Baked: How to cook baked potatos?
Subject: How to cook baked potatos?
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: skatz19 at mail.idt.net (stuart katz)
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 01:54:28 GMT
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Can someone tell me how to get baked potatos soft like the resturaunts do?
Thanks in advance,
From: Sue Beck (fishnsue at mail2.quiknet.com)
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1997 22:17:17 -0800
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All I do is use good russet potatoes, scrub clean, place in a pre-heated 400 degree oven and bake for about 1 hour or until a fork can be inserted easily. Remove from oven and wrap in a dish towel for 5 to 10 minutes. Before cutting open, massage the potato to soften. Cut open and add all those good those good things on top.......Sue
From: Tricia (calbar at accutek.com)
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1997 22:36:44 -0800
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Do you have a microwave? Does it have an auto "baked potatoe" setting? If the micro is small double the time the auto setting uses. If it is a large micro increase by half. Remember to pierce the tators before cooking. After they are cooked, pierce again to test adjusting time if necessary. Carefully remove from micro, wrap in tin foil and let set for at least 5 min.
For regular oven, bake, wrapped in foil, at 325 for 1 1/2- 1 3/4 hours for large potatoes and 1 1/4- 1 1/2 hours for med potatoes. Again let set in foil for at leat five minutes (10 is probably better).
I am not an expert and I am sure some will disagree with me. I have cooked potatoes using both methods with very good (and soft) results.
From: Perry (perrym at widomaker.com)
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 18:11:43 -0500
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I found that the following works:
Wash and scrub potatoes
Place in 450 degree oven for 30 minutes (no need to cover with foil)
Take out of oven and prick all sides with a fork
Put back in oven and cook an additional 30 minutes for small-medium potatoes and 45 minutes to an hour for large potatoes.
Happy eating!
From: Dan Masi (danm at warren.mentorg.com)
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 12:26:08 -0500
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Trica wrote:
> Do you have a microwave? ... Remember to pierce the tators before
> cooking. After they are cooked, pierce again to test adjusting time
> if necessary. Carefully remove from micro, wrap in tin foil and let
> set for at least 5 min.
>
> For regular oven, bake, wrapped in foil, at 325 for 1 1/2- 1 3/4 hours
> for large potatoes and 1 1/4- 1 1/2 hours for med potatoes. Again let
> set in foil for at leat five minutes (10 is probably better).
>
> I am not an expert and I am sure some will disagree with me.
I try to make it a point to disagree whenever I can! So...
If you want a good, *fluffy* baked potato, don't do any of the above. Make sure you start with a russett (aka Idaho, aka "baking") potato. Then, just put in a hot oven (400 - 425F) for about an hour and a quarter. As *soon* as it's done, take it out, put a slit in the top, and squeeze the ends together to "open" the potato. This will keep it from steaming itself silly.
About a year ago, Cook's Illustrated did an indepth analysis of the "perfect" baked potato, and the above procedure is what they came up with. Recommended reading.
From: RCC (rcolthea at extro.ucc.su.au)
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 13:59:13 +0000
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Certainly to some extent it is a matter of getting the sorts of potatoes which are suited to baking.
If you aren't speaking about the potatoes necessarily being in their jackets, then for soft baked potatoes, peel and cut into large pieces then parboil the potatoes before baking them. For crunchy-on the outside baked potatoes, peel, cut and fry first. For soft-on-the-inside, crunchy-on-the-outside baked potatoes, follow both instructions. For super-crunchy, score the pieces with a fork before frying.
If this is too labour-intensive, you can roast potatoes in certain oils without making them too oily. Coconut oil is one of these. vegetable shortening of many types is possible. Animal fats are not good for this, although they give by far the best flavour. Animal fats such as beef "dripping" can be saved for frying. McDonald's used to use animal fats for their fries until the vegetarians and health freaks got testy. McDonald's used to have good fries.
From: sisgome at aol.com
Date: 21 Jan 1997 06:04:43 GMT
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I have had good luck with using shortening over the skins, wrapping potatoes in foil, and baking in a slow oven. You need to realize, also, that some restaurants may keep their bakers in a steam table of sorts to keep them warm until serving.
