Loaded BBQ Pulled Beef Baked Potatoes (Appetizer or Dinner)

If you have leftover pulled beef on hand, these loaded baked potato skins are the next thing to make with it. Potatoes are baked until tender, split in half, and piled high with BBQ pulled beef, melty cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of fresh green onion for a bite that is as satisfying as it is flavorful. Because the beef is already made, these come together quickly and work just as well as a shareable appetizer as they do as a full, hearty dinner. Whether you are hosting a game day spread, feeding the family, or just want a fun way to use up extra pulled beef, these loaded potato skins deliver every time.

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Why this is the best Loaded BBQ Pulled Beef Potatoes recipe

It's a simple recipe. These loaded BBQ pulled beef potato skins start with crispy baked potato shells and pile on tender pulled beef, barbecue sauce, plenty of melted cheese, and your favorite toppings. The ingredients are easy to find, and you can use leftover or prepared pulled beef to make them even easier.

Loaded baked potatoes are hearty enough for dinner. A lot of potato skins are more snack than meal, but adding plenty of BBQ pulled beef, cheese, and green onions turns these into something substantial enough to feed your family. Add a salad or some vegetables on the side, and dinner is done.

Loaded BBQ pulled beef potato skins taste amazing. You get crispy, salty potato skins, tender smoky-sweet BBQ beef, and gooey melted cheese in every bite. Add cool sour cream, green onions, or your other favorite toppings, and you've got that hot-cold, crispy-creamy combination that makes loaded potato skins so good.

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Loaded BBQ potato skins are great for parties and game day. These BBQ beef potato skins are easy to pick up and eat, which makes them a fun appetizer for Sunday watch parties, Super Bowl parties, tailgating, casual get-togethers, and even holiday parties.

Loaded baked potatoes are customizable. You can make a big batch of potatoes and beef and let everyone add their own toppings.

BBQ potato skins are a great way to use leftover beef. If you have leftover shredded beef in the refrigerator, this recipe turns it into a completely different meal instead of serving the same thing again.

What you'll need to make the best Loaded BBQ Pulled Beef Potato Skins recipe

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

Ingredients

• Large Yukon Gold potatoes - I prefer Yukon Gold potatoes because the skins are tender enough to eat. If you use Russet potatoes, your guests will not be able to eat the skins (if that matters?), but Russets are higher in starch and lower in moisture which makes the flesh bake up to be a little fluffier than Yukon Golds. Make sure you scrub them.
• Olive oil - This is to help the skins get crispy. You don't need a lot of it.
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• BBQ pulled beef - This is my foolproof recipe that's made in the Crockpot. It's super easy and makes fall apart tender beef that's super easy to shred and a big hit every single time.
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese - You can use whatever shredded cheese you want. I prefer sharp cheddar but pepper jack, colby jack, or any other cheese will be great.
• BBQ sauce - If you use my recipe for BBQ pulled beef, it already has some BBQ sauce in it, but you will probably want more. If you're using beef leftover from some other purpose, you may want extra barbecue sauce for your beef.
• Sour cream - I think sour cream and green onions are the best toppings, but you can use whatever you want. There is a list of suggested toppings below. You can also use plain Greek yogurt.
• Medium green onions

How to make easy Loaded BBQ Pulled Beef Potato Skins

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Wash and dry the potatoes. Brush the potato skins with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
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   Place them directly on the oven rack or a baking dish and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. If the potatoes are not all the same size, you will want to prick potatoes with a fork to make sure they are all tender. Remove from the oven and let them cool enough to handle.
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3. Slice each potato in half lengthwise with a knife.
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   Scoop out only a little of the potato flesh, leaving about ½ inch of potato inside the skin. A spoon works better than a fork for this. (Save the extra potato for another recipe like mashed potatoes.)
   
