Easy Potato Skins
Easy potato skins recipe topped with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon bits and taste great topped with a little sour cream The perfect appetizer for any party
Easy potato skins recipe topped with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon bits and taste great topped with a little sour cream The perfect appetizer for any party
- Carbohydrate 0.0402214999991365 g
- Cholesterol 3.8563749969057 mg
- Fat 1.45985774883266 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0.0536712499877667 g
- Saturated Fat 0.923260199260707 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (2g)
- Sodium 10.1983999917102 mg
- Sugar 0.0402214999991365 g
- Trans Fat 0.101147949918282 g
- Calories 13 calories
Step-by-step
- Pre-heat oven to 400°. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Wash potatoes and then cut the ends of the potatoes off and discard. Next cut the rest of the potatoes into approximately 1/2 inch slices.
- Brush both sides and edges of the potatoes with butter and sprinkle with salt. Place on the foil covered pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Turn potatoes onto the opposite side after about half way, to brown the other side.
- When potatoes are done, top with cheese, bacon and green onions. Continue baking for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese in nice and bubbly.
- Top with a little sour cream and green onions if desired. Enjoy!
Beyond the Grocery List
The ingredient roster lists four large russet potatoes, but it omits the vital difference starch content makes. Russets contain high amounts of amylose starch, which dehydrates efficiently under high heat to form a rigid, shattering crust. Yukon golds bring more moisture and sugar to the party, meaning they brown faster but risk turning limp instead of crisp. Scrub the tubers thoroughly and dry them completely before slicing. Surface moisture generates steam, and steam softens the exterior before the heat can render the starches crisp.
Controlling Texture in the Oven
Baking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit drives moisture out of the half-inch potato rounds. Brush melted butter over both sides of the slices to conduct heat evenly across the surface. Skipping this step leads to dry, chalky patches where the potato touches the metal pan. Flip the rounds at the fifteen-minute mark to brown both faces uniformly. Watch for the flesh to turn fork-tender and opaque before applying the cheddar layer.
Managing Equipment and Cheese Melts
A rimmed baking sheet lined with heavy-duty foil prevents sticking without requiring excessive oil sprays. If the foil tears, parchment paper serves as a reliable substitute, though it lacks the high heat conduction of metal. Once the potatoes are tender, distribute the shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon across the tops. Return the pan to the oven for three to five minutes until the dairy bubbles and the fats render into the potato surface.
