How to make a Baked Potato?

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Russblue11

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So, my mom got a large bag of potatoes impulsively. We've never made one before so I was wondering if anyone has any tips or recipes. I looked online, and most said to use virgin olive oil and kosher salt. But they vary a lot, some saying to poke holes before, some say right after. Some say put foil, some say don't. Please help!
 
Just boil them and mash them! Mix a little sauteed garlic, add a little milk or cream and of course some butter and you've got some great garlic mashed potatoes. Very easy to do. It's great way of using up a lot of potatoes. You don't want them sitting around; you need to use them before they sprout.
 
A very lazy way to make a baked potato is to poke holes in a potato with a fork, many times and then wrap it in a paper towel and throw it in a microwave for 15-20 minutes. You got yourself a good baked potato right there.
 
Or bake it for about an hour in a conventional oven.

I prefer baked to mashed, although I love mashed as well. But when I bake a potato, I eat the whole freaking thing, skin and all. Butter and sour cream and maybe a little salt.
 
Ok, what temp are you people jacking your oven up to that it only takes an hour? Or maybe my store has potatoes on steroids.

In any event, I poke holes in mine, wrap in foil, no oil, no salt on the outside, then put in a 375 degree oven for an hour and a half. I also turn them once halfway through.

You can do a whole potato bar thing with ham, broccoli, shredded cheeses, chives, bacon bits, etc. Any leftovers? Make twice baked for the next night by cutting in half and scraping out the middle about half inch away from the skin. Mix the scraped potatoes with a little milk and bacon bits, cheese, mash. Put back in potato hull and bake for another half hour in 350 oven.

Still more leftovers? Cube it up and make homefries in a skillet with a little oil, chopped onions, green peppers chopped small. Or you could make potato soup. Oh, the possibilities.
 
I think I love you. =P~

I usually just take a medium potato, throw it in a sock (clean or not, its a matter of preference), soak it well and then chuck it into the microwave for 5-10 minutes.

[quote name='browneyedgal68']Ok, what temp are you people jacking your oven up to that it only takes an hour? Or maybe my store has potatoes on steroids.

In any event, I poke holes in mine, wrap in foil, no oil, no salt on the outside, then put in a 375 degree oven for an hour and a half. I also turn them once halfway through.

You can do a whole potato bar thing with ham, broccoli, shredded cheeses, chives, bacon bits, etc. Any leftovers? Make twice baked for the next night by cutting in half and scraping out the middle about half inch away from the skin. Mix the scraped potatoes with a little milk and bacon bits, cheese, mash. Put back in potato hull and bake for another half hour in 350 oven.

Still more leftovers? Cube it up and make homefries in a skillet with a little oil, chopped onions, green peppers chopped small. Or you could make potato soup. Oh, the possibilities.[/quote]
 
Start with a russet potato. Wash it.

Then, I poke a couple holes in mine (though once and awhile I've forgotten and it didn't make a huge difference), cover in oil, rub in sea salt, put oven on 350-400 (depending how fast I need them and how many there are-- longer times for more potatos), and cook them DIRECTLY ON THE RACK. You can put a baking tray or foil under it on the lower level, to catch the drippings. Flip em over halfway.

When they're done (depending on size and type of potato, it can be from an hour to two), they'll feel crispy on the outside, but the inside should feel soft. Best way to crack them open is poke holes in a line from end to end, then squeeze it and it should pop open.

Appearently, Alton Brown and I agree on this subject:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_128,00.html

Alton is never wrong.
 
Quick & Easy way = microwave for 10-15 minutes

Best way = Oven for 75-90 minutes

I perfer the oven method because you can cook more than 1 or 2 at a time (if you're cooking for others) and because I personally think some toppings you may add to it can get "ruined" in the microwave.
 
[quote name='jezebelseven']Start with a russet potato. Wash it.

Then, I poke a couple holes in mine (though once and awhile I've forgotten and it didn't make a huge difference), cover in oil, rub in sea salt, put oven on 350-400 (depending how fast I need them and how many there are-- longer times for more potatos), and cook them DIRECTLY ON THE RACK. You can put a baking tray or foil under it on the lower level, to catch the drippings. Flip em over halfway.

When they're done (depending on size and type of potato, it can be from an hour to two), they'll feel crispy on the outside, but the inside should feel soft. Best way to crack them open is poke holes in a line from end to end, then squeeze it and it should pop open.

Appearently, Alton Brown and I agree on this subject:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_128,00.html

Alton is never wrong.[/QUOTE]
FTW!!!

This is the best way to bake a potato period.
 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

poke holes in potato

Rub oil and kosher, or sea salt over potato

stick in oven for an hour right on the oven rack

Basic French method that makes a damned good baked potato. It'll make you eat the skin even if you never did before.

EDIT: forgot to mention if you leave it longer then 80 mins or so it will turn wrinkly, and mushy.
 
