Baked Potatoes

[rlibkind]

WE will cook BP-- wrap in foil...

YMMV, but...doesn't foil wrapping essentially steam the potatoes? I've never enjoyed them foil-wrapped because (1 ) skin doesn't get nice and crisp and (2) flesh isn't as flaky.

[Shel_B]

Tip, tricks, temps, etc.

Organic all the way.

Rub cleaned and dried skin with oil, add a satisfactory amount of salt, puncture with a fork, and then

400 - 425 degrees for 50- to 60-minutes until done (in the Breville or the regular oven - these days I prefer the Breville).

Gets the skin nice and crispy-crunchy.

When done I usually add some pepper, maybe a bit of EVOO or just a few heavy squirts of fresh lemon juice, maybe a hit of lemon zest. I want to taste the potato, not cheese, cream, bacon, and a passel of vegetables.

Sometimes, especially for Toots, I'll make an "Idaho Sunrise." She loves potatoes and eggs, and the Sunrise makes a nice brunch dish.

[Paul Bacino]

WE will cook BP-- wrap in foil...

YMMV, but...doesn't foil wrapping essentially steam the potatoes? I've never enjoyed them foil-wrapped because (1 ) skin doesn't get nice and crisp and (2) flesh isn't as flaky.

Agreed..we like the infusion of the salt into the tator, and these turn out creamy.

I'll present your idea to the family and compare.

I my self don't eat a lot of tators.

Cheers

[Shel_B]

As I recall earthworms are an invasive European species and not at all native to North America.

There are over 100 species of native North American earthworms in unglaciated areas such as the southeastern U.S. and the Pacific Northwest. The number of non-native species is relatively small, although they are doing damage in former glaciated areas where, for thousands of years, plant life evolved without earthworms.

[Shel_B]

 

Organic all the way.

 

Rub cleaned and dried skin with oil, add a satisfactory amount of salt, puncture with a fork, and then

400 - 425 degrees for 50- to 60-minutes until done (in the Breville or the regular oven - these days I prefer the Breville).

Gets the skin nice and crispy-crunchy.

 

When done I usually add some pepper, maybe a bit of EVOO or just a few heavy squirts of fresh lemon juice, maybe a hit of lemon zest.  I want to taste the potato, not cheese, cream, bacon, and a passel of vegetables.

 

Sometimes, especially for Toots, I'll make an "Idaho Sunrise." She loves potatoes and eggs, and the Sunrise makes a nice brunch dish.

 

I've been eating baked potatoes about once a week for several weeks, and have been experimenting more with time, temp, and prep.

 

An article on the CI web site suggested baking @ 350-degrees for about 75 minutes, and didn't mention oiling the skin.  I tried that approach a few times in the past two weeks, and am now convinced that the CI suggestions are excellent suggestions. 

 

I cooked two potatoes of the same size at the same time, oiling the skin of one and not the other.  I pricked the skins with a fork (same approximate location on each potato), and at the end of baking for75 minutes, the non-oiled skin was noticeably crisper.

 

CI also suggests splitting the potato almost immediately after being removed from the oven, saying that the skin will be crisper.  It seems to help.

 

This is how I'll bake potatoes from now on.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Funny that I have a potato in the oven as we speak.  I oil the skin and bake at 450 deg F for 60 minutes or more, poking with a fork -- as I am about get up to do -- after 30 minutes.  I always thought the purpose of the oil was to prevent the skin from getting too crispy.

[naguere]

Here in England Maris Piper seems to me to be the best, smooth of form, just the right size and wonderfully fluffy when broken open.

Others claim the King Edward, a grand old standby is better.. or even once someone said that the Idaho potato was the best in the world.. (can we buy that in England?) .

well done weinoo,, plain baked it should be.

