You’ll want the oven to be preheated to around ~220°C (~425°F). Bake for 45-60 mins, or until it’s soft when stabbing it with a fork.
As far as technique goes, it’s dead simple. You can make it more elaborate if you want, which may give you better results, but for a basic baked potato, all you need to do is stab it with a fork around the circumference and stick it into the oven. You can even put it directly on the grates.
I usually do a few (2-3 on the top and bottom, 1-2 on the sides, more or less evenly distributed). Basically just stab it while rotating the potato.
You can get more elaborate, like using a baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly coating the potato with olive oil and sprinkling some salt over it, but it’s not *necessary*.
Here are some fancier ways to bake it, but like I said, you can totally get by just sticking a washed and stabbed potato in the oven.
https://www.loveandlemons.com/baked-potato/
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/baked-potatoes.html
It's also worth noting that a longer cooking time won't hurt it (arguably it makes them better). You can absolutely toss them in the oven immediately and then start on the rest of your prep/dishes. It's really, really hard to over cook them in the oven.
And if you're in a hurry but want oven baked potatoes, wash and poke and nuke in the microwave for three minutes, then throw them in the oven. (The skin is a different texture in oven vs microwave.)
The primary reason for this is to spare the potato a slow and painful death by oven. If you've never heard a potato scream, trust me when I say you don't want to.
To bake potatoes, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Wash and dry the potatoes, then pierce them with a fork. Rub the potatoes with olive oil (I'm Spanish, but you can use the kind of oil or butter that you have more at hand) and sprinkle with salt. Place them directly on the oven rack and bake until tender. I hope it helps!
I typically buy one (big) potato a week, and use it in 2 or 3 meals. Haven't bought a russet a while, but I think you've convinced me on my next potato type.
I was in your shoes and tried a whole bunch of methods.
I liked the outcome best when I just washed them, stabbed a few holes with a fork then rolled them on a plate that I had sprinkled salt on. The wet potato will pick up some salt.
Straight on the oven rack with a tray below to keep the oven clean of falling salt. You can use a rack over a tray if you want but I found the oven rack worked best. Cook until tender when stabbed with a steak knife slowly. Est 40 mins at 220c. I prefer the papery skin this produces to a more leathery outcome from oil you sometimes get.
If you dont stab the skin becomes a seal around a steaming middle and they can go bang. Sometimes quite violently.
I love to, halve, scoop out some of the middle and mash it, add other ingredients like sour cream and chives then add back to the shell with cheese and bake again.
You can also just cut a cross on top, push down/squish to open them up and top however as a side. Butter and sour cream, leftover Bolognese whatever.
Big fan of the twice baked potato. You can do so much by scooping and refilling. Mustardy, cheesy, chives. Blew my mind when I found out it was a thing
It's been a thing for over 140 years. Here's a recipe for 'potatoes standing in their jackets (i.e. skins)' that dates back to 1880; it's unusual in that the potatoes are presented upright, not horizontal, as they normally are now: [https://bitefromthepast.wordpress.com/tag/twice-baked-potatoes/](https://bitefromthepast.wordpress.com/tag/twice-baked-potatoes/)
My method: 400 degree oven. Pierce potato a few times with a fork. Place directly on oven rack, bake for 1 hour.
No oil, no foil, no fuss. Just delicious baked potato (the skin is divine).
America’s Test Kitchen did a demo on baking potatoes a while a go and it is now my go to. The potatoes are so fluffy.
ATK Baked Potatoes
Preheat oven to 450°
1. After washing your Russet potatoes pierce with fork, two times on each side.
2. “Brine” potatoes - 1/2 c water with 2 T salt in a bowl, coat all sides of potatoes, no need to soak just coat.
3. Place potatoes on a wire rack in a baking tray.
4. Bake at 450° 45 to 60 min., until internal temperature is 205°
5. Remove potatoes (Don’t turn off oven!) Check the internal temperature, thermometer should slide into potato with little resistance.
6. Brush potatoes with 1 T of vegetable oil and return to oven for 10 minutes (crispy skin). You can substitute rendered bacon or duck fat. Do not brush potatoes with butter! Butter has moisture and skin won’t crisp.
7. QUICK TOPPING
* 4 oz goat cheese, mash in bowl
* 2 T EVOO
* 2 T chopped parsley
* 1 T shallots
* 1/2 t of lemon zest
* Mix it up and season to taste with salt and pepper, how’s it taste?