[quote name='jezebelseven']Start with a russet potato. Wash it.

Then, I poke a couple holes in mine (though once and awhile I've forgotten and it didn't make a huge difference), cover in oil, rub in sea salt, put oven on 350-400 (depending how fast I need them and how many there are-- longer times for more potatos), and cook them DIRECTLY ON THE RACK. You can put a baking tray or foil under it on the lower level, to catch the drippings. Flip em over halfway.

When they're done (depending on size and type of potato, it can be from an hour to two), they'll feel crispy on the outside, but the inside should feel soft. Best way to crack them open is poke holes in a line from end to end, then squeeze it and it should pop open.

Appearently, Alton Brown and I agree on this subject:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_128,00.html

Alton is never wrong.[/quote]


........



Yup.

Cooking taters in the microwave is for hookers and fat people.

Or you could cube them up, stick them in boiling water for 8 minutes and then put them in the oven at 425 for 10 minutes.
 
oven: 350, potato: slice top or poke with fork, cook until you can easy jab a fork into it and remove it. potato will remain mostly hard, and the fork will not come outt as easy, if not cooked.
 
[quote name='Graystone'][quote name='Predator21281']just chuck it in a microwave. Fastest way.[/QUOTE]

...to make a potato taste like ass.[/QUOTE]



You, sir, are mistaken. What kind of CAG are you?!?!

To make a KICK ASS "baked" potato in a microwave, all you need is a bowl filled approximately half way with water and about 15 minutes of time. Put the potato in the bowl ensuring that the water covers the potato at least half way then set the microwave for eight minutes. When the eight minutes is done, turn the potato over and set the microwave for another six to seven minutes. Voila! Cheap Ass Gamer Baked Potato!
 
[quote name='daphatty']You, sir, are mistaken. What kind of CAG are you?!?!
[/QUOTE]

One that is a cook by profession :)

Trust me everyone try the French method (in my OP), and I bet you that you will never microwave a potato again. Its warm and soft in the middle, crunchy salty on the outside. It really can't be beaten.
 
Ever notice that a plain baked pototo is the worst tasting thing ever? I think they're just an excuse to eat butter.
 
[quote name='daphatty']
To make a KICK ASS "baked" potato in a microwave, all you need is a bowl filled approximately half way with water and about 15 minutes of time. Put the potato in the bowl ensuring that the water covers the potato at least half way then set the microwave for eight minutes. When the eight minutes is done, turn the potato over and set the microwave for another six to seven minutes. Voila! Cheap Ass Gamer Baked Potato![/QUOTE]


If by 'baked' you mean 'micro-boiled'.

Baking = Dry Heat.
Water = Not Dry

Tossing it in the oven doesn't make it any less cheap ass, after all.

Don't get me wrong-- Boiled potatos can be awesome, too, but that is not a baked potato!
 
[quote name='Maklershed']Give a potato some weed *rimshot*[/QUOTE]
I saw this topic and was like, "oh snap, the perfect setup".

They you had to go ruin it for me by posting the first weed joke.

Jerk.
 
The best way does not involve a microwave or an oven. Fire up the Weber grill. Wrap the taters in foil with a pat of butter. Once the coals are white, bury the wrapped taters in the coals. Let the spuds sit in the hot coals for at least an hour before you start testing them for doneness. Once a toothpick stuck into the spud comes out clean, the tater is good to go - take it out of the coals, unwrap it and eat up.
 
[quote name='The Omniscient Lemon']Just put it in the microwave, it's the new ramen. rofl

Happy thanksgiving everyone.[/quote]

[quote name='JimmieMac']........



Yup.

Cooking taters in the microwave is for hookers and fat people.

Or you could cube them up, stick them in boiling water for 8 minutes and then put them in the oven at 425 for 10 minutes.[/quote]

:)
 
[quote name='BIG5']Ever notice that a plain baked pototo is the worst tasting thing ever? I think they're just an excuse to eat butter.[/quote]

Yep. Or sour cream.
 
[quote name='BIG5']Ever notice that a plain baked pototo is the worst tasting thing ever? I think they're just an excuse to eat butter.[/quote]

I like plain baked potaoes. But I like them more with butter or sour cream.
 
Take the time and do it right.

Don't ever put a potato in the micro.. you're just steaming it that way. Put it in a hot oven (400/425) prick some holes and (like someone said) rub it in olive oil and then lightly salt the outside. This is what makes the outside CRISPY. You will want to eat the skin... its super good. When you pull it out, to make it fluff up, you're supposed to either give it a little horizontal karate chop (be careful not to burn yourself.. it's a quick chop) and all the steam escapes at once and for some reason it seems to make it more fluffy. use a fork to whip it up a little. just make sure you cook it long enough. semi-cooked baked potato is pretty gross.

While you're waiting for this, throw two pieces of bacon in a pan and fry those up. Fresh bacon bits = good times. I like a little green onion, some sour cream, cheese... anything you want.
 
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