An entire post on how to make baked potatoes?
Yes, there are new cooks out there that have never attempted to bake a potato and don’t know where to start. Remember, we were all there at some point in our culinary cooking journey. Even if you are a more seasoned cook, read on, you might actually pick up a useful tip that will take your baked potatoes over the top!
Baked potatoes are a staple that we return to over and over again. So learning how cook them properly will serve you well. It is one of the easiest sides you can make that pairs so well with almost any meal, but we especially love them with a roast beef. Steak and baked potatoes are such a classic combination, and for good reason, they taste delicious together! It will always be a perennial favorite! Add some veggies or a fresh green salad and you have a complete balanced meal; protein, carbs, fats and veggies. Done and done, yum and yum!
There are various cooking methods you can use to make baked potatoes. You can microwave them. This is useful if you are short on time. It takes only minutes to cook but this cooking method won’t produce a crisp skin and fluffy interior. This is a great cooking method at work. I usually have a raw potato in my cubicle, I know, I’m weird. Heat in the microwave, top it with some heated leftovers from home, and voila, a quick tasty lunch.
You can cook them in your slow cooker, again they won’t have the crisp skin and fluffy interior, but this method is another convenient alternative. I have utilized this method when we are camping. I wrapped them in foil, placed them in the slow cooker on low and they cooked away all day while we were out and about enjoying our day. When we got back they were soft and ready to eat. I loved the convenience of cooking them in this way.
I have seen posts where they were cooked in an Insta-Pot. I have not tried this particular method myself, since I do not have one, but it looks like it might be a good alternative if you are short on time.
The classic, tried and true preparation, is to bake them in the oven. This is the preferred method that will produce a spud with a nice crisp skin, and a fluffy, light, steamy hot interior.
Making a perfectly baked potato isn’t hard to do. It takes some time to cook in the oven but it is really quite simple if you follow a few easy steps.
For the best results, use a regular russet potato. They are perfectly suited for this because of their high starch content. It’s the perfect spud for a baked potato!
Wash them well under warm water, use a scrubber brush if they seem especially dirty; using just my hands typically gets the job done nicely for me.
Dry them completely with a paper towel.
Use a fork and prick each potato several times. Don’t skip this step! This will allow the steam that builds up inside the potato to escape as it cooks. If you neglect doing this you many have a potato explode in the oven. This has happened to me in the past. I put 4 potatoes in the oven and when the timer went off, I opened the oven door and there were only 3 potatoes. One had exploded and made a big mess in my oven. So don’t skip this step; be sure to prick your spuds!
If you like to eat the skin then take this extra step when preparing them for the oven. Pour a little olive oil in your hands and rub each potato to cover with a thin layer of oil, then sprinkle with a coarse salt; Kosher salt or pink Himalayan salt both work well for this. The oil helps the salt stick to the skin.
Place prepared potatoes in a preheated 375 degree oven, directly on the oven rack. This allows the heat to circulate completely around them producing a nice crisp skin, eliminating the need to turn them, with no soft spots from where they were sitting on a baking sheet.
Bake for 1 hour and check them to see if they feel soft. Depending on how large they are it could take longer. I typically cook them for 90 minutes to make sure they are nice and soft! If you are not sure if they are done or not, it’s better to cook them longer. There’s nothing worse than an undercooked, hard baked potato.
TIP: If you are preparing several different dishes and the potatoes are done before everything else, just turn the oven to warm. They will keep for a good 30-45 minutes while you get everything else ready. This makes them such an easy, versatile side!
The goal is to have a nice crisp skin, so that when you cut into it, a nice curl of steam escapes to reveal a fluffy soft interior that’s just begging for some butter!
See how easy it is to bake the perfect spud?
Top with the traditional toppings:
- Butter
- Sour cream
- Chives or green onions
- Crumbled bacon
- Shredded cheese
- Ranch dressing
TIP: When entertaining, consider setting up a potato topping bar. Set out various toppings and allow your guests to pick their favorites for their spuds. This elevates the lowly spud to something a little more special.
A perfectly baked spud can also serve as the base for a meal. Use them to create a leftover makeover meal.
Try some of these ideas for a simple meal:
- Top a potato with leftover chili, diced onions, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.
- Top with leftover Sloppy Joe meat and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Top with steamed broccoli and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Top with leftover taco meat, and any leftover toppings from your last taco night. And don’t forget the cheese ☺
- Top with leftover diced ham and shredded cheese.
- Top with leftover meatloaf, cut into bite sized pieces and drizzle with gravy.
- Make a “crack” potato, top with ranch dressing shredded cheddar cheese and bacon crumbles.
- Top with cottage cheese and green onions for a simple lunch.
- Top with diced avocado, Pico de Gallo or salsa, shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.
Use your imagination! I’m betting you probably have some leftovers hanging out in your fridge right at this very moment that could easily be used as a topping for a perfectly baked spud for dinner tonight!
Go grab a few spuds, get them going in the oven and enjoy a perfectly baked potato! Let me know what creative toppings you decide to use!