[Ashen]

 I like russets or .  yukon golds.  I guess I must be the only impatient one here when it comes to baked spuds. well scrubbed, holes poked all over , and then into the microwave for the full potato setting  approx 10 mins.    Pulled out and let sit  til the outside is able to be handled , then brushed with melted ghee, sprinkled liberally with coarse sea salt.    Into a  a preheated cast iron pan in a 450 F oven ( I turn it on while scrubbing the spuds) .   bake for  15 to 20 mins depending on size.  I usually roll them over at the 8-10  min mark. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Host's note: this post and the ensuing conversation refer back to a wonderful find in the Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping topic.

 

It was from Richard Olney I learned the technique of baking potatoes two hours at 425F, rather than one hour at 450F.  It really does make a difference.  I wish I could find the reference.  One is in the oven now.

 

Edited October 25, 2022 by Smithy
Added host's note (log)

[CookBot]

8 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

It was from Richard Olney I learned the technique of baking potatoes two hours at 425F, rather than one hour at 450F.  It really does make a difference.  I wish I could find the reference.  One is in the oven now.

 

The skins don't get too dried out to be edible?

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

9 hours ago, CookBot said:

 

The skins don't get too dried out to be edible?

 

 

Not at all, unless I linger with my mai tai and baking goes on much longer than two hours.  I bake potatoes in a bed of salt.  Old pictures...

 

 

 

 

[Anna N]

18 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

It was from Richard Olney I learned the technique of baking potatoes two hours at 425F, rather than one hour at 450F.  It really does make a difference.  I wish I could find the reference.  One is in the oven now.

 

I would love to have found the Richard Olney reference you speak of but much searching failed to unearth it. Yet in the process I found many sites which recommended a two hour bake and some suggested that this was peculiarly British. For sure Delia has a recipe online for potatoes baked for two hours. Not sure that makes them peculiarly British!  
Ever since the first time I saw you mention the two hours I admit my skepticism. But I’ve never tried it so baking potatoes are now on my next shopping list. I have to know. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

4 hours ago, Anna N said:

I would love to have found the Richard Olney reference you speak of but much searching failed to unearth it. Yet in the process I found many sites which recommended a two hour bake and some suggested that this was peculiarly British. For sure Delia has a recipe online for potatoes baked for two hours. Not sure that makes them peculiarly British!  
Ever since the first time I saw you mention the two hours I admit my skepticism. But I’ve never tried it so baking potatoes are now on my next shopping list. I have to know. 

 

I too would love to find the Richard Olney reference!  It's not under potatoes in The Good Cook Vegetables volume.  I'm pretty sure it was some chef or author referencing Richard Olney.  Unfortunately Eat Your Books informs me I own 408 cookbooks -- many of which include potatoes -- and I carry home more books than I should from work.

 

And while I did not find the particular potato reference in question, I did enjoy Olney's distain for disgruntled cooks complaining after not properly following his instructions for preparing pommes de terre.

 

 

[Anna N]

10 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I too would love to find the Richard Olney reference! 

A little digging reveals that James Beard and Paul Prudhomme both believed in prolonged baking. Beard is quoted as calling for a two hour bake at either 425 or 450°F depending on who is quoting him. Nowhere could I find reference to a bed of salt but rather most seemed to suggest baking directly on the oven rack. This kind of digging for a Reference keeps me out of the pool halls. 

[chromedome]

33 minutes ago, Anna N said:

This kind of digging for a Reference keeps me out of the pool halls. 

Harold Hill would be proud of you.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

4 hours ago, Anna N said:

A little digging reveals that James Beard and Paul Prudhomme both believed in prolonged baking. Beard is quoted as calling for a two hour bake at either 425 or 450°F depending on who is quoting him. Nowhere could I find reference to a bed of salt but rather most seemed to suggest baking directly on the oven rack. This kind of digging for a Reference keeps me out of the pool halls. 

 

Could it be I am confusing James Beard with Richard Olney?  Note, I was not attributing the bed of salt, but only the 425F for two hours.

