Recipe: Loaded Baked Potatoes
Jackie Alpers is a food photographer and the author of the Taste of Tucson cookbook
Sonoran style loaded salt encrusted baked potato stuffed with melted butter, steak, mushrooms, bacon, scallions, chiles and lots of melty cheese.
The Silicone Kitchen Tools Used
The Silicone Kitchen Air Fryer Liner
The Silicone Kitchen Jumbo Baking Cups
The Silicone Kitchen Roasting Rack
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 3 to 4 potatoes
Ingredients
3 to 4 medium russet potatoes, about 6-8 ounces each
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sea salt, divided
6 to 8 ounces thin cut bottom round or skirt steak
½ cup chopped button or cremini mushrooms
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 scallion
3 slices bacon, any variety
¼ to ½ cup melted butter
1 serrano or jalapeño chile
2 cups shredded Oaxaca or queso quesadilla cheese
Flaky sea salt for serving, such as Maldon
Hot sauce, for serving
Mayonnaise, for serving
Mexican oregano, for serving
Instructions
Using a coarse vegetable brush and a vegetable wash scrub the potatoes’ skins and let dry. Using a fork or paring knife, poke each potato all over 5 to 7 times. Rub the skins with olive oil then coat generously with sea salt. Preheat a 6-quart air fryer to 400°F (200ºC). Put the potatoes in a Silicone Kitchen Air Fryer Liner then place the liner inside the air fryer. Cook for 50 to 60 minutes, turning every 20 minutes until the skins are crispy and a fork or sharp knife is easily inserted into the potato without resistance. Remove from air fryer basket and set aside until ready to use.
Line a microwave safe plate with paper towels, set a Silicone Kitchen Roasting Rack on top notched-side-up. Place three strips of bacon on the rack then cover with another paper towel.
Microwave for 5 minutes or until browned and crispy, flipping the bacon after 2½ minutes. Let cool, then crumble and set aside.
Season the steak generously with sea salt and pepper, place in the same The Silicone Kitchen Air Fryer Liner along with scallion. Put the chopped mushrooms in a The Silicone Kitchen Jumbo Baking Cup. Nestle the whole chile and mushroom filled baking cup alongside the liner inside the air fryer and cook at 400°F (200ºC) for 6 to 8 minutes, turning the steak, chile and scallion halfway through. The chile skin should be blistered and the mushrooms reduced by about half. Slice or chop the steak, chile and scallion into ¼ to ½ -inch pieces.
Using a sharp knife, split the potatoes down the middle, then fluff the innards with a fork. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of melted butter over each potato then divide the shredded cheese over each one then top with steak, mushrooms, scallions, chiles and crumbled bacon. Squirt mayonnaise and hot sauce over each potato, if using, then sprinkle with Mexican oregano and flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.
