The Secret to Crispy Baked Potatoes: Roasting with Bacon Fat

This recipe for crispy baked potatoes is my new go-to favorite. The truth is (don’t tell anyone) that I have never enjoyed baked potatoes. The skins were always a bit leathery, the insides were dry and tasteless and no amount of toppings really ever saved the day.

Then, I discovered these crispy baked potatoes, thanks to my partner. He assumed everyone made potatoes this way. Um, no. Most of us stab the potato, maybe wrap it in foil and throw it in the oven. Voila. Apparently this method is common practice in many restaurants! This man has more years in commercial kitchens than I’ve been a professional chef myself, so I believed him and tried it. This recipe has been a game changer and my favorite part of these is the delicious crispy skin!

A Budget-Friendly Superstar: The Humble Potato

Before we get into the details of the how, let’s discuss the initial why of consuming not just baked potatoes but potatoes in general.

In an era of rising grocery costs, the potato is a genuine hero for your wallet. This week, potatoes were 75% off at my store, so naturally we will be consuming potatoes in every way possible for the foreseeable future. It’s one of the most affordable, versatile, and satisfying ingredients you can buy. A single bag of potatoes can form the base for multiple meals throughout the week (heck, I even put it in my bread!), making this recipe not just delicious, but also incredibly economical.

Transforming this low-cost staple into a restaurant-quality side dish with a few simple ingredients (bacon fat (or oil) and salt) is the ultimate kitchen win. It’s proof that eating well doesn’t have to be expensive. This dish is a fantastic way to fill up a family without stressing your food budget!

Your First Task: Scrub the Potatoes Thoroughly

This might seem obvious, but it’s the most commonly skipped step with the grittiest consequences! Potatoes are root vegetables grown directly in the soil. A quick rinse isn’t enough to remove all the dirt, which can leave a gritty texture on the skin even after baking.

I don’t know why no one ever explained this to me or why it didn’t really register until recently, so if it seems like I’m describing basic common sense, its not intended as an insult to anyone’s intelligence! Sometimes, in order to know we need to know something, we need to know that we need to know it. Ok, now my brain hurts. Sorry about that. But you get it, right?

How to do it right: 

• Use a vegetable brush or your favorite scrubby sponge if those brushes give you the heebie-jeebies like they do for me.
• Clean the potatoes under cold running water and really scrub every part of the potato’s surface.
• Pay extra attention to the eyes and any crevices. You want the skin to be completely clean to the touch.
• Once they’re scrubbed, pat them completely dry with a kitchen towel. A dry surface is crucial for the fat and salt to adhere properly and for the skin to crisp up instead of steam.

The Key to Crispy Baked Potatoes: Coating with (Bacon) Fat

The next most important step for a perfectly delicious skin for crispy baked potatoes isn’t the oven temperature or the type of potato—it’s coating the skin with fat before baking. While you can use olive oil or avocado oil, using rendered bacon fat is my secret weapon. It not only creates an irresistibly crispy shell but also infuses the entire potato with a subtle bacon flavor that works especially well if you top them with bacon too! This method transforms the humble baked potato into a standout side dish.

If you need a vegan substitute, here is an excellent post by Natasha! I’ve tried several of her solutions and recipes in the past and they are spot on.

Pro Tip: This recipe is perfect for a day when you’ve just finished a batch of Bakin’ Bacon, because you can put that bacon grease to excellent use right away!

Don’t Skip the Salt: Its Not Just For Flavor

After coating your potatoes in the fat of your choice, the next non-negotiable step for a perfectly crispy skin is a generous sprinkle of kosher salt. This does more than just season the potato!

The coarse salt crystals draw a little moisture to the surface of the skin. As the potato bakes, this moisture evaporates, leaving behind an even drier, crispier exterior. Essentially, the salt helps to intensify the crisping process started by the fat. The result is a shatteringly crisp, flavorful shell that’s a far cry from the tough, leathery skin you get from baking a plain potato.

Why Kosher Salt? Its large, flaky crystals are ideal because they adhere well to the oily surface and provide the perfect texture. Table salt is too fine and can just dissolve and become overly salty in spots. See? We’re using’ our noggin’ with this one!

A Fun and Easy Recipe to Make with Kids

Baked potatoes are a fantastic gateway to cooking for children of all ages. The process is straightforward, hands-on, and yields a delicious reward they’ll be proud of. I can’t speak for my own child, because he detests any potato that is not a French fry, but I can certainly vouch for the numerous children I cared for as a nanny before I became a mother.

• Simple Tasks: Little hands can help with scrubbing the potatoes (a fun, messy job!), brushing them with the bacon fat, and especially sprinkling on the big flakes of kosher salt.
• Customizable Results: This is the biggest win for families. Once the potatoes are baked, everyone can build their own perfect potato. Set up a ‘topping bar’ with cheese, sour cream, chives or green onions and the crispy bacon. This empowers even the pickiest eater to create a dinner they’ll love, reducing mealtime battles! (I have absolutely discovered that the more involved my child is with preparing the food, the more likely he is to try it!)
• Sturdy and Forgiving: Unlike delicate foods, potatoes are sturdy. Kids can load them up without fear of them falling apart, making for a stress-free meal.
• Beige but Textured: For those of us who have children with sensory sensitivities, these potatoes can be a gateway to new textures on the outside while maintaining the familiar base flavor, color and texture of the potato inside.
• Base to Build On: Once again, in referencing neuro-divergent kiddos, this is a great base. It may take time (like in my case) to get used to the baked potato concept, but it also encourages children to explore with toppings while being in control of the final outcome. Developing curiosity without pressure, even if tasting doesn’t happen until much later, is key!

What to Serve With Crispy Baked Potatoes

Tonight was an example of building the meal around a prolific vegetable, which is a refreshing change for me. Fortunately I had some frozen, marinated ribeye steaks from June when we carved up the ribeye roast. For a night that I was completely brain dead and we thought frozen pizza was on the menu, I think we did pretty darn well.

I paired the Crispy Baked Potatoes with some Ribeye Steaks, sautéed up some cauliflower that was dying in the fridge; caramelized an onion, dumped in a package of chopped spinach for something green and called it a night!

With a few fresh green onion ‘leaves’ snipped from the plant on the porch, these potatoes almost seem healthy!

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