 

[Anna N]

Just now, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Could it be I am confusing James Beard with Richard Olney?  Note, I was not attributing the bed of salt, but only the 425F for two hours.

 

Anything is possible. I took my own memory to guide me along the path. Sometimes I think I remember things that never happened! So if Richard Olney wasn’t the source could it be a  contemporary of his? We may never know. The journey was fun even if the destination eluded me. 
It is interesting to me that you don’t consider the bed of salt to be integral to the original recipe. I made it one of my essential search terms. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

1 minute ago, Anna N said:

Anything is possible. I took my own memory to guide me along the path. Sometimes I think I remember things that never happened! So if Richard Olney wasn’t the source could it be a  contemporary of his? We may never know. The journey was fun even if the destination eluded me. 
It is interesting to me that you don’t consider the bed of salt to be integral to the original recipe. I made it one of my essential search terms. 

 

I got the idea of the bed of salt from somewhere, but way older than 425F for two hours.

 

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I got the idea of the bed of salt from somewhere, but way older than 425F for two hours.

 

So what I found about beds of salt had you put the potatoes on the bed of salt and then cover it for the first bit of cooking time and then uncover it for the second bit of cooking time. Do you do that?  
 

I recall that you were unimpressed with steam bake on the CSO for your baked potatoes.

Edited October 24, 2022 by Kerry Beal (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

21 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

So what I found about beds of salt had you put the potatoes on the bed of salt and then cover it for the first bit of cooking time and then uncover it for the second bit of cooking time. Do you do that?  
 

I recall that you were unimpressed with steam bake on the CSO for your baked potatoes.

 

You recall correctly that I was less than impressed by potatoes steamed baked in the CSO.  I use my big oven only for two things* --  pizza and baked potato.

 

I nestle my potato in the bed of salt.  It might be interesting to burry the potato but that sounds potentially dangerous.  If I think of it I turn the potato when it is about halfway done.

 

 

*other than storing pots and pans.

 

[Anna N]

7 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

that sounds potentially dangerous

Does not seem to be hazardous when applied to small potatoes at least according to this.

As I feared, this is now behind a 💰 wall although it was not when I linked!

 

Edited October 24, 2022 by Anna N
To note that link is now behind a paywall. (log)

[CookBot]

7 hours ago, Anna N said:

A little digging reveals that James Beard and Paul Prudhomme both believed in prolonged baking. Beard is quoted as calling for a two hour bake at either 425 or 450°F depending on who is quoting him.

 

What is the alleged advantage of this?  If a potato is cooked through at that temperature in an hour, what's to be gained by wasting another hour of fuel time on it?

[Anna N]

8 minutes ago, CookBot said:

 

What is the alleged advantage of this?  If a potato is cooked through at that temperature in an hour, what's to be gained by wasting another hour of fuel time on it?

First I need to point out that I am not the one proposing nor defending this method. I still have to try it. But here you can read for yourself why James Beard thinks two hours is better than one hour:

Click

Edited October 24, 2022 by Anna N
To correct James Beard‘s name. (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

9 minutes ago, Anna N said:

First I need to point out that I am not the one proposing nor defending this method. I still have to try it. But here you can read for yourself why James Beard thinks two hours is better than one hour:

Click

 

...or not, as the paywall might be.

 

[Anna N]

3 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

...or not, as the paywall might be.

 

Very strange. But here’s the relevant quote:

“Several years ago during a discussion on baked potatoes, the late James Beard asked me if I had ever eaten a potato baked at 450 degrees for 2 hours. I thought I had misunderstood him and asked again how long and at what temperature. He assured me that it was a perfectly wonderful way to serve a potato, unusual and delicious. He liked it served only with freshly ground black pepper. You also may enjoy it with the classic accompaniments.

The potato itself has a very thick, crunchy outer shell, almost like a pastry crust. The inside is a rich, buttery consistency, which in my opinion really does not need butter or sour cream. I like it with the fresh pepper and a little cottage cheese.”