Baked: Crisp Skins on Baked Potatoes
Subject: Crisp Skins on Baked Potatoes
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: jborus at magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Judith Borus)
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 15:25:08 +1236
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I like the skins on my baked potatoes to be really crisp. Somehow I can't seem to accomplish this. Any suggestions? Judy
From: alvin at plato.nmia.com (Carol Alvin)
Date: 19 Dec 1995 22:00:00 GMT
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I "paint" canola oil on the potatoes and then pop them in a hot oven (~425 degrees F). You could also smear the skins with vegetable shortening.
From: Mary f.(Pud in pavlova's kitchen) (frye at sdd.comsat.com)
Date: 19 Dec 1995 23:44:37 GMT
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Rub a little crisco on them and bake for 1 hour (or more) in a 500 degree oven directly on the rack. My aunt's always turn out glorious!!
From: Jennifer Maca (jenmaca at acs.tamu.edu)
Date: 20 Dec 1995 02:01:25 GMT
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bake them without the foil wrapping
From: cathyh at ix.netcom.com (Cathy Horning)
Date: 20 Dec 1995 07:34:51 GMT
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My sister taught me this;
Before wrapping them in foil roll them in butter and salt first and bake as usual. They come out delicious and not paper dry as without this addition.
From: Meg Fortino (meg.fortino at marcam.com)
Date: 20 Dec 1995 12:51:40 GMT
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Wash thoroughly; dry well.
Rub with vegetable oil and kosher salt.
Bake in preheated 500-degree oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven.
Poke potatoes 3 or 4 times with fork.
Return to oven and bake for another 30 minutes at 500.
*Immediately* stab fork into potatoes in cross-shape or however you want your potatoes open and push in the sides to open the potato.
Throw in your seasonings.
From: rcm at col.hp.com (Rick)
Date: 21 Dec 1995 18:49:37 GMT
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ONE HOUR at 500 degrees? Are you making baked potatoes or BURNT potatoes?
From: Meg Fortino (meg.fortino at marcam.com)
Date: 22 Dec 1995 18:01:29 GMT
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No really -- one hour at 500 degrees. It sounds ridiculous, but the skin is crispy, the insides are fluffy. I've tried using the lower heat (for example, into the oven with the meatloaf) and the skin doesn't come out as crispy. My mother had the same reaction as you until she tried them. Yum.
From: CATHERIN at frost.oit.umass.edu (Catherine E Bean)
Date: 20 Dec 1995 18:56:14 GMT
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My housemate rubs her potatoes with vegetable oil before cooking at 375 and the skins come out soft, while when I make baked potatoes, I wash them, stab with a knife, and while still dripping wet, cook at 375-400 for an hour. The skins come out crispy for me. Meg Fortino says they turn crispy if you rub with oil and salt, so maybe that makes a difference, too. Or, cook them the way you normally do, but in that last 15 minutes of cooking, turn the heat up really high (450, maybe).
From: wilson at cluster.unca.edu
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 95 08:25:56 +500
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I get pretty good reviews from mine...
Before baking, I smear butter all over the skins and then place on a baking sheet that has been heavily salted. I also sprinkle salt on the potatoes. When potatoes are done, I then prick them with a fork to let all the steam out and put back in the oven for 10-15 minutes more. Results in a crispy skin and fluffy insides. Do not wrap in foil.
If you're not into salt, you can brush it off before you eat them.
From: stan at thunder.ocis.temple.edu (Stan Horwitz)
Date: 22 Dec 1995 21:19:25 GMT
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Turn up your oven's temperature more. The baked potato I had for dinner a few nights ago came out with nice crispy skin. I heated in a 475 oven for about 90 minutes (it was a pretty big potato). Oh, and for goodness sakes, don't wrap your potatoes in aluminum foil when you bake them. That defeats the entire purpose of baking them. Just put them right in the middle of your oven and be sure to stab them with a knife in a few places to let the steam escape from the potatoes.
From: jborus at magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Judith Borus)
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 1995 00:51:22 +1236
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Thanks to everyone who shared with me the secrets of baked potatoes with crisp skins (bake directly on oven rack at very high heat.) I had the best baked potato for dinner tonight that I've had in many years.