Sportsbar Potato Skins

Being able to re-create your sports bar favorites at home is an excellent skill to master.  By doing so, you’ll save money and most likely calories, without sacrificing taste.  Potato skins are one of those sports bar staples that you should be making at home, because they are really easy and cheap.  I made some this past weekend for the games on Sunday and they were a hit.  I paired them with a chopped salad (using leftover Thanksgiving turkey) and my famous baked-buffalo wings.  Stock the fridge with some beer, the bar with some booze and you have no reason to hit up the local watering hole.  The only draw back may be convincing your friends to leave when it’s time to go.

The key with these potato skins is all in the preparation and cooking method.  To get a super crispy exterior, I brushed the outsides of the skins with a thin layer of vegetable oil.  This gives the skin a nice crunch that most bars achieve by deep-frying the skins.  After that, load them up however you want, but like pizza, less is more in my opinion when it comes to potato skins.  Practice some restraint and just execute them really well.  It’ll be more memorable than a potato skin topped with 35 different ingredients.  I classically topped mine: bacon, green onions, freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese and sour cream.  Served with hot sauce on the side for those that wanted it.  That’s it.  All the delicious ingredients were allowed to shine on their own, while also creating a perfect balance of flavor.

Scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/2 inch border.

Scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/2 inch border.

After brushing the outsides with a thin layer of vegetable oil, fill with cheese and bacon.

After brushing the outsides with a thin layer of vegetable oil, fill with cheese and bacon.

Sportsbar Potato Skins

  • Prep time:
  • Cook time:
  • Total time:
  • Yield: 4 – 6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Recipe type: Appetizer, Entree

Ingredients:

  • 6 medium-size russet potatoes, scrubbed
  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 pound of bacon, cooked and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 block (8 ounce) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • Sour cream
  • Tabasco sauce

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Bake potatoes on middle rack until fork tender, about 1 hour.
  3. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Spoon out the flesh, leaving a 1/2 inch thick shell.
  4. Brush the outsides of each potato half with a thin layer of vegetable oil and place on a sheet pan.
  5. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
  6. Fill potato skins with bacon and cheddar cheese.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes until skins begin to crisp up.
  8. Switch oven to high broil.
  9. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden-brown, about 3 – 5 minutes.
  10. Remove from oven, garnish with a dollop of sour cream and green onions. Serve with Tabasco sauce for those that like a little heat.

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Comments: 2

  1. courtney broderick December 4, 2013 at 4:44 pm Reply

    Well, these look delicious Mr. Fit Chef Chicago! I am certain these are still being talked about 🙂

  2. dave December 6, 2013 at 6:09 pm Reply

    Thanks, Courtney!

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