From: aquari at aol.com (Elizabeth Dean Brooks)
Date: 22 Jan 1997 01:06:18 GMT
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My very favorite baked potato has been washed, rubbed with bacon drippings, stuck with fork!!!, and baked in the oven 400 degrees until the outside is really crisp and the inside is soft....Served with butter, salt and pepper and sour cream, whatever...fabulous! I eat the whole thing skin and all!
Lib
From: Kate Connally (connally at physast1.phyast.pitt.edu)
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 11:23:43 -0800
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Aquari wrote:
> My very favorite baked potato has been washed, rubbed with bacon
> drippings, stuck with fork!!!, and baked in the oven 400 degrees until the
> outside is really crisp and the inside is soft....Served with butter, salt
> and pepper and sour cream, whatever...fabulous! I eat the whole thing
> skin and all!
That's pretty much what I do but I never heard of sticky it with a fork for the oven. The only time you have to prick them in for the microwave. I've been baking potatoes for well over thirty years and I've never had one explode. Anyway, washed, rubbed with bacon fat or butter and baked at 350 for 1 hour and then served with butter, salt, pepper, sour cream and dill is the way I do 'em. The skin is the best part. I don't usually eat it in restaurants, though, because you don't know how well they scrubbed the skin. Since they're usually served as though they don't expect anyone to eat the skin, I assume the worst. Actually I rarely order a baked potato in a restaurant because they're always so stingy with the sour cream, *if* you can even *get* real sour cream in the first place!!!
From: Karyn Davis (davis at crc-corp.com)
Date: 22 Jan 1997 17:45:31 GMT
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Kate Connally writes:
> That's pretty much what I do but I never heard of sticky
> it with a fork for the oven. The only time you have to
> prick them in for the microwave. I've been baking potatoes
> for well over thirty years and I've never had one explode.
Well, I've only been baking them for well over 20 years, and HAVE had them explode in the oven! What a mess!! So I always "sticky it with a fork" now.
From: aquari at aol.com (Elizabeth Dean Brooks)
Date: 23 Jan 1997 02:01:33 GMT
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>That's pretty much what I do but I never heard of sticky
>it with a fork for the oven. The only time you have to
>prick them in for the microwave. I've been baking potatoes
>for well over thirty years and I've never had one explode.
Forty five years of baking potatoes says stick them with a fork for both microwave and oven....Steam is steam and it can build up in an oven as well as a microwave.....unless, of course, you enjoy cleaning your ovens up after the explosion! Personally I have better ways to spend my time.
Lib
From: brizzi at mail.dwx.com (Brizzi)
Date: 23 Jan 1997 23:56:06 GMT
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Aquari wrote:
> Forty five years of baking potatoes says stick them with a fork for both
> microwave and oven....Steam is steam and it can build up in an oven as
> well as a microwave.....unless, of course, you enjoy cleaning your ovens
> up after the explosion! Personally I have better ways to spend my time.
My sister-in-law the non-cook had a couple of potatoes explode in the oven, and believe me, it was NOT a pretty sight! I suspect the reason most of us luck out is that we have already pierced the skin to take out eyes or imperfections, and that provides the steam an escape hatch of sorts.
From: Edwin Pawlowski (esp at snet.net)
Date: 22 Jan 1997 03:40:57 GMT
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sisgome at aol wrote:
> I have had good luck with using shortening over the skins, wrapping
> potatoes in foil, and baking in a slow oven. You need to realize, also,
> that some restaurants may keep their bakers in a steam table of sorts to
> keep them warm until serving.
Talk about opposites. I'd never wrap them in foil (with one exception) and I use a hot oven. I like a crispy skin and I have used a little oil at times.
The exception to the foil is when I toss them into the wood stove, right on top of the hot coals. They still bake up very crispy and fast. Works on camp fires also.
Just one more note. You can cook a potato in the microwave, but, it have to be baked in an oven or fire.
From: dweller at ramtops.demon.co.uk (Douglas Weller)
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 21:46:43 GMT
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Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
>The exception to the foil is when I toss them into the wood stove, right on
>top of the hot coals. They still bake up very crispy and fast. Works on
>camp fires also.
Wrap them in newspaper, cook them in a pot full of resin. Absolutely fabulous.
