Twice Baked Potatoes - Carnivorous

These were my first twice bakeds, but they're very heavy and contain meat.  I recommend these alongside a nice steak or chop.  This isn't for the faint of heart.  Count on 1 potato serving two people.   You can prep potatoes up through step 11 and then freeze them, too.  Then just thaw in a refrigerator and bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes until piping hot.


Ingredients

2 Russet potatoes  (1 potato = 2 servings)

3 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 c sour cream
2oz gruyere, grated
2oz sharp cheddar, grated
fresh chives
3 oz slice of pancetta (ask for a piece as thick as your pinky)
kosher salt
black pepper

Non-standard supplies

None

Instructions

1. Bake the potatoes on a high heat to get a crispy skin -  450 degrees for 1 hour
2. Meanwhile, cube fry and drain pancetta
3. Remove from oven and once cut lengthwise while holding with an oven mitt
4. Empty contents of potato into a mixing bowl, carefully not tearing the skin
5. Brush interior of skin with just enough melted butter to barely cover
6. Return skins to oven for further crisping for 5 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 375
7. In mixing bowl, add remaining melted butter, chives, pepper, gruyere, cheddar
8. Using potato masher blend, add sour cream gradually until you can form a potato baseball.  You are not looking for creamy potatoes here.  They should be dry in appearance, but one big lump.
9. Stir in pancetta
10. Taste.  Add more salt, pepper, chives as desired.
11. Spoon potatoes into skins, piling them high to use all the filling
12. Bake at 375 until filling begins to brown (15-20 minutes)