Smoky Baked Stuffed Potatoes
By Diane UngerPublished on June 27, 2016
Time
3½ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
6 (10- to 12-ounce) russet potatoes 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons softenedSalt and pepper 12 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)½ cup half-and-half ¼ cup minced fresh chives ½ cup wood chips Sour cream
Before You Begin
Try to find potatoes of equal size and weight to ensure even cooking. Plan ahead: The potatoes need to bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes before being prepared for the grill.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and bake until centers register 205 degrees and potatoes are very soft, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
- Immediately slice potatoes in half lengthwise; let cool for 5 minutes. Scoop flesh of all potatoes into bowl, leaving 1/4-inch layer of potato in each shell. Choose 8 best-looking shells (discard remaining 4 shells); brush interior and exterior of each shell with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Transfer shells cut side up to rimmed baking sheet.
- Using potato masher, mash potatoes until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 cups Colby Jack, half-and-half, 2 tablespoons chives, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and softened butter until combined. Divide filling among potato shells (about 1/2 cup each), mounding in center. Scruff up top of filling with tines of fork. (Potatoes can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
- Just before grilling, soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in 8 by 4 1/2-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into steeply banked pile against side of grill. Set wood chip packet on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set grate in place, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn primary burner to medium-high and turn off other burners. (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature between 325 and 350 degrees.)
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Place potatoes on cooler side of grill. Cover (position lid vent over potatoes if using charcoal) and cook until filling registers 160 degrees and tops of potatoes begin to brown, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle potatoes with remaining 1 1/2 cups Colby Jack, cover, and continue to cook until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Transfer potatoes to platter and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons chives. Serve with sour cream.
Time
3½ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
6 (10- to 12-ounce) russet potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons softened
Salt and pepper
12 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
½ cup half-and-half
¼ cup minced fresh chives
½ cup wood chips
Sour cream
Ingredients
6 (10- to 12-ounce) russet potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons softened
Salt and pepper
12 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
½ cup half-and-half
¼ cup minced fresh chives
½ cup wood chips
Sour cream
Ingredients
6 (10- to 12-ounce) russet potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons softened
Salt and pepper
12 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
½ cup half-and-half
¼ cup minced fresh chives
½ cup wood chips
Sour cream
Why This Recipe Works
To make the perfect smoked stuffed potatoes, we hollowed out baked russet potato shells; brushed them with melted butter; mixed the scooped flesh with shredded Colby Jack cheese, half-and-half, chives, butter, and plenty of salt and pepper; and divided it equally among the buttered shells. (At this point the potatoes could be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before grilling). Next, we grilled the potatoes away from the main heat source (a packet of soaked wood chips helped build smoky flavor) for 20 minutes before sprinkling them with more Colby Jack. In about 15 minutes, the cheese had melted and the potatoes were ready to be served.
Before You Begin
Try to find potatoes of equal size and weight to ensure even cooking. Plan ahead: The potatoes need to bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes before being prepared for the grill.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and bake until centers register 205 degrees and potatoes are very soft, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
- Immediately slice potatoes in half lengthwise; let cool for 5 minutes. Scoop flesh of all potatoes into bowl, leaving 1/4-inch layer of potato in each shell. Choose 8 best-looking shells (discard remaining 4 shells); brush interior and exterior of each shell with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Transfer shells cut side up to rimmed baking sheet.
- Using potato masher, mash potatoes until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 cups Colby Jack, half-and-half, 2 tablespoons chives, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and softened butter until combined. Divide filling among potato shells (about 1/2 cup each), mounding in center. Scruff up top of filling with tines of fork. (Potatoes can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
- Just before grilling, soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in 8 by 4 1/2-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into steeply banked pile against side of grill. Set wood chip packet on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set grate in place, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn primary burner to medium-high and turn off other burners. (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature between 325 and 350 degrees.)
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Place potatoes on cooler side of grill. Cover (position lid vent over potatoes if using charcoal) and cook until filling registers 160 degrees and tops of potatoes begin to brown, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle potatoes with remaining 1 1/2 cups Colby Jack, cover, and continue to cook until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Transfer potatoes to platter and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons chives. Serve with sour cream.
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