How do you make your "baked" potatoes?

[a1tinkfans]

when I am lazy....just scrubbed and thrown ion micro for 6 minutes and then checked for doneness.
But when I want to serve Good ones....I scrub em, brush em with olive oil, sprinkle sea salt and then into a 400 Oven for 20 -30minutes..
Crispy on the outside, Fluffy and light in the inside...YUM!!

Oops...I poke holes both ways.

 

[ilovemk76]

My favorite way is in aluminum foil buried in charcoal. I rarely make them in the oven anymore. I usually do them in the microwave.

 

[Sadie22]

If you don't pierce the skins with a fork, they can explode due to the steam inside. Messy. There's a lot of fiber in the skins. Trim off any green spots.

I usually make twice-baked stuffed potatoes. I scrub a couple dozen, pierce them several times, and bake in the oven for about an hour until tender. I then cut them in half and scoop out the insides into a bowl, leaving a thin layer of potato in the skin. I mash the insides, adding broccoli or spinach, and refill the skins. The stuffed potatoes are frozen on a tray and then placed in the freezer in zip-lock bags. We take out as many as we need for a meal and heat them in the microwave, adding cheese if desired.

I make frozen mini-meat loaves, too, so my husband can thaw out one of his favorite dinners by himself.

 

[branv]

I used to bake them with foil, every now and again the microwave when in a hurry, but after watching a Good Eats episode on the "best method", I'm sold. Like a PP, we poke them, rub them with oil, put a little kosher salt on the outside, and bake the right on the oven rack. SO GOOD. The skin gets kind of crispy, which we do like to nosh a little. But even if you don't eat the skin, the flavor of the potato just tastes better, a little nuttier and roasted in flavor. And we've also noticed the inside seems fluffier. Can't explain it, but I know it's so good that now we often make them as a main course.

We usually get larger potatoes, so we cook at 375-400 for 45 min-1 hr (I flip them halfway through).

Incidentally, for better consistency, don't cut the potato open with a knife. Use a fork, and poke a line of holes along the top. Then push on both ends to pop it open (can be hot, so use some kitchen towels if you have sensitive hands). "Fluff" insides with fork. It really does make a difference.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I set my oven to about 450 degrees. I wash the potatoes, wrap in foil, pierce with fork, and bake for about an hour, sometimes longer. Like another poster, I like them really creamy.

Same here.

 

[ChristmasElf]

wash the potatoes, put a slice in the top to allow even baking. Brush veg oil on the skins with a pastry brush and dust with coarse salt. (the salt draws the moisture out making for a lighter, fluffier baked potato.)
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet and sit the potatoes on the sheet pan.

Bake at 365º for 1 hour.

(do not use foil. Foil wrapped potatoes are actually steamed potatoes)

 

[Sorsha]

Scrub them, wash them, poke them all over with a fork. Bake them, always in the oven, for a realllllly long time. I like well-done interiors and crispy skins. I will eat the skins too.

I don't like to wrap them in foil because I don't think they get as crispy.

 

[intheworks]

I sometimes do ours in my crockpot..wrap in foil fork em and cook on low all day.I work nights so its easier for me to do that and have them ready when I get up in the afternoons. Add a quick meat and voila dinner

 

[shortbun]

Do you have to pierce them with a fork/knife?

I admit that I've never baked them in the oven. ***hangs my head in shame***

I've always put a few "pierce" marks in them with a knife and throw them in the microwave for about 7 minutes, turn them over and put on for another 7-8 minutes (depending on the size).

This is me. Microwave all the way. I like them just as much as in the oven. When we're grilling, I put them on the rack in the grill in foil.

 

[Christine]

wash the potatoes, put a slice in the top to allow even baking. Brush veg oil on the skins with a pastry brush and dust with coarse salt. (the salt draws the moisture out making for a lighter, fluffier baked potato.)
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet and sit the potatoes on the sheet pan.

Bake at 365º for 1 hour.

(do not use foil. Foil wrapped potatoes are actually steamed potatoes)

My potatoes would never be done at this low of heat within an hour. I must be using MONSTER potatoes. It takes a least an hour at 450 to get done. Sometimes longer.

 

[John VN]

Just a FYI, with the methods already given but substituting sweet potatoes will result in a healthier tater. Also, sprinkling cinnamon on the finished tater will provide a myriad of additional health benefits.

cinnamon benefits...http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html

 

[afnaechiquita]

For those who microwave then oven - what's the purpose of that? Just wondering as I've never heard of that before!

I always bake mine. I usually eat sweet potatoes over regular potatoes. Just like regular potatoes, I'll rub them in oil, put them straight on the oven rack (no holes) at 450f for 20 minutes, then reduced to 350f for another hour or so. Lately though, I've been dicing them, drizzling in oil and garlic salt, baking at 420f at 15 mins then 375f for 10 minutes or until crispy. My favorite =)

 

[Christine]

For those who microwave then oven - what's the purpose of that? Just wondering as I've never heard of that before!

I have done this before if I'm short on time. Obviously, I buy BIG potatoes!

Anyway, sometimes my potatoes take 1-2 hours too cook, even at a high heat. If I've come home from work and got some steaks that will be ready in 45 minutes, obviously I can't wait for the potatoes. So I will get them half-done in the microwave and then put them in the oven for the remainder of the time.

I am one of those folks who knows the microwave just doesn't do them justice. Doing half and half is almost as good as flat-out baking them the whole time.

 

[mombrontrent]

I guess we are the odds ones out because we never eat baked potatos. Only time is in the summer if we go to my inlaws trailer we'll buy those pre-washed and foiled baked potatos and throw them on the grill for an easy no-fuss, no-mess dinner side. We also do corn on the cob the same way with those potatos to make the meal even easier. I usuaully like to dice, season and roast my potatos at home, I just find baked potatos boring and bland so I never make them, but perfect for the boring, bland trailer experience

 

[afnaechiquita]

I have done this before if I'm short on time. Obviously, I buy BIG potatoes!

Anyway, sometimes my potatoes take 1-2 hours too cook, even at a high heat. If I've come home from work and got some steaks that will be ready in 45 minutes, obviously I can't wait for the potatoes. So I will get them half-done in the microwave and then put them in the oven for the remainder of the time.

I am one of those folks who knows the microwave just doesn't do them justice. Doing half and half is almost as good as flat-out baking them the whole time.

Ahh, that makes sense!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I'm another who starts them in the microwave to save time, and finishes them in the oven to get the skins crispy enough. I do poke them with a fork, and I don't wrap them in anything.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

350 in the oven for 1.5-2 hours.
Scrub the skin REALLY well.
Wrap in foil.
Poke several times with a fork.
Add butter, garlic and a seasoning called "Good S---".

Not exactly in that order