Prep Time:  20 mins
Cook Time:  60 mins
Total Time:  80 mins
Servings:  10-15
Finished Stuffed Mini Baked Potatoes on a grill rack

Should it be “Mini Stuffed Baked Potatoes,” or “Baked Mini Stuffed Potatoes,” or do we have it right as is? Our copywriters have some thoughts on this recipe’s title, but you can call it whatever you want — as long as you call it up from the bench to see you through the appetizer round of the big-game BBQ. Chef Tony once again showed his brilliance with this dish, transforming the typically clunky baked potato into a perfect finger food that’s safe to share in the hours before kickoff. Adding the direct flame of a grill makes these mini potatoes all the more delicious.

Ingredients

Ingredients for Stuffed Mini Baked Potatoes

  • 3 lbs fingerling potatoes
  • Olive oil (for coating the potatoes)
  • Coarse salt (for coating potatoes)
  • 8 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 5 sliced green onions (green portion only)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
  • 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tsp coarse salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Items You'll Need

Instructions

Instructions for Stuffed Mini Baked Potatoes

  1. Place 2 cooling racks inside of 2 sheet pans.
  2. In a separate bowl or prep surface, lightly coat the potatoes with olive oil and coarse salt. Put the potatoes on top of the cooling racks, leaving some space between each potato, then set aside.
  3. Set another cooling rack inside of another sheet pan. Lay the strips of bacon on top of the cooling rack, leaving a small space between each strip.
  4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once preheated, set the potatoes and bacon in the oven and bake for 35–45 minutes.
  5. When the food is nearing completion, check the internal temperature of a few potatoes. They’ll be ready to come out when the internal temperature is between 205 and 215 degrees.
  6. Remove the bacon and potatoes from the oven, setting the bacon on paper towels and allowing the potatoes to cool for about 10 minutes.
  7. Once cooled, chop the bacon into bacon bits and divide them in half. Set half aside, and place the other half in the refrigerator until needed.
  8. Slice the green onions in half lengthwise, then thinly slice the two halves. Split the pieces in half, keeping one half nearby and the other in the refrigerator until needed.
  9. Slice each potato in half, setting the halves aside until all potatoes have been sliced.
  10. Remove most of the flesh (the inside) from each potato half and place into a large mixing bowl. (Pro tip: The best way to remove the flesh is by using a grapefruit spoon, which can be found at most grocery stores. Both sides of the spoon are slightly serrated, making the scooping process much quicker.) As you spoon out the flesh, set the remaining potato skin back onto the cooling rack where it baked. If there are potatoes too small for stuffing, just slice them in half, remove the flesh, and discard the potato skin.
  11. Add the sour cream, milk, heavy whipping cream, butter, salt, black pepper, and white pepper to the potato flesh in the mixing bowl. Blend with a hand mixer, blending until just incorporated. DO NOT OVER-MIX — the potato mixture will become very tough and take on a form resembling glue paste.
  12. After mixing, fold in half of the cheese along with the halves of green onion and bacon bits you previously set aside.
  13. Scoop the potato mixture into a gallon-sized zip-top bag and cut off one of the bottom corners of the bag, about ½ to ¾ inches up the bag.
  14. Use the opening in the bag to pipe the filling into each of your potato skin halves, then set them back onto the cooling rack. Once all skins have been stuffed, you can cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days before grilling.
  15. When ready to grill, remove the stuffed mini potatoes from the refrigerator and sprinkle the tops of each with the remainder of your bacon bits, green onions, and cheese.
  16. Preheat your grill to a medium-high temperature.
  17. Place your mini potatoes on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese begins to melt and the bottoms of the potatoes begin to brown.
  18. Remove the mini stuffed potatoes from the grill, serve immediately, and enjoy! The potatoes will remain great-tasting for about 45 minutes to an hour after grilling... if they make it that long, that is!