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.

Tagged: bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions, homemade bar food, potato skins, Potatoes, sour cream, Tabasco sauce