An easy meal that can often be overlooked is the humble baked potato. The problem is, being “humble” often means that home cooks can do a few key things wrong when making baked potatoes. Too commonly, potatoes come out of the oven with leathery skins or mealy textures.
There are, however, a few wonderful little techniques that will give you the perfect baked potato every time.
YouTube cooking channel America’s Test Kitchen has a helpful video, showcasing the techniques you can use to bake your potatoes to perfection without fail. Test cook Elle Simone appears on the show to give the host her rundown on her perfect potato method.
So let’s get into it!
You’ll need:
- russet potatoes
- 2 tbsp salt
- 4 oz goat cheese
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp parsley
- 1 tbsp finely diced shallots
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- vegetable oil
Go ahead and preheat your oven to 450° F (232° C).
The first step is to poke a few holes in your potatoes with a fork.
Press a fork two or three times on each side.
Russet potatoes are best.
These have the highest starch density, which makes them perfect for baking to get that lovely fluffy texture.
The next step in making the perfect crispy-skinned baked potatoes is to brine them before we bake them. Pour half a cup of water into a bowl and add 2 tbsp of salt. Mix the salt well into the water. The key with the brining is to not brine them for too long. A few seconds of submergence into the saltwater is enough to do the job.
Tray, and bake away!
Place your potatoes on a tray with a rack to allow them to bake evenly on top and bottom. We want to bake our potatoes to a specific temperature, rather than for a set time. When we pull our potatoes out, they should be at an internal temperature of 205° F. This should take about 45 minutes to an hour in the oven.
Temp your potatoes.
As Elle Simone describes, pushing a thermometer needle into our potatoes achieves two things simultaneously. It allows us to check the temperature of our potatoes, obviously, but it also allows us to check the resistance. A properly cooked potato will allow the needle to slide in and out with ease.
Don’t rush the brush.
Brush your cooked-through potatoes with vegetable oil, and place them back into the oven for approximately ten more minutes. You can alternatively brush them with rendered fats such as duck fat, but not butter as that actually contains moisture.
Work up that topping.
Combine your goat’s cheese, olive oil, parsley, shallots, and lemon zest in a bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, but bear in mind that the potatoes will already be salty, so don’t overdo it.
You’ve got to cut it…
After the additional ten minutes in the oven, your potatoes should have perfectly crispy skins. You will be able to hear how crispy they are when you cut crosses into the tops! Make sure to get straight into it rather than leaving them to lose their steam and texture.
Top and enjoy!
Place a wee block of butter on top to melt, and put in a healthy scoop of your topping, and hey, it’s ready to enjoy! Yout potato will have the perfect fluffy texture, and delectable crispy skins.
Watch the video below to see how Elle does it, then try it yourself!
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