Oktoberfest Potato Skins

These delicious potato skins were the break out winner of the Oktoberfest meal. After trying these, my mind immediately went into overdrive thinking of all the possibilities of different variations. The combination of brats, caramelized onions and German cheese?  YUM!

Just think, pulled pork with BBQ sauce and white cheddar. Cubed ham, bell peppers, onions and shredded Swiss. Chorizo with fajita vegetables and pepper jack cheese.  Maybe I should start a series of these?

4 Russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried

olive oil

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 T. olive oil

3 Bratwurst sausages, diced

1 T. butter

2 large yellow onions, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced

1/2 cup Oktoberfest variety beer

2 T. melted butter

1/2 cup white cheddar

1/2 cup sauerkraut (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle a little olive oil over the potatoes and coat with salt and pepper.

Bake the potatoes for an hour or so or until you can pierce the potatoes easily with a knife. Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool until you can handle them easily.

While the potatoes are baking, add olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Add diced bratwurst and allow to cook, stirring often, until brats are browned. Remove from skillet and add the butter.

Lower the heat to low and add the onions to the skillet. Lightly salt the onion slices.  Allow the onions to caramelize to a deep golden brown.  This will take about 20 - 25 minutes. Stir them frequently to keep them from sticking.

When the onions are caramelized, add the brats back into the skillet. Add the pumpkin beer and allow the beer to reduce and the onions will become glossy and the mixture will thicken. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.

When the potatoes have cooled enough to handle, slice in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the potato leaving a 1/2 inch border. (I added the potato I removed to the Oktoberfest soup to help thicken it!)

Brush some of the melted butter onto the inside of each potato as well as the outside of the skins. Place back into oven, flesh side up under the broiler until the skin begins to brown. Turn the potato skins over and crisp the other side for a few minutes.

Fill each potato skin with a portion of the brat/onion mixture and then sprinkle with a little of the grated cheese. Place back under the broiler until the cheese has melted. Add a little sauerkraut, if desired.

Adapted from The Cozy Apron.