Wash russet potatoes and poke a few holes in them with a fork
Rub them lightly with olive oil, sprinkle them with sea salt and wrap them in foil
Bake the potatoes until they are cooked through
Prepare the Twice-Baked Filling
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut all the potatoes in half. You will use six potatoes but will only be filling four of them (eight halves). You need the extra of the inside of the other two to make these heaping.
Place the eight halves in a square cast iron pan. Scoop out the inside of the potatoes leaving a little bit of the inside next to the skin. This will help hold it all together.
Combine the insides of the potatoes along with the butter, sour cream and cheese. Mash with mixer. If the mixture is too dry, slowly add the half and half. You want the mixture to be thick and chunky.
Fill each potato half with a heaping amount of potato mixture.
Add the shredded brisket on top and cook at 400 for 15 minutes or until toasty. Remove from oven and add the chives on top of the potatoes.
Notes
Cheese: Mix up the types of cheese for great results. I kept it mild, so the flavor of the smoked brisket popped through. Cheddar works great here too. Or use whatever cheese you usually use in your twice baked potatoes. Garlic Option: Add minced garlic to the potato mixture for a fun addition. Garlic makes everything taste better, right?Don't be tempted to add salt and pepper as there is more than enough on the crust of the brisket. Over mixing: Make sure to not over mix! The potato mixture will be sticky and won't have a smooth texture. This is the time to leave it alone. Russet Potatoes: Make sure to use the good ol’ russet potatoes. These potatoes go through a lot and you need them to be able to handle it all. Remember the tip above of leaving a little bit of the potato meat on the skin? Russet potatoes make it really easy to hold together. Adding in Half and Half Last: Sometimes the cheese and butter will be enough to get that rustic, thick texture and sometimes you will want just a couple tablespoons of half and half. Don’t throw it all in and hope for the best here. Slow and gradual are the key to the game.Storage: Cover the leftover twice baked potatoes with a piece of plastic wrap or tin foil. Then place in the fridge for 4-5 days. Freezer Friendly: Store in a large freezer-safe bag and frozen for up to 3 months—Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or oven.