From: echris2 at ibm.net (Ed Christie)
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 15:30:00 GMT
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Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
>Just one more note. You can cook a potato in the microwave, but, it have
>to be baked in an oven or fire.
I aggree, a microwaved potato is a steamed potato.
When i was younger we used to cook mickeys (potato) in a coffee can. you would punch two holes near the top and attach some wire between the two holes and attach a 3 or 4 foot piece of string. put some hot coals in the can, then the potato, and top off with more hot coals. Now take the end of the string and swing the can around to create a super draft until the potato is cooked.
From: dancertm at exo.com (dancertm)
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 04:38:43 GMT
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stuart katz wrote:
> Can someone tell me how to get baked potatos soft like the resturaunts do?
I do them this way, and they are always moist. Poke some holes in them, and put them in the microwave for 10 mins only. If you don't have a carrosel, then put them in for 5 mins, turn, and nude them again for 5 mins. Done..soft, and very good.
From: stan at thunder.temple.edu (Stan Horwitz)
Date: 20 Jan 1997 15:29:27 GMT
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stuart katz wrote:
: Can someone tell me how to get baked potatos soft like the resturaunts do?
I will post this again in case my previous response was not seen. There is only one way to bake a potato. Wash it throroughly, pierce a few holes in the skin of the potato with a knife and then bake it in a 475 degree oven until its done. A medium sized potato will take 60 minutes to cook. A large potato will take up to 90 minutes. You can tell when the potato is done easily. Just pierce it with a knife. If the knife goes through the potato with little or no resistence, the potato is done. It will come out nice and fluffy every time and have a nice crispy skin the way baked potatoes should have.
From: HIDDA (dennisda at mauigateway.com)
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 20:11:04 -1000
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stuart katz wrote:
> Can someone tell me how to get baked potatos soft like the resturaunts do?
Scrub them well. Stab them all over a few times with a fork. Microwave on high until you can just insert a fork. Take out and brush with oil. Salt if you like. Put into hot oven (400 degrees) directly on the rack. Bake until skin gets crisp, usually less than 15 minutes. Eat right away, otherwise, wrap in foil. I have baked potatoes in less than 30 minutes this way and they taste like they were baked in a conventional oven. BTW, I use my toaster oven. 4 or 5 big potatoes easily fit in my little 2 slice toaster oven. Cheaper to heat up for short periods than my big oven.
From: joan3 at ix.netcom.com (Joan Ellis)
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 06:05:38 GMT
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stuart katz wrote:
>Can someone tell me how to get baked potatos soft like the resturaunts do?
Where are all you people finding these potatoes with no bad spots? After you cut them all out, there is no need to prick them with a fork.
From: Kate Connally (connally at physast1.phyast.pitt.edu)
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 09:47:30 -0800
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Joan Ellis wrote:
> Where are all you people finding these potatoes with no bad spots?
> After you cut them all out, there is no need to prick them with a
> fork.
You're right about that. Many times I cut bad spots off the potato before baking but many times the potato is perfect. I still maintain it's totally unnecessary to prick it with a fork before baking. I've baked thousands of unpricked, uncut potatoes over the years and nary an explosion. BTW, the reason I often get perfect potatoes is because I only buy loose potatoes and I select very carefully for the most perfectly shaped and least blemished potatoes. I will spend quite a lot of time at the potato bin - more than all the other vegetables put together! Another thing that might explain why my potatoes don't explode is that I always use Idaho/russets for baking (and for everything else, actually, as I don't care for the flavor or the texture of red or other waxy potatoes) and perhaps the exploding ones are another variety that have more water in them or something.
From: Lori Herrington (notgiven at no.junk.mail.please.au)
Date: 20 Jan 1997 05:53:44 GMT
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Another idea might be to wrap it in Aluminium foil so that is doesn't loose moisture and the whole thing softens. One way I do it is to take however number of potatoes (1 per person) brush and wash then while damp I roll in a mixture of herbs, flour, salt, and pepper then I wrap in foil and bake for an hour till soft.
From: stan at thunder.temple.edu (Stan Horwitz)
Date: 20 Jan 1997 15:26:08 GMT
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Lori Herrington wrote:
: Another idea might be to wrap it in Aluminium foil so that is doesn't loose
: moisture and the whole thing softens.
