Perfect Baked Potato

5 from 10 votes

Perfect Baked Potato

With crispy, seasoned skin, a tender inside, and all the best toppings this recipe always results in the perfect baked potato!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: potatoes

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Ingredients

4 russet potatoes
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Wash potatoes with a stiff brush and cold water, then pat dry. Use a fork to poke 8–12 deep holes all over the surface of each potato to let the moisture escape during cooking.
In a large bowl, lightly coat potatoes with oil and salt. Then place potatoes in the oven directly on the middle rack (or on an aluminium foil-lined baking sheet).
Bake for 1 hour, until the skin is crisp and the flesh feels soft.
Let potatoes cool a bit until you can handle them. Create a dotted line from end to end of each potato with your fork, then crack the potatoes open by squeezing the ends toward each other. Serve with any desired toppings (see note below).

Video

Notes

Topping ideas. Try pulled pork, leftover chili, chopped bacon, salsa, chives, chopped broccoli, cheddar cheese, gorgonzola cheese, blue cheese, scallions and chives.

Make Ahead. After baking your potatoes, choose from three different methods to keep them warm.

Use cooking foil: Remove potatoes from the oven and immediately wrap each baked potato in a foil wrapper, carefully, to prevent all heat ot steam from escaping.
Use a slow cooker: After wrapping each of the baked potatoes in foil, place them into the slow cooker and keep them warm until ready to serve.
Use portable warm containers: This is a preferred method to keep potatoes warm when bringing potatoes from another destination. Wrap potatoes in foil, keep in warm coolers or containers and cover with towels or blankets to trap all heat.

Store. Place leftover baked potatoes in an air-tight container or re-wrap them in foil and store them in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.

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