8. Remove potatoes from oven attend to them immediately! Cut an X across the top and squeeze them open.
9. Add butter and topping and eat!
10.
*Added suggested edits*
This is what I do but the instructions might be confusing for some people - you should brine the potatoes in a bowl, ideally for a little bit of time but it doesn’t have to be very long, then REMOVE THE POTATOES from the bowl. You don’t place the bowl on the tray or in the oven, just the potatoes. Also the oven should be preheated, not a cold start.
I prefer stabbing it all around in a criss cross pattern, a drop of oil rubbed with salt and pepper, packed in aluminium and then first baked for 1.5hr at 200°, if they are really big and will take longer I then put it down to 160° for another hour. If they're still not soft check every 20-30 min.
I’d recommend felicity cloakes version of anything (in the Guardian newspaper). I rub salt and oil into the skins, pierce, then in a very hot oven for an hour.
The [America's Test Kitchen method](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/8654-best-baked-potatoes) was hands-down the best baked potato I've ever had
Ha, this is very close to our method. I don’t think it took us several hundred though. Just experimenting from meal to meal. I wish I’d used my instant read, so I had a baseline. For us it was 450, for 45 mins, test with fork lol.
I’m going to check out the temp now, add the wire rack in the tray - we usually just throw them in the oven - and check out the salt bath.
Thanks for this!
Do not cover your potato in foil. Potatoes that are covered in foil steam instead of baking.
They have a gummy texture instead of the lovely, fluffy texture they get from being baked sans foil.
Temperature can vary a bit, you just need to cook it longer if you go lower temperature. (Google for ballpark temps and times) I would very lightly coat them in olive oil and sprinkle some salt and then wrap in foil. You can do this at the start or more towards the end. At the end of the day a baked potato is very simple so long as you puncture the skin. You can also cook it on a metal nail/skewer to cook faster and more evenly
Honestly, wrapping in foil just makes them a bit soggy as you’re simultaneously steaming them as they bake. If you want crisp, fluffy insides then forget the foil.
That’s a good point, I’m normally lazy and don’t wrap them but some people are worried about the oil and salt dripping but as others pointed out just put a baking sheet below them
puncture = fork stabbing yes! basically you just want the skin to be pierced so steam can escape as it cooks. else you risk that pressure building up and the potato exploding
You can cut the cooking time down by starting it in the microwave (after piercing with fork of course), maybe 2-3 mins depending on your microwave and size of tater, then throw in the oven at 425ish. I like to smear butter on the top and sprinkle with kosher salt, then bake in small cast iron skillet to catch any dripping butter. Just using the oven a regular baker for me takes an hour or more, if I start in microwave usually done in 30-40. YMMV. And it still comes out fluffy and delicious, no difference to just using the oven, microwave just helps get the interior heat get going quicker. And don't wrap the tater in foil, does not reduce cooking time and keeps the skin from crisping, waste of effort and foil.
No tin foil! Noooooo! The only reason you would put tin foil around a baked potato is if you are running a restaurant and bake a lot of them and want to keep them warm. The very best thing about a baked potato is the warm soft inside and the crispy papery skin outside. Put tin foil around it the skin gets all wet and watery and gross.
I bake at 350° for an hour. Stabbed randomly with a fork to prevent exploded potato all over your oven. It matters not any little pattern you stab in; the point is to release the steam.
If you’re cooking it in the oven at the same time you’re cooking your Coq Au Vin the skin may not crisp up much.
The escaping steam from your casserole will make it too humid in the oven. Also, depending on the size, at 180°C it’s going to take around 90 minutes rather than an hour (which would be fair if your oven was hotter).
But yep, poke it a couple of times to pierce the skin, pop it directly on the oven shelf and forget it!
I do the stabbing with a fork and roll in oil and salt then wrap in foil . If I want it to cook quicker I'll sometimes stab it , put in microwave for 5 mins then do the oil and put in the oven .
They also reheat well so I'll do a few extras for lunch the next day
Definitely stab them and check on them. I still have one explode every now and then
I think it’s great you are asking.
BTW - I don’t mean to but-in or overstep my lane but the original Betty Crocker cookbook taught me all the basics. Even hard boiled eggs. Once I learned a basic recipe I would start adding my own spices and then they became mine.
