Taste of baked potato with all trimmings hot from the oven.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup light sour cream
- 8 medium potatoes (21/2 to 3 lbs) yukon gold good, chunks
- 1 cup evaporated milk lowfat 2%
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper i like white pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided (i did about 2 1/2 c)
- 6 slices bacon cooked, crumpled, divided
- sliced green onions optional...good on it!
- Carbohydrate 45.4353164725216 g
- Cholesterol 86.3800000195868 mg
- Fat 36.7891766883873 g
- Fiber 4.76819360939356 g
- Protein 22.7100316150322 g
- Saturated Fat 17.4249667823208 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (367g)
- Sodium 692.953028910891 mg
- Sugar 40.667122863128 g
- Trans Fat 3.05045543299416 g
- Calories 600 calories
Step-by-step
- Peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Bring to boil and cook over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 mins. or till tender. Drain.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease/spray 10x12 glass dish or 2 1/2 - 3 qt casserole dish.
- Return potatoes to pan; Add evaporated milk, sour cream, salt and pepper. Beat with hand mixer until smooth. Stir in about 1 1/2 cups cheese and half of bacon. Spoon into prepared oven dish.
- Bake for 20 to 25 mins. or until heated through. Top with remaining cheese (I fully cover it), bacon, and green onions. Bake for an additional 3 to 5 mins. or until cheese melts.
Yukon Gold potatoes carry the primary weight of this dish, yielding a naturally buttery interior and a reliable starch content that responds well to mechanical mashing. When working in a compact kitchen, managing starches without professional catering gear requires careful consideration of vessel capacity and thermal conductivity. While heavy glass baking dishes distribute heat evenly across the 10x12-inch footprint specified here, standard metal pans will alter the browning rate of the cheddar topping.
- Cut potatoes into uniform 1-inch cubes to ensure they reach tenderness during the 15 to 20 minute boiling window without waterlogged edges.
- Use a standard hand mixer directly in the cooking pot after thoroughly draining the water to achieve a smooth emulsion with the evaporated milk and sour cream, noting that over-working the hot starch with a heavy-duty food processor will break down the cell walls and produce an unappealing, gluey consistency.
- Maintain the initial 350 degree oven temperature to heat the dense dairy and potato mixture through without scorching the dairy fats.
- Reserve half the shredded cheese and bacon until the final 3 to 5 minutes of baking, monitoring the dish visually until the cheese melts completely into an even layer.
Proper moisture control prevents the dairy components from separating during the baking process. Storing leftovers in an airtight container within the refrigerator for up to three days requires a covered vessel to prevent surface dehydration.
