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Super-Stuffed Baked Potatoes

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on September 12, 2012

Time

1½ hours

Yield

Serves 6

Super-Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

7 large russet potatoes (about 12 ounces each), scrubbed6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons melted¾ teaspoon salt 1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin cheese, crumbled ½ cup half-and-half 2 garlic cloves, minced¼ cup chopped fresh chives 1 teaspoon pepper

Before You Begin

This recipe calls for 7 potatoes, but only 6 of them make it to the table. The remaining potato is used for its flesh; you should have 5 cups of scooped potato flesh in step 2.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Set wire rack inside rimmed baking sheet. Prick potatoes all over with fork, place on paper towel, and microwave on high until tender, 20 to 25 minutes, turning potatoes over after 10 minutes.
  2. Slice and remove top quarter of each potato, let cool 5 minutes, then scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4-inch layer of potato on inside. Discard 1 potato shell. Brush remaining shells inside and out with melted butter and sprinkle interiors with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer potatoes scooped side up to baking sheet fitted with wire rack and bake until skins begin to crisp, about 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, mix half of Boursin and half-and-half in bowl until blended. Cook remaining butter with garlic in saucepan over medium-low heat until garlic is straw-colored, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Boursin mixture until combined.
  4. Set ricer or food mill over medium bowl and press or mill potatoes into bowl. Gently fold in warm Boursin mixture, 3 tablespoons chives, remaining salt, and pepper until well incorporated. Remove potato shells from oven and fill with potato-cheese mixture. Top with remaining crumbled Boursin and bake until tops of potatoes are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining chives. Serve.

Super-Stuffed Baked Potatoes

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1½ hours

Yield

Serves 6

Ingredients

7 large russet potatoes (about 12 ounces each), scrubbed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons melted
¾ teaspoon salt
1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin cheese, crumbled
½ cup half-and-half
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

7 large russet potatoes (about 12 ounces each), scrubbed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons melted
¾ teaspoon salt
1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin cheese, crumbled
½ cup half-and-half
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

7 large russet potatoes (about 12 ounces each), scrubbed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons melted
¾ teaspoon salt
1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin cheese, crumbled
½ cup half-and-half
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Our Super-Stuffed Baked Potatoes recipe features fluffy potato, garlic, herbs, and creamy cheese packed into a perfectly crisped potato-skin shell. Precooking the potatoes in the microwave shaved an hour off the cooking time. And while most stuffed baked potato recipes call for cutting the potato in half, we preferred to lop off just the top quarter of the potato and then hollow it out. Prepared this way, the potato shells held more filling. But after hollowing out the potatoes, there wasn’t enough stuffing to fill each one and mound the filling on top. To make the filling go further, we cooked an extra potato and used its flesh to top off the other stuffed baked potatoes.

Before You Begin

This recipe calls for 7 potatoes, but only 6 of them make it to the table. The remaining potato is used for its flesh; you should have 5 cups of scooped potato flesh in step 2.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Set wire rack inside rimmed baking sheet. Prick potatoes all over with fork, place on paper towel, and microwave on high until tender, 20 to 25 minutes, turning potatoes over after 10 minutes.
  2. Slice and remove top quarter of each potato, let cool 5 minutes, then scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4-inch layer of potato on inside. Discard 1 potato shell. Brush remaining shells inside and out with melted butter and sprinkle interiors with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer potatoes scooped side up to baking sheet fitted with wire rack and bake until skins begin to crisp, about 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, mix half of Boursin and half-and-half in bowl until blended. Cook remaining butter with garlic in saucepan over medium-low heat until garlic is straw-colored, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Boursin mixture until combined.
  4. Set ricer or food mill over medium bowl and press or mill potatoes into bowl. Gently fold in warm Boursin mixture, 3 tablespoons chives, remaining salt, and pepper until well incorporated. Remove potato shells from oven and fill with potato-cheese mixture. Top with remaining crumbled Boursin and bake until tops of potatoes are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining chives. Serve.

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