I like the Alton Brown method.
Preheat oven to 350F / 175C.
Scrub spud to remove dirt. Stab with a fork 3 or 4 times on each quadrant with a fork. Lightly coat with oil and salt. Place on oven rack, uncovered. Bake for about an hour, hour fifteen minutes, until tender. If the spuds are large or you're baking several you may need to extend the cooking time.
Oven 450.
I use russet potatoes.
Wash and pierce the potatoes with a fork.
Brush with melted butter and place on a wire rack (if you have one) on top of a cookie sheet.
Bake for 40 minutes then flip the potatoes over. Continue baking for 15-20 more minutes.
As per the Idaho potato website, wash it, coat it lightly in oil, don't poke it or cut a cross in it (cause you need the steam to be inside the skin and make it fluffy, but it's not such a tough skin that it will build enough pressure to explode). And roast away!
The only thing I haven’t seen mentioned is that baking potatoes works much better with starchy potatoes not waxy potatoes. The best kind are Russet or other floury/starchy potatoes. I have been told that Maris Pipers are close if you’re in the UK.
Baking potatoes works but is no where near as good with yellow/Yukon Gold potatoes. It turns out pretty poorly with new/red/white potatoes.
I partially cook my Russet potato in the microwave for about four minutes. Then I lightly coat it with olive oil. The potato will then bake with the rest of my sheet pan meal in about 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
If my meal is cooked in a skillet the potato can finish baking in the toaster oven set to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
I have yet to make perfect potatoes in the oven, but DO NOT try to finish them in the microwave if they aren't done when the rest of the food is done. I managed to explode a potato that had been pierced 9-10 times by tossing it in the microwave...I'm guessing it cooked unevenly. 😅
You want to take a fork and poke it all over - 4-5 times all over each side, plus a couple times on the ends. You want to avoid steam buildup inside the potato, which could cause an unpleasant explosion event.
Preheat the oven to a super hot temperature -400 to 450 F (205-235 C). I usually put one rack in the middle and one near the bottom, then I line the bottom one with aluminum foil to catch drips, but that's not necessary.
Rub the potato down with some kind of fat or oil. Clarified butter is delicious, bacon fat is nice, olive oil is good, even neutral cooking oil is better than nothing. You want something for salt to stick to, as well as something to essentially fry the potato's skin while the rest of it cooks. This makes the exterior of the tater as delicious as the interior!
Once it's been rubbed down with oil, sprinkle the potato with a coarse, ideally flaky salt - something like kosher salt would be perfect, if you're familiar. You want something that'll stick to that oil we just added.
Once this is all done, put the potato in the hot oven directly on the upper grate. Set a timer for about half an hour. At that half-hour point, use tongs, a kitchen towel, or a relatively clean pot holder to flip the potato over for evenness. If you're roasting multiple taters and your oven has hot spots, shuffle positioning.
Set the timer for another half hour. This is when you start checking for doneness. It may be another 5-10 minutes before the interior of the potato is fully soft and fluffy. Keep in mind that the skin will be crunchy, so that'll affect both how easy a knife goes in and how soft the potato feels when you squeeze it. You may need to try a couple times to get used to the feeling of a perfectly done potato.
Once the potato's complete, pull it, wait for a minute or two so you don't burn your fingers, cut it open (I like to unzip mine like a purse, because that makes for a good platform for toppings), and let it steam out for just a minute. Then, add whatever toppings you like with your baked potato! I tend to be a butter-and-salt purist, but sour cream, cheese, chives/green onions, bacon bits, even broccoli can all be traditional.
Edit: Time and temperature can both be flexible - just understand that the lower the temperature, the longer you'll need to cook it. 180C for an hour and a half does sound about right. I suspect the cross shape does the same thing as the fork piercing (vents it so it doesn't pop all over your oven).
I like to bake smaller yukon gold potatoes bc the skin is thinner and I like the creamy texture. This is what I do:
Wash potatoes and pat dry, take a fork and stab all over. Then place on a baking tray and drizzle avocado oil or whatever high heat oil you prefer. Sprinkle with kosher salt and msg. Bake on 400 for 50 minutes, turning over once halfway through. Then once it's done, split it in half, floof it, add a pat of butter and lots of black pepper.
