Baked Potato Bar

Setting up a Baked Potato bar at your next barbecue takes the humble baked potato to the next level!

Now that the summer has started our backyard comes alive with a hub of activity, whether it’s just our little family or extended family and friends, spending time enjoying a leisurely summer meal is what makes the season special. 

There is nothing I enjoy more than feeding people.  It is a passion of mine to make sure everyone leaves the table happy and full!

Tim is always in charge of the grilling.  Truth be told I am not even sure how to turn the barbecue on, but the rest of the meal is up to me.  Coming up with new side dishes and desserts is a challenge I fully embrace. This Grilled Corn on the Cob is one such side dish that is a big hit!

One way to ensure everyone has a memorable meal is a self-serve set up.  Summer time is the perfect time for creating a self-serve Baked Potato Bar. 

I have to confess, it wasn’t too long ago that I loathed making baked potatoes.  They just took so darn long to cook.  Oh, but the thought of rich, creamy sour cream melting into a piping hot potato always made the effort worth it!

That was until I discovered a few tricks that make cooking baked potatoes a snap. 

 (I will get to those tricks in a little bit.)

First, putting together a self serve baked potato bar is easy, quick, and chances are you already have a lot of the ingredients in your refrigerator and pantry.  In my opinion no baked potato is complete without a heaping serving of sour cream.  Anything you add on top of that is just a bonus.

I admit I am a bit of a sour cream hog.  I tend to reload my baked potato as I am eating, so I spooned some into a little jar just for myself!

I put this baked potato bar together last weekend to celebrate the Victoria Day weekend with family.  I think it is a safe bet that no one was disappointed!

The Campfire Cake was a big hit too! Nothing says summer like a campfire whether it is the first campfire of the season or the last!

Here are a few ingredient ideas for creating your own self serve potato bar, but really anything goes:

• Gay Lea Gold Premium sour cream or other full fat sour sour cream
• chopped fresh chives
• crumbled crispy bacon
• crumbled blue cheese
• baked beans
• chili (canned is fine, but homemade…yum!)
• Gay Lea Butter
• Ivanhoe Aged Old Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• crispy fried onions

It is always the best idea to set out your ingredients in a big tub or tray with about 2 inch high sides filled with ice to keep things appropriately chilled for food safety.  The day I set out mine, we were literally eating straight away, so there was no risk of anything left sitting out in the heat!

These 2 cup ceramic bowls are perfect for holding the different toppings in a stye.

Choosing the best sour cream for your baked potatoes, and choosing the perfect sized russet potato are very important.  And these two tips I am about to share have changed the way I feel about cooking baked potatoes completely.

Two tips for the best baked potatoes

First, after piercing your potatoes all over with a fork (we don’t want any potato explosions), arrange on a microwave safe glass plate and  microwave about 10 minutes for 4 potatoes, then simply wrap in foil and finish off cooking on the barbecue.  This will cut the actually time on the barbecue in half!

The second option is, and this is a good one, again pierce the potatoes all over with a fork, rub them with olive oil, wrap in foil and layer them in your slow cooker. Cook on high for about 4 1/2 hours or 8 hours on high.  Ready when you are!

Here it is!  My edible masterpiece.  A heaping spoonful of Sour Crème, a sprinkling of chives and shredded aged cheddar, a tiny bit of bacon bits with a side of baked beans!

So tell me.  What’s on top of your ultimate baked potato?

Until next time….