These Traeger Smoked Potato Skins make an amazing appetizer to smoke alongside your main dish.
Crispy, delicious Potato Skins absorb amazing smoky flavor from the grill while the low and slow cooking process allows the flavors to blend together.
We all know smoking meat can take a LONG time. I'm looking at you smoked brisket. So why not make yourself a snack while you wait.
This quick and easy appetizer is perfect for parties, tailgating and more.
Need some more great smoked appetizers? Try this Smoked Cream Cheese with your favorite crackers or these Smoked Chicken Wings.
Do you love baked potato skins? Try these BBQ Pulled Pork Potato Skins.
Jump to:
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- These potato skins are so easy to make and are one of the quickest items you can smoke.
- They taste better than your favorite restaurant potato skins and are super fresh. No soggy potato skins here.
- Easily change the flavor by varying the toppings. See my suggestions below for ideas.
Need a few more recipes for your pellet grill? Try this Smoke Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf or a Smoked Pork Roast.
Recipe Ingredients
Russet Potatoes: Russet potatoes are traditional when making potato skins. They have sturdy skins that are perfect for filling with all of the delicious toppings.
Use the potato insides for this Roasted Cauliflower Leek and Potato Soup, mashed potatoes, or these amazing Twice-Baked Potato Cups.
Olive Oil: Regular olive oil is just fine to use. Brushing the potatoes with olive oil helps to crisp the skin.
Kosher Salt: Salting potatoes before baking them draws out moisture creating a fluffy interior.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
Seasoning: Change up the flavor of these potatoes or increase the heat by varying the chosen seasonings.
Cheese: I used shredded cheddar, but other cheeses like mozzarella, gouda, or pepper jack would work well too.
Toppings: Here is where you can really go crazy. For this recipe, I kept it simple with just sour cream, bacon, and chopped green onions. But the sky is the limit when it comes time to choose your toppings.
Amount: Easily scale this skins recipe up or down depending upon the number of potato skins you have or need.
Loaded Potato Skins: Add additional toppings like guacamole, jalapenos, crispy onions, Spinach Pesto, crumbled bacon, Pickled Red Onions, steamed broccoli, Asiago Creamed Spinach, caramelized onions, pulled pork, Maple Bacon Onion Jam, and more...
Step by Step Directions
Step 1: Set the Traeger grill to Smoke, and leave the lid open for 4-5 minutes until the fire is established. Set the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and preheat with the lid closed for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 2: Scrub the potatoes under running water and pat dry.
Using a fork prick the skin of the potatoes in several places. This allows steam to escape and keeps your baked potatoes from exploding. Trust me I have cleaned up that mess before.
Rub a little olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle them with salt.
Arrange the potatoes directly on the grill grate and bake for about 1 hour until they are easily pierced with a fork.
Step 3: Remove the potatoes and reduce the temperature to 225°F (107°C). Cut the potatoes lengthwise into quarters.
Scoop out the insides until the potato skins are about ½ inch thick.
Step 4: Brush the potato skins with olive oil.
In a small bowl mix together the paprika, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and ¼ kosher salt.
Step 5: Sprinkle seasoning mix over both sides of the potato skins.
Smoke the potato skins for 20 to 40 minutes depending upon how smoky you like them.
Step 6: Sprinkle the potato skins with shredded cheese.
Step 7: Continue smoking the potato skins until the cheese melts.
Step 8: Top with a dollop of sour cream, bacon, and green onions.
Note: When serving the stuffed potato skins only put sour cream and green onions on the ones you know you will eat. Storing potato skins after they have been topped with sour cream and green onions can make them mushy and difficult to reheat.
Recipe FAQs
When smoking potato skins, choose wood pellets with a complementary flavor. Because of their small size stick with lighter woods. Applewood, maple, and cherry are all good choices.
Applewood has a subtle sweet fruity flavor.
Maple also has a subtle sweet fruity flavor but is a bit stronger than applewood. It is the sweetest of the heavy woods.
Cherry is similar in flavor to other fruitwoods.
A fully cooked potato will have wrinkly papery skin on the outside and have some give when you squeeze it. You can also insert a knife or fork into the potato. If there is little to no resistance the potato is done.
Using an instant-read thermometer is also a great way to see if a smoked potato is done. The internal temperature of a fully cooked potato should be at least 210 degrees Fahrenheit.
Store leftover potato skins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Note: When serving the stuffed potato skins only put sour cream and green onions on the ones you know you will eat. Storing potato skins after they have been topped with sour cream and green onions can make them mushy and difficult to reheat.
To reheat: Microwave the potato skins on high for 30 to 60 seconds. For crispier potato skins bake in a 350°F (177°C) oven for a few minutes.
Expert Tips
- Choose similar-sized potatoes so they will have similar cooking times.
- If your potatoes cook unevenly, remove the fully cooked potatoes and leave the undercooked ones in the smoker for a few minutes longer.
- Avoid pre-shredded cheese. It has an anti-clumping agent added that also inhibits melting.
- When serving the Smoked Potato Skins, only put sour cream and green onions on the ones you know you will eat. Storing potato skins after they have been topped with sour cream and green onions can make them mushy and difficult to reheat.
Serving Suggestions
Thanks for Reading!
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📖 Recipe
Traeger Smoked Potato Skins
Equipment
- small mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ sour cream
- ¼ cup chopped cooked bacon
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
Instructions
- Set the Traeger grill to Smoke, and leave the lid open for 4-5 minutes until the fire is established. Set the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and preheat with the lid closed for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Wash and dry the 4 russet potatoes. Using a fork prick the skin of the potatoes in several places. This allows steam to escape and keeps your baked potatoes from exploding.
- Brush potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Arrange the potatoes directly on the grill grate and bake for about 1 hour until they are easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove the potatoes and reduce the temperature to 225°F (107°C).
- Cut the potatoes lengthwise into quarters.
- Scoop out the insides until the potato skins are about ½ inch thick.
- Brush with olive oil.
- In a small bowl mix together the 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Sprinkle seasoning mix over both sides of the potato skins.
- Smoke the potato skins for 20 to 40 minutes depending upon how smoky you like them.
- Sprinkle with the ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese and continue smoking until the cheese melts.
- Top with ¼ sour cream, ¼ cup chopped cooked bacon, and ¼ cup chopped green onions.
Shirley says
Just got a new smoker and found this recipe. These turned out great. Really good side dish for any occassion. Will make again soon.