Twice-Baked Potatoes Are 10X Crispier When You Add A Step On The Stovetop

There's an old saying that goes "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." But when it comes to potatoes, there's always a little "something, something" that can take a recipe from "oh, yeah" to "aww, yeah!" By adding a quick extra step to the process, you can take the crispiness of your twice-baked potato skins to the next level. All you need to do is follow the advice of one Instagram user who deep-fries them first.

You can bake your potatoes, slice in half, and empty the contents as you normally would, but deep-frying the skins makes all the difference. Frying them until they get beautifully golden and crunchy adds a whole new textural layer to what is already a top-tier way to eat a spud — and the process is incredibly easy. Simply set your oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and plop your skins in, only pulling them out when they're tantalizingly crispy. Then, salt them straight away.

You don't need any fancy oils, vegetable or canola will do. Typically, making the ultimate twice-baked potatoes requires only two cooking phases — hence the name. The first is the initial baking, which cooks the entire potato. After the mashed potato insides are covered with toppings, the second baking phase melts the top and bakes together the reincorporated fillings. This extra frying in the middle leaves these steps the same but crisps the skins for when the fillings return.

Because you're adding an extra frying phase for a nice crispiness on the skins, you can even do the first baking phase in the microwave by zapping them until the potato insides are tender. To keep your crispiness to the max, however, it's best to use an oven (or even an airfryer) to finish your twice-baked potatoes. Just remember, after they get their tan in the oil, they still must endure a second baking, so don't deep-fry them too far past that nice, golden color, or you risk burning them. It's also helpful to drain the excess oil once you pull them out.

If you're frying up bacon as a topping, why not brush the inside of your newly crisped potato skins with the bacon grease left in the pan before dropping in the filling? How about a sprinkling of grated cheese in the bottoms for good measure? If you're feeling wild and really want to impress your guests, you can even batter the skins before frying them.

This method is similar to making loaded potato skins, only with the additional frying phase and the reintroduction of the mashed potato. Like loaded potato skins, similarly interesting toppings can be effortlessly integrated, like sautéed bell peppers or chopped pimentos. Of course, you can always change up the cheese with Monterey or pepper jack.