4 of the most evenly shaped Russet potatoes you can find
4 strips bacon
4 tablespoons butter (or reserved bacon fat!)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt (about a teaspoon)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions
For serving: Sriracha, salsa, sour cream, sliced jalapeños
Instructions
Scrub and rinse potatoes well. Make 3-4 small piercings in each potato with the tip of a knife. Microwave them about 12 minutes, or until tender.
Set aside to cool a while.
Set the oven to preheat to 450ºF if you want to cook them right away.
Meanwhile, slice the bacon strips cross-wise into 1/4″ slices and fry in a single layer in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. (Reserve bacon fat if you’d like to use it in the next step, otherwise, you’ll use the butter.)
Melt the butter (or bacon fat) and stir in the chili powder and paprika.
Cut the potatoes into quarters lengthwise and use a knife to “trim” out the insides of each quarter, leaving a thickness of 1/4 – 1/3″ of potato skin shell.
Lay the skins on a baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet and brush all cut sides with the seasoned butter. (If making these ahead of time, cover and refrigerate at this point up to 8 hours.)
Sprinkle a pinch or two of salt on each potato wedge.
Bake at 450ºF for 30-35 minutes until very brown and crisp.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese and bacon bits. Bake another 5 minutes until melted.
Serve hot with green onions on top and any condiments you like.