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Perfect Baked Potatoes - Secrets for Baking
Potatoes
How To Bake Potatoes
 The perfect baked potato has crisp
golden skin on the outside and is pure white and fluffy on the inside.
How To Choose Potatoes for
Baking:
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Any potato can be baked, but for the
perfect baked potato with the desired flaky texture, it is recommended
that mature, baking-type potatoes such as the Russet potatoes be used.
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Make sure that the skin has a nice even brown tone without a greenish cast.
Inspect the potatoes thoroughly to make sure that there aren't any
significant bruises, discolored spots, or sprouts.
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When baking a large amount of potatoes at one time,
choose potatoes with uniform shapes and sizes; they'll cook more evenly and get
done at the same time.
How To Prepare Potatoes for Baking:
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Adjust the rack in your oven to the middle position and preheat oven to
desired temperature (see chart below).
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Rinse and scrub (I use a stiff-bristled brush) each potato under cold
running water, as you will be eating
the skins of these perfect potatoes. Dry each potato thoroughly.
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Look the cleaned potatoes over and remove any bruises or discolored
spots with the tip of your knife.
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Pierce each deeply with a fork or sharp knife four times on each side at
approximately 1" intervals. This will allow steam to
escape during the baking. If you don't pick the potatoes, they may explode during baking in your oven.
You don't want this to happen as it makes a terrible
mess in your oven!
NOTE:
Wrapping the potato in aluminum foil will produce a soft skin (not crispy), but
technically this is steaming rather than baking (as the moisture in the
potato remains trapped) and the light, flaky texture will be missing. The
texture of a steamed potato is entirely different from that of a perfect
baked potato. Save yourself the trouble and expense of wrapping in aluminum
foil and serve perfect baked potatoes. My
suggestion is to never use aluminum foil when baking potatoes!
For a soft skin, rub the potato
with
olive oil, vegetable oil, or butter over the skins.
NOTE:
I like to roll the potatoes in
coarse
or kosher salt
after rolling in the oil and before baking.
Place coarse salt onto a small plate. Roll
potatoes lightly in the salt. The skin is so yummy to eat!
How To
Bake
Potatoes - Cooking Temperatures for Baked Potatoes:
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Conventional or Regular Oven:
Medium-size potatoes
(about 5 ounces or 150 grams each)
45 minutes at 400 degrees F.
60 minutes at 350 degrees F.
90 minutes at 325 degrees F.
Potatoes are done if
tender when pierced with a fork and the internal temperature
reaches 210 degrees F. Use a
meat thermometer
to test for doneness.
You can also test
for doneness by gently squeezing the middle of the potato (using
a pot holder). If it gives in easily to your touch, it is done.
You can also use a
meat thermometer
to test for doneness. Potatoes are done if tender when
pierced with a fork and the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees
F.
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Convection Oven:
Medium-size potatoes (about 5 ounces or 150 grams each)
45 minutes at 375 degrees F.
60 minutes at 325 degrees F.
90 minutes at 300 degrees F.
Convection ovens cook up to 20% faster than
regular ovens. Also, the food in a convection oven is cooked at
a lower temperature than in a regular oven to achieve the same
results.
The general rule is to decrease your oven temperature at least
25 degrees lower than a regular oven.
You can also use a
meat thermometer to test
for doneness. Potatoes are done if tender when pierced with a
fork and the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees F.
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Bake on racks of oven until tender.
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The higher the oven temperature, the shorter the cooking time will be and the
crustier the skin. Larger potatoes will take longer to bake. Bake potatoes along
with whatever else you are baking and gauge the cooking time according to oven
temperature.
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Turn the potatoes over halfway through the baking time to prevent
browning of the undersides where they touch the oven rack.
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Potatoes are done if tender when pierced with a fork and
the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees F. Use a
meat
thermometer
to test for doneness. You can also test for doneness by
gently squeezing the middle of the potato (using a pot holder). If it gives
in easily to your touch, it is done.
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When baked to perfection, remove potatoes from the oven. Slit across the
top with a sharp knife. Gently pinch (squeeze) in each end of the potato towards the middle
(using your thumb and index finger). The potato will pop oven loosen the fluffy white interior from the skin.
You now have a perfect baked potato - All you need
to do is top it with your favorite topping and enjoy!
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