Want the perfect baked potato? I'll show you how to get that wonderfully crispy, salty skin and fluffy, light centre every time, with both an oven method and a quicker method. I'll also show you which potatoes to use, why you should never wrap them in foil, how to keep them warm for a baked potato party and some seriously good topping ideas, from butter chicken and beef barbacoa to pizza and smoked salmon!
About Baked Potatoes
Baked potatoes or (jacket potatoes in the UK) are a way of serving potatoes that can be filled or topped with a delicious range of toppings from simple like sour cream and chives to more complex. The perfect baked potato has a light and fluffy centre of light potato and is perfectly seasoned on the outside.
I'm going to show you how to achieve a restaurant style baked potato that is crispy skinned with a fluffy centre for anything from 1-12 potatoes (baked potato party!).
Why This Baked Potato Recipe Works and Why You'll Love It
-
I'll show you two different ways to cook a baked potato. The first is the classic oven baked potato with a crispy skin and the second is a quicker method where the potato is first cooked in the microwave and then the oven! This way cuts the cooking time in half (and honestly it's the one I use most often).
-
I'll explain why you don't want to wrap your potatoes in foil when baking (a common misconception).
-
You'll learn which potato varieties work best for baked potatoes (very important for the fluffy centre!).
-
I'll go through how to fluff up the centre of the baked potato so that it is light and delicious in the centre and more enjoyable to eat.
-
I will also explain how to tell when the potato is cooked (there's nothing worse than an under-cooked baked potato!).
-
I'll show you how to keep baked potatoes warm so they don't dry out.
-
I've also got some topping ideas from Butter Chicken baked potato, Beef Barbacoa baked potato, Pizza baked potato to a smoked salmon and cream cheese baked potato!
-
If you are having a crowd over, a baked potato party is a great idea. People can add the toppings that they like - we did this and it was SO much fun!
The 5 Biggest Mistakes When Cooking Baked Potatoes (& How To Avoid Them!)
1 - Wrapping the potato in foil. This as this traps the moisture in (potatoes are 80% water) and steams the potato making the texture gummy and prevents that dry, light and fluffy centre and crisp skin.
2 - Cooking at a low temperature. We bake the potatoes high at 220C/428F to dry out the centre of the potato so that it is light and fluffy.
3 - Choosing the wrong potato type. You want a high starch/low moisture potato. Look for Russet, Sebago, Maris Piper or King Edward. The variety is what makes a baked potato fluffy (along with the high heat cooking).
4 - Under seasoning the baked potato. Unless you're on a special diet, be generous with the salt. Potatoes really need salt to bring out their flavour. A lot of the salt will fall off, especially when you're fluffing up the potato. If you love salty potatoes, try these salt potatoes too.
5 - Over baking the potato. The potato is done when the internal core temperature reaches 93C/200F.
Video How To Make Baked Potatoes
Ingredients For Baked Potatoes
Potatoes - Look for large potatoes (around 220-250g/7.7-8.8oz) Russet, Sebago, Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes.
Avocado oil - It has a very high smoke point.
Salt - Fine salt.
Butter - Salted butter.
Tips For Making Baked Potatoes
1 - Look for 220-250g/7.7-8.8oz potatoes. These are large enough to fill and be a meal in themselves.
2 - Should you poke holes in a potato before baking? Yes! Especially if you're using the microwave hybrid method. I use a fork and poke the potato 4 times and then turn it over and poke it another four times. Otherwise baked potatoes may explode from the pressure as the steam needs to escape.
3 - Make sure to oil the potatoes well. I wash and scrub the potatoes and then brush them all over with oil and then a liberal amount of fine salt before microwaving them. Then I do a second coat of oil before baking them in the oven. The oil helps to get a crispy skin and the salt is used to season the potatoes well.
4 - Baked potatoes take around 60-70 minutes in the oven so make sure to leave enough time. Microwaving the potatoes cuts out the first 30 minutes cooking time. After you microwave them all you need is another 30-40 minutes in the oven.
5 - As soon as the potato comes out of the oven, cut an X or a slit down the centre and using a teatowel, squeeze the sides of the potato to fluff up the centre. You can also take a fork and fluff up the inside before inserting a square of butter and leaving it to melt.
6 - To keep a batch of baked potatoes warm for a party, loosely wrap the cooked potatoes in foil and place them in a slow cooker set to "warm". This will keep them warm and the skin crisp for 1-2 hours.
7 - Can I microwave the potatoes one day and then bake them in the oven the next day? Yes! Make sure to cool them down completely after microwaving them before storing in the fridge overnight in an airtight container.
8 - Storage and reheating. If you have any leftover baked potatoes, reheat them in a 180C/350F oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Leftovers are also lovely turned into baked potato soup or you can try these stuffed baked potatoes next. For more potato inspiration, I have plenty more potato recipes too.
Toppings For a Baked Potato Party
People can get as creative as they want with these toppings:
Hearty toppings: bacon bits, diced salami, Butter Chicken, Beef Barbacoa, vegan mushroom ragu, baked beans.
Finishing touches: sour cream, cheese, cream cheese, chives, chilli crisp, pico de gallo, olives, cream, corn, pizza sauce.
Reader Comments