How to Cook Twice Baked Potatoes in a Dutch Oven

Two loaded baked potatoes on a blue plate.

Hey, folks! Today we have an easy flavorful recipe for you and also some quick tips baking potatoes in a Dutch oven. In fact, it's twice baked potatoes.
First, I like to start with russet 'taters because they hold up the best while baking, especially in a Dutch oven. Be sure to wash them and dry before baking.
For a crispier and more flavorful skin (because that's nearly the best part), we like to rub with a little olive oil and generously sprinkle with sea salt. For even more flavor, rub with a little bacon grease too.

Baking 'Taters: Take One

Here we've listed some of the main tips that you'll need to keep in mind if you're going to cook these outdoors, and be sure to check out the video below for all these tips in action!

You don't need to use a trivet. You've seen me use a trivet a lot when baking in a Dutch oven because it allows me to control the cooking temperature. However, potatoes are more heat tolerant and you can just place the oven directly on the ground when baking.
Rotate the 'taters in the oven. In Dutch oven baking, there's a general rule to rotate the lid one direction and the bottom of the oven in the other direction to even out the heat. However, when baking potatoes, it's more important to flip and rotate the potatoes themselves while baking, rather than the entire oven.

Put coals close around the bottom. As mentioned, potatoes are pretty heat tolerant, so go ahead and place the coals in a circle close to the oven and load up your heat on top of the lid.

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Depending on the wood, and the size of your oven you'll tend to cook a potato outside in a Dutch oven faster than you would in the house.

Baking 'Taters: The Potato Returns on Fire

After you've baked your taters, go ahead and scoop them out and mix up them up with the other ingredients (recipe below) for our twice baked potato.

Folks, that tin foil can be a little hard on the cast iron reflecting that heat while baking. Be sure after you cook with tinfoil in a Dutch oven, or are using an insert, give the oven a layer of oil so you don't hurt your seasoning.

When baking these fellers the second time, you can typically reuse your heat from the first round, especially if you are using a good hardwood. This doesn't take a lot of bottom heat, more top heat. So, you can use the same coals you already have on the bottom and add a little more heat on the lid.

This round, you are just warming the potatoes through and making sure that cheese melts. It's not going to take long and you therefore don't need a bunch more heat.

Now, what's great about this dish is that it's easy to cook, but it's also equally easy to eat. You can just pick it up, and you won't need to wash any dishes after!
It's a rich combination of creaminess and that classic loaded potato flavor. Be sure to watch the video below for more tips, and y'all don't forget to share with the neighbors!

Print Recipe Pin

Twice Baked Potatoes - Cowboy Kent Rollins

Servings 8 servings

Author Cowboy Kent Rollins

Ingredients

6 slices thick-cut bacon
4 russet potatoes
Olive oil
Sea salt
¾ cup French onion or green onion dip
or more to taste
½ to ¾ cup milk
Salt and black pepper
6 green onions
chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove from the skillet and let cool on a paper towel, then chop. Reserve the grease.
With a fork, pierce the potatoes in several places. Rub the outside skins of the potatoes with the reserved bacon grease followed by the olive oil. Generously sprinkle with sea salt.
Wrap the potatoes in tinfoil and place in a 12-inch Dutch oven or a preheated oven to 425 degrees Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until softened.
Let the potatoes cool enough to handle and remove from the tinfoil. Slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise. Carefully spoon the potatoes out into a bowl, be careful not to tear the outside skins.
To the bowl, stir in the onion dip and ½ cup of milk. Mash with a potato masher and whip until smooth. Add more milk if needed to achieve a whipped and creamy consistency. Salt and pepper, to taste. Add more dip mix if desired, to taste.
Stir in ½ cup of the cheddar cheese and ½ cup of the mozzarella. Stir in half of the green onions. Stir in the chopped bacon.
Spoon the potato mixture evenly back into the skins. Evenly top with the reaming cheeses and green onions.
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet (or back into the Dutch oveand bake at 350 degree F until the potatoes have warmed through and the cheeses have melted, about 10 to 15 minutes.