.
I usually take them a step further: bake until the melted cheese that spills onto the pan becomes crispy, bacon-fat–flavored cheese crackers. Those crunchy bits are dangerously addictive.
I like a scattering of thinly sliced green onion on top, though that’s not universally loved at my table, so I sometimes offer both versions. These disappear fast when they hit the table—especially the cheesy, crispy bacon bits. I’ll defend that last bacon-cheese cracker in a loving way, but I will defend it.
Bacon Cheddar Potato Skins {How to Win a Year’s Supply of Bacon}
Rebecca Lindamood
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Ingredients
- 3/4 pound of bacon 12 ounces, preferably thick cut
- 5 leftover baked large russet potatoes or 10 small ones
- 1 pound grated cheddar cheese
Optional:
- 2-3 green onions green parts only, thinly sliced
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Fry the bacon until mostly crisp but not overcooked. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then chop roughly when cool enough to handle.
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Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty foil and brush it generously with some of the rendered bacon fat.
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Cut each large baked potato into quarters by slicing lengthwise and then crosswise. If using small potatoes, cut each in half lengthwise.
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Scoop most of the potato flesh from each piece, leaving a shell about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Brush each shell with bacon fat and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 15–20 minutes, until the shells crisp and begin to brown and the bacon fat bubbles on top.
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Evenly top the shells with grated cheddar and chopped bacon. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F and bake an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Let the pan rest 2 minutes before transferring to a serving tray. Garnish with sliced green onions if desired.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so I can see your creations!
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Want to win a year’s supply of bacon?
Entering is simple: visit the Kansas Pork Association’s Facebook page and upload an original photo that shows your love for bacon. The contest offers a chance to win a year’s supply of Farmland Foods bacon. Best of luck—I hope you win the bacon of your dreams!
Thank you to the Kansas Pork Association and to the farmers who raise the pork we enjoy.