This is certainly a matter of personal taste, but in my opinion a potato wrapped in foil becomes a steamed potato, not baked. The reason is that the foil traps all of the moisture in the potato as it cooks and thus, steams the potato. There is only one way to cook a baked potato as far as I am concerned. Wash the potato well, pierce a few holes in the skin then put it directly in the oven and cook it at 475 degrees until done. A medium baked potato will take 60 minutes to cook this way.
When the potato is done, you can then add any condiments to it after you break it opened, but really, a good baked potato only needs a little butter and that's it.
From: Richard Yates (r.j.yates at open.ac.uk)
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 18:08:31 -0800
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Stan Horwitz wrote:
> Lori Herrington wrote:
>: [wrap in foil and bake]
> [pierce, bake, butter]
You can also cheat by simmering the potato in a pan of water 'till partly done (parboil) then baking it. This is much faster.
From: Stan Horwitz (stan at thunder.ocis.temple.edu)
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 17:05:33 -0500
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dfkuehl at iastate wrote:
> So Stan, can I have your sour cream? You see I just want 'a little
> baked potato' with my sour cream. smile
Of course. I am no one to talk. I eat my baked spuds with plenty of ketchup. In fact, I have been doing this so long that I even forget that I do it. Its like an involuntary reflex action for me to put ketchup on my spuds (actually, next to them)!
From: Edwin Pawlowski (esp at snet.net)
Date: 25 Jan 1997 04:55:18 GMT
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> Do you have a microwave? ... Remember to pierce the tators before
> cooking. After they are cooked, pierce again to test adjusting time
> if necessary. Carefully remove from micro, wrap in tin foil and let
> set for at least 5 min.
If you insist on cooking your potatoes in a microwave instead of baking them in the oven, skip the foil. Wrap them in a dish towel or put them under a bowl. They will stay hot for a long time and will finish cooking through.
Remember, you then have a cooked potato, not a real baked potato.
From: trudiefrur at aol.com (TRUDIEFRUR)
Date: 6 Feb 1997 14:49:16 GMT
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in my opinion microwave and/or foil wrapped potatoes just steam the potatoes. i only eat the skins which i like crisp so i preheat oven to 500 lightly oil outside, prick potatoes and bake for 45-50 min...depending on size. i've also rolled the potatoes after light oiling in a cajin spice mix or some other herbs. this makes a real crisp outside and a great inside.
From: Joseph D. Jannuzzi (jdj at teleport.com)
Date: 6 Feb 1997 23:39:43 GMT
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TRUDIEFRUR wrote:
> in my opinion microwave and/or foil wrapped potatoes just steam the
> potatoes. i only eat the skins which i like crisp so i preheat oven to 500
> lightly oil outside, prick potatoes and bake for 45-50 min...depending on size.
> i've also rolled the potatoes after light oiling in a cajin spice mix or
> some other herbs. this makes a real crisp outside and a great inside.
I agree with all of the above but 4-5 minutes/ potato (shorter times for more spuds) in the nuke (while the oven is heating) can cut the oven time done to about 15-20 with about the same texture and flavor. Also, potatoes, like breads, cook better and crisper in a wet oven.
Dave
From: sissons at erols.com (Welmoed Sisson)
Date: Fri, 07 Feb 1997 20:37:33 GMT
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TRUDIEFRUR wrote:
>in my opinion microwave and/or foil wrapped potatoes just steam the
>potatoes. i only eat the skins which i like crisp so i preheat oven to 500
>lightly oil outside, prick potatoes and bake for 45-50 min...depending on size.
>i've also rolled the potatoes after light oiling in a cajin spice mix or
>some other herbs. this makes a real crisp outside and a great inside.
I oil the potatoes with olive oil, then sprinkle kosher salt on them. Also, I don't use such a hot oven...I keep it to 425. And if I'm a bit short of time, I nuke them for a few minutes first, then finish them in the oven.
Like you, I love the skins.
Here's a favorite recipe for a sour cream dressing that goes great on baked potatoes.
1 pint sour cream (can use low-fat or fat-free as well)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. Accent/MSG
2 tsp. salt
Few dashes tabasco
Ground pepper
Chopped chives
Mix it all up and dollop liberally on the baked potato. Yum.