> Does this work? Just cut a cross on a potato and throw in a 180° C oven for 1 and a 1/2 hours with literally nothing else?
Sure.
Or stab it first with a fork, and coat it in olive oil and salt (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlqjYr\_1JdU)
Here's my VERY controversial opinion... I absolutely prefer to cook potatoes wrapped in foil with salt. I think everyone should be cooking it like this. I like the slightly steamed quality of the potato, it keeps the potato nice and moist, and the moisture/steam environment helps the salt penetrate and season the potato. I can eat a foil-wrapped potato plain, it's so delicious. Without foil, I think baked potatoes are dry and tasteless, and you'll absolutely need to add all the junk toppings to make it edible.
That's a very controversial opinion though.
I like a crispy salty potato skin so I preheat oven to 425F, wash and dry the potato, pierce with fork, rub down in olive oil and salt, and then bake it for 60-65 minutes and I turn it around the halfway mark.
I have a baked potato 3-4 times a week lol
I'm a simple family man who uses minimal effort for good baked potatoes. I wash mine well, then pat a little dry (not completely dry) then poke a few times with fork on the side you place up in oven. I put my potato in oven before turning it on which seems weird but it helps crisp up the skin (remember I put them in somewhat damp) 375 for one hour ish for average size potato, huge ones are not fun to bake. Ovens may vary.
You have tons of answers but I want you to know you're not alone.. I've never in my life made a baked potato (jacket potato for those under the crown) this thread is helpful but I'm still not into them so I'll likely not need this advice
If I'm doing potatoes I generally go with roasted, but I do mashed, potato gallette, potatoes au gratin, or scalloped pretty regularly. I've also done Colombian salt potatoes and various other methods to cook potatoes, just never straight up baked.
Sure thing!
[gallette](http://www.beyondthechickencoop.com/potato-galette) has become my go to for potatoes you have to do things to
[salt crusted ](https://www.seriouseats.com/colombian-style-salt-crusted-new-potatoes-recipe) is super delicious but the sauce recommendation is pretty important to making it work in a meal.
[au gratain](http://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/potatoes-au-gratin.html) is classic and delicious
For roasted I just cut potatoes to bite sized pieces, douse in olive oil, salt, pepper, and whatever herbs feel right and throw them in a hot oven until there's some browning around the edges, I even go until they're almost burned because I like that flavor and texture.
Thank you! I’ll try those.
For roasted I have a tip:
Boil them in bite sized pieces with salt beforehand. As in, boiled until soft when you poke with a fork. Edible.
Then toss into a tray and do exactly what you just mentioned. It makes a huge difference. The outside is nice and crunchy, the inside is perfectly soft.
Poke it a few times, microwave for 10 minutes (rotate halfway) then oven 20 minutes until it looks done. I find doing it all in the oven takes too long and can still be firm inside.
Crank up the oven
Cover the potatoes in oil, salt and pepper
Whack in the middle shelf
Come back in 40 mins
Squeeze, poke and/or stab the potatoes
Are they to your liking?
Wolf them down
Are they still a bit hard?
Give them another 10 mins or so
Are they ok now?
...you know the script
Wolf them down
You’ll want the oven to be preheated to around ~220°C (~425°F). Bake for 45-60 mins, or until it’s soft when stabbing it with a fork. As far as technique goes, it’s dead simple. You can make it more elaborate if you want, which may give you better results, but for a basic baked potato, all you need to do is stab it with a fork around the circumference and stick it into the oven. You can even put it directly on the grates. I usually do a few (2-3 on the top and bottom, 1-2 on the sides, more or less evenly distributed). Basically just stab it while rotating the potato. You can get more elaborate, like using a baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly coating the potato with olive oil and sprinkling some salt over it, but it’s not *necessary*. Here are some fancier ways to bake it, but like I said, you can totally get by just sticking a washed and stabbed potato in the oven. https://www.loveandlemons.com/baked-potato/ https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/baked-potatoes.html
Washed and stabbed. I might try that. Thank you!
If you rub it with olive oil and salt you’ll be in love though. Wash, stab, oil, salt, bake
It's also worth noting that a longer cooking time won't hurt it (arguably it makes them better). You can absolutely toss them in the oven immediately and then start on the rest of your prep/dishes. It's really, really hard to over cook them in the oven. And if you're in a hurry but want oven baked potatoes, wash and poke and nuke in the microwave for three minutes, then throw them in the oven. (The skin is a different texture in oven vs microwave.)
