I know, "perfect" is such a subjective word. I guess I should say "my particular version of a perfect baked potato" but that is kind of long. You can not just throw a baked potato in an oven with some holes in it and then take it out and call it perfect, at least not in my books. I did some research and found out how to make a baked potato so that it is nice and crispy on the outside and perfectly fluffy on the inside.
After washing and pricking your potatoes with a fork, moisten a paper towel with canola oil and put a thin layer all over the potato. Sprinkle with kosher salt and put in a super hot oven (mine was 500F!) right on the rack and leave it there for an entire hour. If it is a small potato, bake for less time. A big potato like this one needs a whole hour.
I learned this trick from the lovely Paula Deen. To make the potato all fluffy inside, cut down the top and then using your tongs (or fingers if you can handle the heat) crush the potato a little:
Nice and fluffy on the inside, nice and crispy on the outside! From here you can fill it with whatever you want.
Considering it is getting hot here because spring has finally found us in Nova Scotia, I decided to bake potatoes last night because I have no idea when it will be cool enough to make them again. For those of you with a barbecue, you can use that instead of heating your whole house like I did.
There is nothing better than a perfect baked potato and if I am going to eat all those carbs and toppings, it better be the potato of my dreams!
13 comments:
I cook them exactly the same way, except I use olive oil instead of canola. I saw Alton Brown cook them this way on Good Eats a while back (or maybe I read it in his book?) and would never make a potato without the oil and salt again!
Looks delish! Great photos!
Very cool! I've read about the oil before, but never the salt. I confess I've been too lazy to try the oil in the past, but I'll do it next time I do potatoes in the oven rather than the microwave! (Yes, I know, microwaved baked potatoes aren't the same... but sometimes I want one in faster than the hour it takes to bake a real one.)
Thanks for the tips! We don't do baked potatoes often at my house, but next time we do this is how they'll be made! The crushing with the tongs tip is neat.
YUM! I will definitely try that next time! :) Thanks Suzie :)
Delicious! That baked potato does look pretty perfect!
mmm...you are so right...there is nothing quite like a perfect baked potato...especially if you get that bite that has the perfect balance of potato, sour cream, chive, butter and cheese (my fave toppings)
that does look perfect i like mine with tuna and mayo a British thing dont ask !!
Never new about doing bake pototo in the oven that hot or the salt.
Coffee is on.
Yummy baked potato. I'm going to do the whole crushing technique to make it fluffy when I bake one soon. Makes me want some right now. Maybe tomorrow, I'll have some.
Your tutorials are easy to follow and full of great photos and tips. I like tips! Great work Suzie!
Great advice, just doing it this way right now!
I must admit, i used to do the same, but at 180 not 250.
Well, they turned out exactly as you have described.
Crispy crunchy skins and lite fluffy centers, just perfect.
Oh I am so happy to hear the potatoes turned out great Jamie! That extra heat really crisps them up and yet the insides are still fluffy. Thank you for letting me know, I appreciate it.
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