Not too long ago, I embarked on a culinary journey to craft the ultimate recipe for jacket potatoes, a.k.a. baked potatoes, and let me tell you, my family and I indulged in quite a few spuds along the way. It was a quest to uncover the ideal potato variety, cooking method, timing, and temperature to achieve our preferred potato perfection. What we unanimously agreed upon was a potato sporting a substantial, crispy skin with a fluffy interior, best enjoyed piping hot fresh out of the oven, retaining its optimal texture.
To attain this desired outcome, I have come to rely on russet potatoes as our go-to choice, as they deliver the crispiest skins and the most heavenly fluffiness on the inside. Following a generous rubdown with oil, salt, and pepper, these russets are baked in a preheated oven for an extended period to allow that sought-after crispiness to fully develop. While technically cooked through after about an hour, an additional half-hour is crucial to achieve that thick, kettle chip-like crunch on the exterior.
When it comes to the baking temperature, the magic number is 400°F. This temperature strikes the perfect balance, ensuring the potatoes are baked to perfection within a reasonable timeframe without risking them becoming charred on the outside. For your average-sized grocery store potatoes, weighing around 10 to 14 ounces each, a baking time of 1 1/2 hours in a 400°F oven is just what they need.
If you find yourself balking at the idea of waiting that long for a baked potato, fear not! An air fryer can come to your rescue, cutting down the cooking time to a mere hour while maintaining the same 400°F temperature. This approach, in addition to being time-efficient, yields results with skins that are slightly less crispy and more paper-like compared to oven-baked potatoes – a compromise that is still pretty darn delicious.
Now, when it comes to serving up these perfectly baked potatoes, they are no mere side dish – they deserve the spotlight as the main attraction. My personal favorite way to enjoy them is as a lavish dinner, split open and fluffed up with a lavish helping of butter, then adorned with a generous sprinkling of cheese, vibrant green onions, and a dollop of luscious sour cream.
For a taste of Britain, explore my guide on jacket potatoes for some tantalizing potato toppings with a British twist, or let your creativity run wild and add your own personal touch! Remember, a bit of patience in a hot oven will pay off in the form of delectable, mouthwatering results.