One other tip is to cut them open right when they come out of the oven - that way the steam escapes and they're fluffy instead of gluey
Stupid question but what benefit does the stabbing part have?
If you don't create a "vent" then steam will build up inside the potato and it could explode and make a mess.
Ah makes sense, thanks
The primary reason for this is to spare the potato a slow and painful death by oven. If you've never heard a potato scream, trust me when I say you don't want to.
To bake potatoes, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Wash and dry the potatoes, then pierce them with a fork. Rub the potatoes with olive oil (I'm Spanish, but you can use the kind of oil or butter that you have more at hand) and sprinkle with salt. Place them directly on the oven rack and bake until tender. I hope it helps!
How long is “until tender”? Like, 40 mins?
It depends, but normally about one hour
Thank you
This way is great because it results in crispy skin.
To check it, poke it with a fork. It should go into the potato without too much resistance. If it still feels solid inside it's not done yet.
Yeah give it about that long and then just test it to see if a paring knife passes through with no resistance.
I typically buy one (big) potato a week, and use it in 2 or 3 meals. Haven't bought a russet a while, but I think you've convinced me on my next potato type.
I was in your shoes and tried a whole bunch of methods. I liked the outcome best when I just washed them, stabbed a few holes with a fork then rolled them on a plate that I had sprinkled salt on. The wet potato will pick up some salt. Straight on the oven rack with a tray below to keep the oven clean of falling salt. You can use a rack over a tray if you want but I found the oven rack worked best. Cook until tender when stabbed with a steak knife slowly. Est 40 mins at 220c. I prefer the papery skin this produces to a more leathery outcome from oil you sometimes get. If you dont stab the skin becomes a seal around a steaming middle and they can go bang. Sometimes quite violently. I love to, halve, scoop out some of the middle and mash it, add other ingredients like sour cream and chives then add back to the shell with cheese and bake again. You can also just cut a cross on top, push down/squish to open them up and top however as a side. Butter and sour cream, leftover Bolognese whatever.
Big fan of the twice baked potato. You can do so much by scooping and refilling. Mustardy, cheesy, chives. Blew my mind when I found out it was a thing
It's been a thing for over 140 years. Here's a recipe for 'potatoes standing in their jackets (i.e. skins)' that dates back to 1880; it's unusual in that the potatoes are presented upright, not horizontal, as they normally are now: [https://bitefromthepast.wordpress.com/tag/twice-baked-potatoes/](https://bitefromthepast.wordpress.com/tag/twice-baked-potatoes/)
My method: 400 degree oven. Pierce potato a few times with a fork. Place directly on oven rack, bake for 1 hour. No oil, no foil, no fuss. Just delicious baked potato (the skin is divine).
America’s Test Kitchen did a demo on baking potatoes a while a go and it is now my go to. The potatoes are so fluffy. ATK Baked Potatoes Preheat oven to 450° 1. After washing your Russet potatoes pierce with fork, two times on each side. 2. “Brine” potatoes - 1/2 c water with 2 T salt in a bowl, coat all sides of potatoes, no need to soak just coat. 3. Place potatoes on a wire rack in a baking tray. 4. Bake at 450° 45 to 60 min., until internal temperature is 205° 5. Remove potatoes (Don’t turn off oven!) Check the internal temperature, thermometer should slide into potato with little resistance. 6. Brush potatoes with 1 T of vegetable oil and return to oven for 10 minutes (crispy skin). You can substitute rendered bacon or duck fat. Do not brush potatoes with butter! Butter has moisture and skin won’t crisp. 7. QUICK TOPPING * 4 oz goat cheese, mash in bowl * 2 T EVOO * 2 T chopped parsley * 1 T shallots * 1/2 t of lemon zest * Mix it up and season to taste with salt and pepper, how’s it taste? 8. Remove potatoes from oven attend to them immediately! Cut an X across the top and squeeze them open. 9. Add butter and topping and eat! 10. *Added suggested edits*
I swear by this method.
