How to Bake a Potato
Who amongst us does not like to have a good baked potato now and then? Since we all like these potatoes there is no reason not to have them whenever we have the desire. The thing about baked potatoes is that they can be somewhat tricky to prepare properly if you do not know what you are doing. It is possible to over season and over cook the potatoes to the point where they no longer taste desirable. The good news is that if you follow a few simple steps you can make your baked potatoes perfect every single time that you set out to eat one. Even better is that the steps are simple to follow and do not require any special action on the part of the cook.
The first thing that you will need to do when learning how to bake a potato is getting a few potatoes! Most people like to use small, russet potatoes because the smaller potatoes get crunchier and tastier than the larger ones. These potatoes can be found in just about every grocery store in the world. You can even buy the potatoes in bulk and save them if you plan on making bake potatoes more frequently than you have in the past. After picking out your small russet potatoes at the store you are going to need to go find some other crucial supplies. The next things that you are going to need are some oils. Typically most people prefer olive oil and canola oil but any type of oil that you like will work. In addition to the oil you will also need some salt. No special type of salt is required so you may, or may not, already have some around your home.
Once you arrive home with your potatoes you will need to begin the process of cleaning them. When cleaning the potatoes you really need to make sure that you do not accidentally skin them. If you do, they will not be nearly as good when you get done baking them. To that end, it is recommended that you clean them in cold water with a soft bristled brush. The soft bristles will ensure that none of the skin comes off during the process. After the potatoes are thoroughly and properly cleaned you will want to remove any discolorations that they have. If you find any soft spots or discolorations you can simply remove them with your fingernail. Dig your fingernail under them and remove them so they do not inhibit the taste of the baked potato.
Grab each potato that you plan on cooking and set them aside because you are now getting ready to prepare them. Take a normal fork and stab the potato all the way around. It generally takes about 8 or 10 stabs to get completely around the potato. This step is important because it allows the steam to escape when the potato is cooking. Once you have poked the potatoes they are now ready to be thoroughly dried and cooked. Dry them all off with a paper towel so that they are not wet at all. While you are doing this you can preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
Now that the potatoes are dry and the oven is warming up you can begin to season them. Start by taking a small bit of your oil and adding it to a bowl. Also, make sure to have a container to put the potatoes in after they have been oiled. The next step involves getting a small amount of oil on each potato. It is important not to put too much oil on them so the nest thing to do is dab the potato in the oil into the whole exterior is lightly coated. After you have lightly coated each potato you should then salt them. Take the oiled potatoes out of the bowl and salt each one until it is how you like it.
After the oven has been completely heated up you are ready to go. You will need to place the oiled and salted potatoes on a baking sheet. The baking sheet will help to catch any of the oil that may drip off. Make sure the potatoes are placed about six inches from each other as they may expand and contract in size as they are cooking. The cooking time of the potatoes will really vary depending on the amount that you are cooking. The minimum time that you want to bake the potatoes is one hour. This will ensure that they are completely cooked. You will know when they are done cooking because the skin will be puffed up, crispy and a golden brown color. In addition, the potato should be very soft. You should be able to easily squeeze it.
We also recommend The Vegetarian Meat & Potatoes Cookbook: 275 Hearty and Healthy Meat-Free Recipes (Non Series)