The perfect baked potato, with crispy skin and light and fluffy on the inside, may be easier to achieve than you think. Whether pairing with your favorite steak or seafood, or making a meal out of it, baked potatoes are a consistent crowd favorite. Below we have outlined how to bake the perfect potato with several different cooking methods.
Oven
- Preheat oven to 450-degrees.
- Cut an “x” in the top of the potato; fluff flesh.
- Brush or rub outsides of potatoes with olive oil and kosher salt.
- Place potatoes on a rack lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until fork tender.
- Add butter to flesh; season with salt and pepper. Serve with chives and sour cream.
Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 °F.
- Wash and dry potatoes, and pierce with a knife or fork to allow steam to escape.
- Place in air fryer and cook for 30 minutes, or until internal temperature is around 205.
- Remove potato, brush with oil and season with salt, and return to the air fryer for another couple minutes to crisp.
Grill
Baked Potatoes on the grill is probably the one time we recommend using foil. The foil while it does trap steam, also protects the potato from the intense heat of the open flame of the grill.Pressure Cooker
- Add water to a pressure cooker;
- brush potatoes with oil and place potatoes on rack or steamer basket over the water. (the water level should be lower than the rack)
- Cook on high for 18 minutes. Let pressure release naturally.
- To crisp skin, place potatoes on oven rack at 450-degrees for 10 minutes.Serve with butter, chives, salt and pepper.
Microwave
Most view microwaving as a quick and easy way to prepare baked potatoes. However, microwaving does not cook the potato evenly, which can lead to inconsistencies in the texture. It also can cause tough leathery skin, not the light crispy skins we all love. However, microwaving for a few minutes prior to placing the potato in the oven or air fryer can speed up cooking times. We highly recommend spending the extra few minutes to utilize the oven, grill or air fryer. It will be worth it!Topping Ideas
- Chili
- Ricotta cheese
- Pesto
- Cottage cheese
- Broccoli
- Beef tips/beef brisket
- BBQ Sauce
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Salsa