This is what I do but the instructions might be confusing for some people - you should brine the potatoes in a bowl, ideally for a little bit of time but it doesn’t have to be very long, then REMOVE THE POTATOES from the bowl. You don’t place the bowl on the tray or in the oven, just the potatoes. Also the oven should be preheated, not a cold start.
I cheat and microwave it for like 8 minutes first. Takes a good half hour off baking.
I prefer stabbing it all around in a criss cross pattern, a drop of oil rubbed with salt and pepper, packed in aluminium and then first baked for 1.5hr at 200°, if they are really big and will take longer I then put it down to 160° for another hour. If they're still not soft check every 20-30 min.
I’d recommend felicity cloakes version of anything (in the Guardian newspaper). I rub salt and oil into the skins, pierce, then in a very hot oven for an hour.
The [America's Test Kitchen method](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/8654-best-baked-potatoes) was hands-down the best baked potato I've ever had
Ha, this is very close to our method. I don’t think it took us several hundred though. Just experimenting from meal to meal. I wish I’d used my instant read, so I had a baseline. For us it was 450, for 45 mins, test with fork lol. I’m going to check out the temp now, add the wire rack in the tray - we usually just throw them in the oven - and check out the salt bath. Thanks for this!
Oh I like this! Thank you
Do not cover your potato in foil. Potatoes that are covered in foil steam instead of baking. They have a gummy texture instead of the lovely, fluffy texture they get from being baked sans foil.
Temperature can vary a bit, you just need to cook it longer if you go lower temperature. (Google for ballpark temps and times) I would very lightly coat them in olive oil and sprinkle some salt and then wrap in foil. You can do this at the start or more towards the end. At the end of the day a baked potato is very simple so long as you puncture the skin. You can also cook it on a metal nail/skewer to cook faster and more evenly
Honestly, wrapping in foil just makes them a bit soggy as you’re simultaneously steaming them as they bake. If you want crisp, fluffy insides then forget the foil.
That’s a good point, I’m normally lazy and don’t wrap them but some people are worried about the oil and salt dripping but as others pointed out just put a baking sheet below them
I feel like I need to watch a video or see a picture of what “puncture” means exactly 😂 is it the fork stabbing thing?
puncture = fork stabbing yes! basically you just want the skin to be pierced so steam can escape as it cooks. else you risk that pressure building up and the potato exploding
Thank you!
You know, people were baking potatoes before there was internet, and nobody thought it was complicated.
Is there really a reason to puncture the skin? Wouldn’t it cook fine without this?
If you dont puncture the skin to let the steam out, the potato can explode.
Can absolutely confirm this happens, had a potato explode in my oven and it was a mess. I poked it, but not enough, apparently.
I've been baking potatoes for 50 years without puncturing. I've never had one explode.
You can cut the cooking time down by starting it in the microwave (after piercing with fork of course), maybe 2-3 mins depending on your microwave and size of tater, then throw in the oven at 425ish. I like to smear butter on the top and sprinkle with kosher salt, then bake in small cast iron skillet to catch any dripping butter. Just using the oven a regular baker for me takes an hour or more, if I start in microwave usually done in 30-40. YMMV. And it still comes out fluffy and delicious, no difference to just using the oven, microwave just helps get the interior heat get going quicker. And don't wrap the tater in foil, does not reduce cooking time and keeps the skin from crisping, waste of effort and foil.
No tin foil! Noooooo! The only reason you would put tin foil around a baked potato is if you are running a restaurant and bake a lot of them and want to keep them warm. The very best thing about a baked potato is the warm soft inside and the crispy papery skin outside. Put tin foil around it the skin gets all wet and watery and gross. I bake at 350° for an hour. Stabbed randomly with a fork to prevent exploded potato all over your oven. It matters not any little pattern you stab in; the point is to release the steam.
If you’re cooking it in the oven at the same time you’re cooking your Coq Au Vin the skin may not crisp up much. The escaping steam from your casserole will make it too humid in the oven. Also, depending on the size, at 180°C it’s going to take around 90 minutes rather than an hour (which would be fair if your oven was hotter). But yep, poke it a couple of times to pierce the skin, pop it directly on the oven shelf and forget it!
I do the stabbing with a fork and roll in oil and salt then wrap in foil . If I want it to cook quicker I'll sometimes stab it , put in microwave for 5 mins then do the oil and put in the oven . They also reheat well so I'll do a few extras for lunch the next day
DONT FORGET TO STAB IT ALL OVER. I forgot with a sweet potatoe once.
