Top This: Baked Potatoes (2024)

FAQs

What to put on top of a baked potato? ›

People are often accustomed to placing their taters on a baking sheet with parchment paper or wrapping their spuds in foil. But one of the reasons why restaurant baked potatoes taste so good is because kitchens know that using wire racks or oven grates allows all sides of the spuds to be exposed to hot air.

We recommend baking potatoes at 400 degrees F for about an hour. Smaller spuds might take a little less time, while larger baking potatoes over 1 pound might take a little more. For a fully baked Idaho Russet Burbank, the internal temperature should be right at 210 degrees F.

A: Most restaurants blossom the potato open using a fork to open it up to form a double cross with the tines and then push on the ends to have the insides pop open, they add butter, then sour cream, shredded cheese and bacon bits and chopped green onions on top.

Earthing up potatoes

It's a simple process – once the shoots are about 23cm (9in) tall, draw soil up around them to form a ridge along the row, leaving just the top 10cm (4in) of the plants visible. As the stems grow taller, repeat the process several times, a few weeks apart.

"I see a lot of people using foil to wrap their potatoes in but this is a big no-no and causes soggy skins!" he says. Foil holds in moisture and steams the potatoes, resulting in a "boiled" taste and texture. Plus, without the use of foil, the skin will get extra crispy and flavorful.

"Yes, it's good to prick them," Smith told Food52. "It pokes holes in the skin, which allows steam to escape. Otherwise, they could explode—it doesn't happen all the time, but it happens every once in a while.

Why is it common to salt the exterior of a baked potato? A: Chefs started doing this years ago to allow the salt to absorb or draw out the moisture of the potato while baking, which results in a dry, fluffy potato. They used to do something similar with prime rib, sometimes baking it over rock salt.

According to Restaurant Ninjas, restaurants that serve baked potatoes bake their potatoes in advance and keep them in warming equipment. Moreover, there is a constant cycle of new potatoes going out to ensure the food is fresh.

Baking at 450 degrees F is way too high and the potato will have a wrinkled skin. Baking for an hour and a half is too long, the potato will be overcooked. Of course it can take that long if potatoes are stacked on top of each other.

Should I cover my potatoes when baking? ›

NEVER BAKE POTATOES IN FOIL.

Foil wraps will not decrease baking time, but will result in a soggy potato interior with wet skin. Wrapping a baked potato in foil after it has been baked will allow you to hold up to 45 minutes, but the best method for holding a baked potato is in a bread warming drawer.

Because a microwave steams the inside of the potato rather than baking it from the outside, the resulting potato has a fluffier inner texture. The only downside of microwaving potatoes is that the skin gets soggy and doesn't have the crispy texture that you get from the oven.

For a big spread with lots of side dishes, you'll want to have about four ounces (125 grams) of potato (that's precooked weight) per person. If you're serving fewer sides, you can up it to about eight ounces (250 grams) per person.

If you oil them up early, the skins may not turn crispy. The salt, too, can run off the potatoes in the heat. Instead, do a quick oil baste after the potatoes reach 205°F: Remove the pan from the oven. Brush with olive oil (or bacon grease if you have it) and a hefty sprinkle of kosher salt.

You can use pens, paint, fabric, paper, card, recycled items or any craft materials you may have at home to add features and costumes to your potato. A simple tip to help your potato stand up is to cut a section from a cardboard toilet roll. It should sit in it comfortably – unless you have a strange-shaped potato!

The best side dishes to serve with baked potatoes are grilled vegetables, steamed broccoli, Caesar salad, roasted Brussels sprouts, sautéed mushrooms, bacon-wrapped asparagus, garlic green beans, chili, coleslaw, roasted tomatoes, spinach and artichoke dip, BBQ chicken, buffalo cauliflower, and Greek salad.

Decide on Toppings

Editor's Tip: Additional favorite baked potato toppers include roasted red peppers, blanched broccoli, diced onions, diced ham, shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh herbs, sliced hot peppers, sliced olives and crushed tortilla chips.

It may be served with fillings, toppings or condiments such as butter, cheese, sour cream, gravy, baked beans, and tuna, among others. Some varieties of potato, such as Russet and King Edward, are more suitable for baking than others, owing to their size and consistency.