It seems silly to have to post something this simple but we have all become accustomed to microwaving potatoes and I keep forgetting the time and temperature settings required to create an old fashioned oven baked potato.
Why bake potatoes in the oven?
- I really think they taste better and have a better consistency than microwaved potatoes.
- If you are entertaining and feeding a large number of people, it is easier to make large batches of baked potatoes on the oven than it is in the microwave.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Wash the potato and cut out any bad spots.
- Tear off enough aluminum foil to wrap around all sides of the potato at least 1.5 times.
- Lay the foil on the counter shiny side up. We want the shiny side touching the potato and the dull side on the outside. This helps absorb and retain heat.
- Lay the potato on the foil and puncture it with a fork several times in each side (about every 3/4″)
- Put about 2 teaspoons of olive oil or melted butter or cooking oil over the potato.
- Roll the potato in the oil to coat the entire surface. This helps seal the potato and also helps the spices stick to the outside.
- Salt the entire outside if the potato.
- Optionally add pepper, rub, or other spices.
- Seal the potato in the aluminum foil.
- Lay the sealed potato directly on the oven rack.
- Cook smaller potatoes for about 45 minutes. Larger potatoes take at least 1 hour.
- The potatoes are done when they compress slightly when you squeeze the foil and the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees.