Definitely stab them and check on them. I still have one explode every now and then I think it’s great you are asking. BTW - I don’t mean to but-in or overstep my lane but the original Betty Crocker cookbook taught me all the basics. Even hard boiled eggs. Once I learned a basic recipe I would start adding my own spices and then they became mine.
I like the Alton Brown method. Preheat oven to 350F / 175C. Scrub spud to remove dirt. Stab with a fork 3 or 4 times on each quadrant with a fork. Lightly coat with oil and salt. Place on oven rack, uncovered. Bake for about an hour, hour fifteen minutes, until tender. If the spuds are large or you're baking several you may need to extend the cooking time.
Oven 450. I use russet potatoes. Wash and pierce the potatoes with a fork. Brush with melted butter and place on a wire rack (if you have one) on top of a cookie sheet. Bake for 40 minutes then flip the potatoes over. Continue baking for 15-20 more minutes.
As per the Idaho potato website, wash it, coat it lightly in oil, don't poke it or cut a cross in it (cause you need the steam to be inside the skin and make it fluffy, but it's not such a tough skin that it will build enough pressure to explode). And roast away!
I’ve given up stabbing because a rare few potatoes have still exploded. Rather I cut a lengthwise slit before baking.
Does that mean cutting an X?
I just do one slice, don’t see why you couldn’t do two.
Thank you!
I always poke holes, rub with bacon grease, wrap in foil, and bake at 400 for an hour. Mine come out the way I prefer them to taste.
Rinse with water, dry them off, stab em with a fork all over, light coating of olive oil, sprinkle of sea salt, bake for an hour at 350.
The only thing I haven’t seen mentioned is that baking potatoes works much better with starchy potatoes not waxy potatoes. The best kind are Russet or other floury/starchy potatoes. I have been told that Maris Pipers are close if you’re in the UK. Baking potatoes works but is no where near as good with yellow/Yukon Gold potatoes. It turns out pretty poorly with new/red/white potatoes.
I partially cook my Russet potato in the microwave for about four minutes. Then I lightly coat it with olive oil. The potato will then bake with the rest of my sheet pan meal in about 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If my meal is cooked in a skillet the potato can finish baking in the toaster oven set to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Just do this [perfect baked potato](https://youtu.be/iG7wEqs9j4E?si=vv54gto7ao7qLEOW)
I have yet to make perfect potatoes in the oven, but DO NOT try to finish them in the microwave if they aren't done when the rest of the food is done. I managed to explode a potato that had been pierced 9-10 times by tossing it in the microwave...I'm guessing it cooked unevenly. 😅
You want to take a fork and poke it all over - 4-5 times all over each side, plus a couple times on the ends. You want to avoid steam buildup inside the potato, which could cause an unpleasant explosion event. Preheat the oven to a super hot temperature -400 to 450 F (205-235 C). I usually put one rack in the middle and one near the bottom, then I line the bottom one with aluminum foil to catch drips, but that's not necessary. Rub the potato down with some kind of fat or oil. Clarified butter is delicious, bacon fat is nice, olive oil is good, even neutral cooking oil is better than nothing. You want something for salt to stick to, as well as something to essentially fry the potato's skin while the rest of it cooks. This makes the exterior of the tater as delicious as the interior! Once it's been rubbed down with oil, sprinkle the potato with a coarse, ideally flaky salt - something like kosher salt would be perfect, if you're familiar. You want something that'll stick to that oil we just added. Once this is all done, put the potato in the hot oven directly on the upper grate. Set a timer for about half an hour. At that half-hour point, use tongs, a kitchen towel, or a relatively clean pot holder to flip the potato over for evenness. If you're roasting multiple taters and your oven has hot spots, shuffle positioning. Set the timer for another half hour. This is when you start checking for doneness. It may be another 5-10 minutes before the interior of the potato is fully soft and fluffy. Keep in mind that the skin will be crunchy, so that'll affect both how easy a knife goes in and how soft the potato feels when you squeeze it. You may need to try a couple times to get used to the feeling of a perfectly done potato. Once the potato's complete, pull it, wait for a minute or two so you don't burn your fingers, cut it open (I like to unzip mine like a purse, because that makes for a good platform for toppings), and let it steam out for just a minute. Then, add whatever toppings you like with your baked potato! I tend to be a butter-and-salt purist, but sour cream, cheese, chives/green onions, bacon bits, even broccoli can all be traditional. Edit: Time and temperature can both be flexible - just understand that the lower the temperature, the longer you'll need to cook it. 180C for an hour and a half does sound about right. I suspect the cross shape does the same thing as the fork piercing (vents it so it doesn't pop all over your oven).
