Twice-baked (aka "stuffed") potatoes

[JAZ]

I was talking about twice-baked potatoes a few days ago with an acquaintance and realized that we had entirely different approaches to something that I thought was pretty simple. I always bake russets, then cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the centers. I mix the centers with (usually) cheese, cream, butter and seasonings -- sometimes getting fancy with diced cooked bacon or caramelized onions -- then stuff the potato halves with the mixture and bake again.

So my friend looked at me as if I were crazy. "When I get a half potato like that I always think of cheap steakhouses." He cuts a slice off the flat end of a cooked potato and discards the top, then fills the whole potato and bakes it. I've always thought a whole stuffed potato was way too much to eat, but I have to admit that his method would make for a more pleasing presentation.

Here I thought the only question was what to use in the filling. Who knew?

So, what else am I missing? How do you make twice-baked potatoes? What do you put in them, and how do you construct them?

[snowangel]

I construct mine like yours, Janet, except I eliminate the cream and use sour cream instead. And, a hint from CI is to bake the potatoes, remove the filling, and then put the empty shells back into the oven while mixing/mashing the filling. Oh, and I like sliced scallions in mine. I especially love the re-crisped shells because Heidi wants more filling than shells so I get a nicely crisped shell all to myself! But then, I've always been a crispy potato skin sort of woman.

[Toliver]

My brother makes twice-baked sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving. Note that these aren't the orange-fleshed yams but are the yellow-fleshed potatoes.

He uses a blend of whatever he has on hand. I call him our "Mother Hubbard Gourmet" because he can take whatever's left in the cupboard or refrigerator and make something incredible and delicious out of it.

Last year he used roasted garlic, cream cheese, a little milk, scallions and some crumbled bacon to refill the potatoes. He's a savant in the kitchen.

[Dave the Cook]

With a carefully prepared shell (1/8 to 1/4 inch of potato left in) and ample fluffage of the potato guts and additions, halves can look decent. The problem with many examples of the half-school is that the shells are insufficiently scooped, then refilled inadequately. They look like giant whites-only devilled eggs.

On the other hand, given the size of russets found in stores these days, a whole potato baked and stuffed does make for a huge portion. You have to be very patient to find smaller shapely specimens. An alternative to slicing the top is to cut a wide X and peel back the flaps, curling as you go. More care is required when scooping and filling, but it makes a pretty, bountiful-looking presentation.

Cultured butter and scallions, please -- though my daughter is partial to surimi (real crab doesn't work as well for some reason), broccoli and shredded cheddar, which, when using a medium to large potato, makes it a meal.

[pax]

I guess I need to join the ranks of third rate steak places, I guess. I leave enough wall to support the filling, I crisp them separately after brushing them with olive oil and flicking some coarse cut salt over them, put the mixings in the oven to keep them warm with the crisping skins, and fill right before I plate.

I used to deep fry them, it took about 30 seconds, but my husband's got this weird thing about deep frying not being healthy.

Edited 'cause I pushed the button too quickly.. using an apple corer on a potato and stuffing them with sausages is an old camp fire trick in my family. Does that count?

Edited October 21, 2009 by pax (log)

[ruthcooks]

I gave up on stuffing long ago. I bake, scoop out every bit of potato and "fork" in the cream, butter, herbs, cheese, whatever, and place in casserole. The skins I cut into ribbons, dot with butter and season and place on baking sheet. Except for cooking, these preps can be done a day ahead. When ready, cook skins until brown and crisp in 375 degree oven and use as appetizers. Heat potato casserole.

No messy skins flopping around on the plates. I find almost no one eats them and they look so unappetizing.

Edited October 22, 2009 by ruthcooks (log)

[Jenni]

No messy skins flopping around on the plates. I find almost no one eats them and they look so unappetizing.

I love the skins

[Sugar Apple]

Sometimes I cut them half and sometimes I open the top and serve them whole. Really depends on how pretty I want it to look and how big I want them to be. I do always give the skins a few minutes in the oven to crisp up before filling them. As for the filling, it varies. The only constant is butter. I use cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, chives, green onions, cooked broccoli, chopped hot peppers, mushrooms...

I remember one of the Silver Palate cookbooks had a section on stuffed potatoes and I used to make one of theirs that was a main dish with lobster. Really lovely.

I also don't make them more than an hour or so in advance because I don't like the sort of "leftover" taste that mashed potatoes take on.

[Doodad]

I cut them in half too. I use a grapefruit spoon to really clean them and then crisp in the oven while I mix the potato, butter, chives, scallions and cheese. I like to pipe it back in so it has a finished look. Top with more chives at the end.