BBQ Stuffed Baked Potato
intro
Fluffy crisp-skinned baked potatoes loaded with smoky BBQ pulled pork, melted cheddar, and cool tangy toppings for a hearty, crowd-pleasing cookout staple.
Ingredients
Steps
Bake the russet potatoes
Preheat your oven to 205°C (400°F). Scrub 4 large russet potatoes, pat them completely dry, rub the skins all over with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Place potatoes directly on the middle oven rack, and bake for 55-60 minutes until skins are crisp and a fork slides easily through the center of the flesh.
Warm BBQ pork filling
While the potatoes bake, combine 350g smoked pulled pork and 120ml BBQ sauce in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally as it cooks for 8-10 minutes, until the pork is fully heated through and evenly coated in thick, gently bubbling sauce, then remove from heat and set aside.
Scoop out potato flesh
Once potatoes are cool enough to handle (about 5 minutes after removing from the oven), slice each lengthwise down the center. Use a spoon to gently scoop the soft inner flesh into a medium mixing bowl, leaving a 6mm (1/4-inch) thick wall of potato attached to the skin to keep shells sturdy.
Mix creamy potato base
Add 42g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, and 85g (3/4 cup) shredded sharp cheddar to the bowl of scooped potato flesh. Mash with a potato masher until smooth and evenly combined, with no large lumps remaining.
Stuff potato shells
Spoon the mashed potato mixture back into the hollowed potato skins, pressing gently to fill each shell evenly. Top each stuffed potato with an equal portion of the warm BBQ pulled pork, then sprinkle the remaining 85g (3/4 cup) shredded cheddar evenly over the pork topping.
Broil to melt cheese
Adjust your oven to the high broil setting (260°C/500°F). Place the baking sheet of stuffed potatoes on the upper oven rack, positioned 10cm (4 inches) from the broiler element. Broil for 2-3 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning, until the cheese is fully melted, bubbly, and just starting to turn golden at the edges.
Add final toppings
Remove the potatoes from the oven, top each with a 30g (2 tbsp) dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of chopped green onions, and a small pat of the remaining 14g (1 tbsp) butter. Serve immediately while hot.
Tips
2.For a quick weeknight shortcut, use pre-made store-bought smoked pulled pork and your favorite bottled BBQ sauce to cut total prep time by 30 minutes.
3.Resist over-scooping the potato skins: a 1/4-inch thick potato wall prevents shells from splitting or collapsing when loaded with filling and toppings.
OMG this recipe is such a game changer! I made these for our Sunday family dinner last night and even my super picky 7 year old asked for seconds. I swapped regular sour cream for Greek yogurt to cut a little calories and it was still SO good. Perfect for meal prep too, I stuffed the leftovers in the fridge for quick lunches this week.
Just made these for my roommate’s potluck and everyone was asking for the recipe! It was way easier than I thought it would be — I was worried the BBQ filling would be fussy but it came together in like 15 minutes while the potatoes baked. Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I wish there was a note about what BBQ sauce works best, I used a super sweet honey one and it was a little cloying for my taste.
I made this vegan by swapping the pulled pork for jackfruit tossed in BBQ sauce and used dairy-free cheese and sour cream, and it turned out insane! My meat-eating boyfriend didn’t even notice it wasn’t pork. 10/10 will be making this every other week for movie nights.
Made these for our college football watch party this past weekend and they were gone in 10 minutes flat! I pre-baked the potatoes the night before and just reheated them with the BBQ filling in the oven right before people showed up, which made game day so much less stressful. Only thing I added was a handful of crispy fried onions on top, chef’s kiss.