Russet potatoes being prepped before baking
Russet potatoes being prepped before baking
While the potatoes bake, brown the ground beef. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until well browned and no pink remains, about 7–9 minutes. Drain off any excess fat if needed.
Prepare the brown gravy according to the packet directions, using water as instructed. You should have about 1 cup of smooth gravy. Pour the prepared gravy into the skillet with the cooked ground beef and stir to coat the meat evenly.
Reduce heat to low and let it simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, just until the mixture thickens into a rich, spoonable beef gravy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Ground beef simmering in brown gravy in a skillet
Ground beef simmering in brown gravy in a skillet
When the baked potatoes are tender, remove them from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Let the potatoes cool just until they are safe to handle, about 10 minutes.
Slice each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out most of the potato flesh into a bowl, leaving a sturdy shell about 1/4 inch thick so the halves hold their shape. Arrange the hollowed potato shells, cut side up, in the prepared glass casserole dish.
To the warm potato flesh in the bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the butter, a generous pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Mash until smooth, adding a tablespoon or two of water or milk only if needed to make the potatoes creamy but still thick enough to hold their shape when piped or spooned. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Scooped potato shells and mashed filling in progress
Scooped potato shells and mashed filling in progress
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Brush or drizzle it over the insides and rims of the potato shells in the casserole dish. This helps the shells stay flavorful and lightly crisp around the edges as they bake.
Spoon the beef-and-gravy mixture into each potato shell, filling them almost to the top and dividing it evenly among the 8 halves. Press lightly with the back of the spoon so the filling is compact and level.
Top each filled potato with a generous layer of the mashed potatoes. You can spoon the mash on rustically or transfer it to a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off) to pipe swirls over the beef. Aim to fully cover the meat so it doesn’t dry out in the oven.
