To produce baked potatoes with an evenly fluffy interior, we figured out their ideal doneness temperature is 205 degrees F. And while a microwave might seem like a fast way to “bake” a potato, we found several reasons why it’s actually the worst approach.
First, microwaves heat foods very unevenly, so some parts of the potato might rapidly reach 205 degrees while others get to only 180 degrees. Second, rapidly heating a potato causes pressure to build and cell walls to burst, releasing starch molecules that glue together the broken cell walls. And lastly, baking them in a hot (450-degree) oven prevents a leathery “pellicle” from forming underneath the peel.
Before tossing the potatoes in the oven, we coated them in salty water. We then crisped the skin by painting it with vegetable oil once the potatoes were cooked through and baked the potatoes for an additional 10 minutes.
Best Baked Potatoes
Serves 4- Salt
- Pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 (7- to 9-ounce) russet potatoes, unpeeled, each lightly pricked with fork in 6 places
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Remove potatoes from the oven and brush the tops and sides with oil. Return potatoes to the oven and continue to bake for 10 minutes.
Remove potatoes from the oven and, using paring knife, make 2 slits, forming an X, in each potato. Using a clean dish towel, hold the ends and squeeze slightly to push flesh up and out. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with the toppings of your choice.