4. Optional: After scooping, you can brush the skins with more olive oil and bake them for an extra 5-10 minutes at 425°F before filling to make them crispier.
5. Mix the hot pulled beef with the BBQ sauce in a medium bowl.
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6. Fill each potato skin with the saucy pulled beef.
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   Sprinkle cheese evenly on top. You can throw these under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese if you want.
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   Top with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle with chopped green onions, and drizzle with extra BBQ sauce.
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Cook's Tips

Don't Over-Scoop: When you slit the potatoes, leaving about ½-inch of potato flesh inside the skins helps them hold their shape and adds more texture.

Extra Crispy Skins: After scooping, you can brush the skins with more olive oil and bake them for an extra 5-10 minutes at 425°F (220°C) before filling to make them crispier.

Pulled Beef Variations: You can use leftover brisket, slow-cooked beef, or even store-bought pulled beef.

Cheese Options: Swap cheddar for pepper jack, mozzarella, or gouda for a different flavor.

Wrap in foil: You can cut the baking time by a few minutes by wrapping the potatoes tightly before putting them in the oven.

Consider grating your own cheese: I almost never grate my own cheese, so I'm not going to shame you for using pre-shredded cheese. I think 99% of the time, pre-shredded cheese is just fine. However, in this recipe, if you don't plan on baking or broiling the potatoes for a few minutes after putting the cheese on top, the cheese may not melt fully. Freshly grated cheese melts much more quickly so it will melt just from the heat of the hot pulled beef.

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Substitutions & variations

Make twice-baked potatoes by baking the stuffed baked potatoes for another 15-20 minutes. If your pulled beef is not hot, you may want to rebake the potatoes to heat everything up.

You can use homemade pulled beef or leftover shredded beef for these potato skins. You could also substitute BBQ pulled pork or shredded chicken if that's what you already have on hand. You could even use chili in place of shredded meat.

Use your favorite barbecue sauce. A sweet BBQ sauce works especially well with the salty potatoes and cheese, but you can use smoky, spicy, tangy, or sugar-free barbecue sauce depending on what your family likes.

Cheddar is a classic choice for loaded potato skins, but you can substitute pepper jack, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, mozzarella, or a Mexican cheese blend. For extra cheesy potato skins, combine two or three different cheeses.

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You can add bacon along with the pulled beef for even more smoky flavor. Crumbled cooked bacon or bacon bits can go under the cheese before baking or over the finished potato skins as a topping.

For spicy BBQ pulled beef potato skins, add sliced or pickled jalapeños, crushed red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or a spicy barbecue sauce. Pepper jack cheese is another easy way to add a little heat.

Don't be shy with the toppings. You can use a little butter if you want, under the beef. Try sour cream or Greek yogurt, sliced green onions, chopped red onion, fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, chives, ranch dressing, extra BBQ sauce, or even a spoonful of coleslaw for a southern flavor.

You can use smaller potatoes to make loaded potato skins for an appetizer, or larger potatoes and load them generously with beef and cheese when you want to serve them for dinner. If you make smaller, appetizer-size potato skins, you'll definitely want to rebake them after scooping out the flash because those need a really crispy skin to hold up to a handheld snack.

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FAQs

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes! Bake the potatoes and prep the filling in advance. When ready to serve, assemble and bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Can I use sweet potatoes instead?

Absolutely! Sweet potatoes work great, but they may be softer, so handle them carefully when scooping.

What can I do with the scooped-out potato?

Use it for mashed potatoes, potato pancakes, or even to thicken a creamy soup.

How do I store leftovers?

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10-15 minutes for best results.

Can I freeze them?

Yes! Freeze the assembled potato skins on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a bag and store for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes.

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Storing leftover loaded baked potatoes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 375°F for 10-15 minutes for best results. You can also reheat in the microwave but the skins won't be crispy anymore.

Freeze the assembled potato skins on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a bag and store for up to 3 months. There is no need to thaw in the refrigerator. Bake from frozen at 375°F for 20-25 minutes.

Check out more delicious Potato recipes

• Air Fryer Potato Wedges
• Loaded Ranch Potato Salad
• Crock Pot Potato Soup Recipe
• Air Fryer Potato Chips
• Easy Potato Recipes for Busy Weeknights
• Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
• Simple Instant Pot Potato Salad Recipe

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