{"id":36657,"date":"2023-12-01T00:06:52","date_gmt":"2023-12-01T08:06:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/?p=36657"},"modified":"2023-11-30T21:50:36","modified_gmt":"2023-12-01T05:50:36","slug":"baked-potato","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/baked-potato\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Baked Potato"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although they often get over looked for mashed<\/a> or roasted<\/a>, a perfect baked potato is a thing of beauty.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Crisp and salty potato skins with the fluffiest potato-y insides?! Oh my gosh, they are the epitome of pure. Add some toppings on and seriously, they might be the most perfect easy-to-make and even easier-to-eat potato out there.<\/p>\n

Confession: I was that weird kid that ordered Wendy\u2019s baked potatoes. I mean, I get why no one gets excited about those baked potatoes – they\u2019re often wrinkly and not at all fluffy inside – but a proper baked potato? Those are perfection!<\/p>\n

In my books, there are three things you need to have to be considered a perfect baked potato: crispy salty skins, fluffy insides, and piping steamy heat. A proper baked potato is so incredibly easy you\u2019ll wonder why you\u2019ve overlooked them your whole life.<\/p>\n

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How to bake a potato<\/h2>\n
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  1. Wash and dry your potato.<\/strong> Give it a good scrub and then make sure it\u2019s completely dry.<\/li>\n
  2. Poke.<\/strong> I have never had a potato explode on me but I also don\u2019t want to clean up exploded potatoes, so I always give my potatoes pokes with a fork.<\/li>\n
  3. Rub with oil.<\/strong> No foil jacket here – all you need to do is loving rub your potato with a bit of oil.<\/li>\n
  4. Salt.<\/strong> Chanel your inner salt bae and make it rain salt. The oil will help the salt stick to the skin.<\/li>\n
  5. Bake.<\/strong> Bake your potato, on a rack in a very hot oven. Give it a flip half way through to encourage even baking.<\/li>\n
  6. Make Fluffy.<\/strong> After your potatoes are baked, use clean oven mitts (or a clean kitchen towel) to squeeze and massage your potato a bit.<\/li>\n
  7. Slice and serve.<\/strong> Cut a little opening, use a fork to fluff, and serve! I like them pure with a pat of really good grass-fed butter and flaky sea salt, but I never ever say no to baked potato toppings!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    Ideal temp for a baked potato in oven<\/h2>\n

    The ideal temperature for baked potatoes is 425\u00b0F. A super hot oven will help the skins crisp up beautifully and bake the insides to fluffy, steamy perfection.<\/p>\n

    How long to bake a potato?<\/h2>\n

    Not gonna lie, baked potatoes take time, but it\u2019s worth it.<\/p>\n

    Bake potatoes for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how big your potatoes are.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Baked potato in foil or no foil?<\/h2>\n

    Should baked potatoes be wrapped in foil? The answer is no! Leaving your potatoes naked in the oven means that the skins will be crispy instead of wrinkly. You know skin on french fries? The skins of these potatoes taste like that.<\/p>\n

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    Baked potato ingredients<\/h2>\n

    Literally all you need is a potato. The best and original baking potato is a russet. Along side your potato you\u2019ll need some oil and salt.<\/p>\n

    What are the best potatoes for baking?<\/h2>\n

    The absolute best potatoes for baking are russets. Russets are the classic potato for baking. They have a thick skin that crisps up perfectly in a piping hot oven and their starchy insides bake up incredibly fluffy, sweet, and starchy. They\u2019re also suitably large, which is nice because you can make a meal out of one potato. Or even two?!<\/p>\n

    How to pick the best potatoes<\/h2>\n

    Take your time when you\u2019re picking out your potatoes. You\u2019ll want potatoes that are all about the same size so they finish in the oven at the same time. Give them a gentle squeeze. The best potatoes are firm and not squishy. They should be relatively blemish free with no cuts, bruises, or wrinkles.<\/p>\n

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    Air fryer baked potatoes<\/h2>\n

    To air fry a baked potato: scrub, dry, and poke your potatoes. Rub them with a bit of oil and season with salt. Place in your air fryer and cook on 400\u00b0F until fork tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour, flipping half way.<\/p>\n

    Crock pot baked potatoes<\/h2>\n

    To make crock pot potatoes: scrub, dry, and poke your potatoes. Rub them with a bit of oil and season with salt. Place in your crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until fork tender.<\/p>\n

    Instant Pot baked potatoes<\/h2>\n

    To make Instant pot baked potatoes: place 1 cup of water in the bottom of your crock pot and place the insert inside. Scrub, dry, and poke your potatoes. Rub them with a bit of oil and season with salt. Cook on high pressure for 14 minutes, then natural release.<\/p>\n

    Microwave baked potato<\/h2>\n

    Microwave a washed, poked, and salted potato on full power for 5 minutes, then flip and go another 5 minutes. use tongs or oven mitts and be careful, the potato will be hot. Do one at a time.<\/p>\n

    Loaded baked potato<\/h2>\n

    To make a loaded baked potato, bake a potato, fluffy it up, and top with shredded cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, sour cream, and chives or scallions.<\/p>\n

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    Carbonara baked potato<\/h2>\n

    The most luxurious baked potato I make is a carbonara baked potato. It is SO good. Think: the creamy, cheesy, egg sauce you love on pasta, but mixed in with fluffy steamy potatoes. Little crispy nuggets of pancetta and freshly cracked black pepper and you\u2019re GOLD.<\/p>\n

    To make carbonara sauce, warm 2 tablespooons heavy cream over medium heat in a small sauce pan. When there are whips of smoke, move the cream off the heat and whisk in two egg yolks until thick and creamy. Whisk in 1\/4 cup finely grated parm, returning to very very low heat if needed to melt the cheese. Pour on your baked potato and add some crispy bits of pancetta and lots of black pepper.<\/p>\n

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    Other baked potato topping ideas<\/h2>\n