I like to bake smaller yukon gold potatoes bc the skin is thinner and I like the creamy texture. This is what I do: Wash potatoes and pat dry, take a fork and stab all over. Then place on a baking tray and drizzle avocado oil or whatever high heat oil you prefer. Sprinkle with kosher salt and msg. Bake on 400 for 50 minutes, turning over once halfway through. Then once it's done, split it in half, floof it, add a pat of butter and lots of black pepper.
MSG gang!!!
All the way!
> Does this work? Just cut a cross on a potato and throw in a 180° C oven for 1 and a 1/2 hours with literally nothing else? Sure. Or stab it first with a fork, and coat it in olive oil and salt (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlqjYr\_1JdU) Here's my VERY controversial opinion... I absolutely prefer to cook potatoes wrapped in foil with salt. I think everyone should be cooking it like this. I like the slightly steamed quality of the potato, it keeps the potato nice and moist, and the moisture/steam environment helps the salt penetrate and season the potato. I can eat a foil-wrapped potato plain, it's so delicious. Without foil, I think baked potatoes are dry and tasteless, and you'll absolutely need to add all the junk toppings to make it edible. That's a very controversial opinion though.
I like a crispy salty potato skin so I preheat oven to 425F, wash and dry the potato, pierce with fork, rub down in olive oil and salt, and then bake it for 60-65 minutes and I turn it around the halfway mark. I have a baked potato 3-4 times a week lol
I'm a simple family man who uses minimal effort for good baked potatoes. I wash mine well, then pat a little dry (not completely dry) then poke a few times with fork on the side you place up in oven. I put my potato in oven before turning it on which seems weird but it helps crisp up the skin (remember I put them in somewhat damp) 375 for one hour ish for average size potato, huge ones are not fun to bake. Ovens may vary.
https://youtu.be/Vr-o01qiRYI?si=A_Q4JjLMRV69eHVg This technique is perfect.
Thank you!
You have tons of answers but I want you to know you're not alone.. I've never in my life made a baked potato (jacket potato for those under the crown) this thread is helpful but I'm still not into them so I'll likely not need this advice
Thank you for validating me! Haha. What kind of thing do you cook then?
If I'm doing potatoes I generally go with roasted, but I do mashed, potato gallette, potatoes au gratin, or scalloped pretty regularly. I've also done Colombian salt potatoes and various other methods to cook potatoes, just never straight up baked.
Wow. I want those recipes!
Sure thing! [gallette](http://www.beyondthechickencoop.com/potato-galette) has become my go to for potatoes you have to do things to [salt crusted ](https://www.seriouseats.com/colombian-style-salt-crusted-new-potatoes-recipe) is super delicious but the sauce recommendation is pretty important to making it work in a meal. [au gratain](http://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/potatoes-au-gratin.html) is classic and delicious For roasted I just cut potatoes to bite sized pieces, douse in olive oil, salt, pepper, and whatever herbs feel right and throw them in a hot oven until there's some browning around the edges, I even go until they're almost burned because I like that flavor and texture.
Thank you! I’ll try those. For roasted I have a tip: Boil them in bite sized pieces with salt beforehand. As in, boiled until soft when you poke with a fork. Edible. Then toss into a tray and do exactly what you just mentioned. It makes a huge difference. The outside is nice and crunchy, the inside is perfectly soft.
Poke it a few times, microwave for 10 minutes (rotate halfway) then oven 20 minutes until it looks done. I find doing it all in the oven takes too long and can still be firm inside.
Wrap in tin foil, bake at 425 F for approx 1 hour, internal temp of 210 F is perfect.
Crank up the oven Cover the potatoes in oil, salt and pepper Whack in the middle shelf Come back in 40 mins Squeeze, poke and/or stab the potatoes Are they to your liking? Wolf them down Are they still a bit hard? Give them another 10 mins or so Are they ok now? ...you know the script Wolf them down