Subject: Re: baked potatoes
From: rain at hothouse.iglou.com (Rain)
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 12:00:00 GMT
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stuart katz wrote:
> Can someone tell me how to get baked potatos soft like the resturaunts
>do?
Unfortunately, they wrap them in foil, which results in a potato that's been steamed but not baked, and is damp and heavy in the middle and with no crispness to the skin. To me, the crispy skin of an un-foil-wrapped potato is the best part. And it comes out crisp but not tough, and with the innards really nice, if you dampen and then lightly oil the skin just before baking.
Subject: Re: baked potatoes
From: CJF (cynjfazz at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 17:36:27 -0800
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I have also had luck with using the olive-oil spray on the potatoes before baking. Saves slopping up your hands.
Subject: Re: baked potatoes
From: lea at sirius.com (Lea)
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 00:11:15 GMT
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I like my potatoe over baked until the skin is VERY crispy. (almost hard) The inside gets completely fluffy and seems to come out sweeter and the skin is a delightful crunchy after treat.
Choose a BIG potato and bake at 375 until almost hard. Cut open (it crackels) and behold! I think this is the secret of the legendary potatos cooked in resin. They are much more well done.
The ones cooked in foil are sort of pathetic, but may also be cooked more thouroughly giving them a sweeter flavour.
Subject: Re: baked potatoes
From: dweller at ramtops.demon.co.uk (Douglas Weller)
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 22:38:40 GMT
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Lea wrote:
> Choose a BIG potato and bake at 375 until almost hard. Cut open (it
>crackels) and behold! I think this is the secret of the legendary
>potatos cooked in resin. They are much more well done.
Well, my memory is the potatoes in resin actually tasted different somehow, but that might just be faulty memory! It was over 40 years ago.
Subject: Re: baked potatoes
From: Don McGranahan (mcgranahan at nospamdmci.net)
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 15:51:04 -0400
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Andrew J. Berry wrote:
>I remember hearing somewhere that you can make baked potatoes on the
>stove *top* Something to do with a coffee can I think. This would
>be great to do because it's too hot to turn the oven on. Any ideas?
Never tried it on the stove, but we did bake potatoes in an electric fry pan when our oven was broken. We set the temperature at 350 and baked them on a wire rack that you use to cool pies on. I suppose the same thing would work on the stove in a deep pan with a lid, but it would be hard to guess the temperature. Don.
Subject: Re: baked potatoes
From: aileron at bellsouth.net
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 1997 15:13:33 -0400
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Andrew J. Berry wrote:
> I remember hearing somewhere that you can make baked potatoes on the
> stove *top*. Something to do with a coffee can I think. This would
> be great to do because it's too hot to turn the oven on. Any ideas?
I have a big patio out back here in south florida where its hot, so I put a regular gas stove out there with a bbq propane bottle...
Subject: Re: baked potatoes
From: Jody,Laurie & Jane (macpooh at gte.net)
Date: 17 Jul 1997 00:02:00 GMT
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Leigh Menconi wrote:
> with my crockpot that you can bake them in there, too. I've lost the
> booklet; can anyone tell me how long and at what temp (low or high)?
Hi Guys.....My crock-pot cook book says to place well greased potatoes in pot, cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Do not add water....Jane
Subject: Re: baked potatoes
From: Bob Y. (rdyoung at wcc.net)
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 09:33:30 -0500
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Jane wrote:
> My crock-pot cook book says to place well greased potatoes
> in pot, cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Do not add water...
Hmmm.. My crock-pot (Rival) book says to wrap in foil and bake 6 to 12 potatoes without water on Low 8-10 hours. I've never tried it but I wouldn't bother with the foil since I like crunchy skins with butter, salt and pepper!
You might achieve the same result by putting the potatoes on a rack in a heavy Dutch oven and cooking at a low heat setting. I'd worry about heating the pot for an extended period without any liquid in it as I have had heat damage to a Revereware pan that boiled dry. Took the longest time to get it cleaned up and servicable again. You could experiment if no one comes up with a better solution, but I'd keep a close eye on it.
Subject: Re: baked potatoes
From: eep at napanet.net
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 13:01:49 -0800
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Ask your kitchen wares dealer about a "potatoe baker" You might find one in a thrift store. They're also great for heating rolls.