Description
These Jalapeno Popper Twice Baked Potatoes combine creamy, cheesy potato filling with spicy jalapenos and crispy bacon, all finished on a cedar plank over the grill for a smoky, charred flavor. Perfect as a hearty side dish or a crowd-pleasing appetizer for any barbecue or gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 6 large baking potatoes
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Filling
- 1 cup sour cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 3 tablespoons Ranch dressing mix or 1-ounce packet of store-bought
- 4 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded, diced, divided
- 4 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, divided
- 2 tablespoons green onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Rinse and dry the potatoes thoroughly. Poke each potato several times with a knife. Rub each potato with vegetable oil to coat all sides and sprinkle liberally with kosher salt. Place potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for 1 hour or until tender. Remove and allow them to cool enough to handle.
- Soak Cedar Plank: While the potatoes bake, soak a large cedar plank in water to prepare it for grilling later. This step prevents the plank from catching fire and adds smoky flavor.
- Hollow Potatoes: Lay the cooled potatoes on their sides. Slice off the top of each potato. Carefully use a spoon to carve out the center of each potato, transferring the scooped-out flesh into a large mixing bowl. Arrange the hollowed potatoes on a baking sheet for later filling.
- Make the Filling: To the potato insides in the bowl, add sour cream, softened cream cheese, half of the shredded cheddar cheese, shredded mozzarella, Ranch dressing mix, half of the diced jalapenos, half of the crumbled bacon, diced green onions, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined and creamy.
- Fill Potatoes: Spoon the prepared filling back into the hollow potato shells, distributing evenly. Top each filled potato with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese and reserved bacon crumbles.
- Prepare the Grill and Cedar Plank: Preheat your grill for both direct and indirect cooking. Remove the soaked cedar plank from water and place it over the direct heat side of the grill. Let each side of the plank char lightly, flipping carefully to avoid burning.
- Grill Potatoes on Plank: Place the stuffed potatoes onto the cedar plank and move the plank to the indirect heat zone of the grill, maintaining a temperature between 350°F and 400°F. Grill the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the potatoes from the grill, sprinkle with the reserved diced jalapenos for extra heat and freshness, and serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- You can substitute the Ranch dressing mix with your favorite seasoning blend if desired.
- Adjust the amount of jalapenos according to your preferred spice level; keep more seeds for extra heat.
- Be careful when handling the hot cedar plank on the grill—use tongs or heat-resistant gloves.
- If you don’t have a grill, these potatoes can be finished in a 375°F oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese melts.
- For a vegetarian version, omit bacon and consider adding smoked paprika to the filling for a smoky flavor.
