Smoked Potato Skins
These mini potato skins are smoked to boost the flavor in a huge way! I smoked these little potatoes before making them into skins, and they came out so good! This technique where you smoke them and then finish them with lots of oil in a super hot oven makes them taste both fried and smoked, the best of both worlds.
The inspiration for this recipe
I have been playing around with my smoker and one of the most unexpectedly delicious things I have smoked so far is potatoes. The smoke flavor really gets into the potatoes, and if you get some nice baby potatoes like I did it only takes about 3 hours for them to be fully tender and bursting with salty smokey goodness. You could use the smoked potatoes for anything that needs potatoes. Mashed potatoes would be amazing, but I think I might try gnocchi next! Considering that there is supposedly some sort of sport thing happening this weekend I figured I would make the smoked potatoes into these mini potato skins.
Smoke the potatoes
I used baby yukon golds. You could also use some of those mini colorful ones, or even fingerlings for a more boat shaped skin. Toss with a little oil and salt. Preheat the smoker to 275 and smoke until just tender. I am a novice when it comes to smoking anything, so if you want a detailed guide for smoking potatoes, this is a great resource.
Mine took about 3 hours. When the internal temp is 210 they are perfect. It is just under what I would do if I was eating them, but they will cook a little more in the oven.
Prepping the smoked potatoes for skins
After they have cooled a bit, slice in half and scoop out the insides with a melon baller.
Perfect little smoked potato skins! Make sure to leave enough potato so they hold up well and don’t dry out.
Finish the smoked potato skins in the oven
Crank your oven to 500 and put the skins skin side up on a greased sheet tray. Brush more oil onto the skin and lightly salt them. Cook at 500 for about 10 or 15 minutes until the edges are nicely browned and the skin is crispy. Flip them over and fill them with the bacon and cheese and put them back into the oven for about 5 more minutes.
Serving the smoked potato skins
Fill them up with sour cream and scallions and serve! The smoke just adds a whole extra dimension to these. It makes the potato itself so flavorful when it is normally just the vehicle for bacon and cheese.
The smoke in the potato skin also enhances the bacon flavor without having to overdo it with the actual bacon.
And as always the cooling sour cream provides the perfect foil for that smoky goodness to play off. Then just enough scallion to cut through the richness.
If you have a smoker consider tossing a couple potatoes in next time you fire it up!
Twists on this recipe
You could make smoked potato skins with full sized potatoes. It would be easier and less tedious for sure. The potatoes will take much longer to smoke though.
If you love potato skins, check out my potato skin burger!
Smoked Potato Skins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby yukon gold potatoes
- 8 oz cheddar cheese
- 8 oz bacon
- 8 oz sour cream
- 3 scallions
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 275 degrees and get it smoking really good. I used hickory wood for this recipe.
- Toss the potatoes with a little oil and salt and put them into the smoker until their internal temp reaches 210. about 2-3 hours. Remove and allow to cool.
- Preheat oven to 500
- Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides with a melon baller. Place skin side up oin a greased baking sheet and brush the skin with additional oil and salt.
- Bake the potatoes for about 15 minutes to brown and crisp.
- Flip them and add the cheese and bacon. Cook another 5 minutes just to melt the cheese.
- Top with sour cream and scallions and serve.