How to Bake a Potato

Here is a simple but tastier way of how to bake a potato. Instead of the usual way of peeling potato skin, boiling, mashing, and then baking, these steps leads to a crisp and golden brown potato skin, easy to break off in halves and stuffed with delightful fillings.

Things Needed

Baked potatoes is a healthy way of cooking, especially if done this way. Instead of using a microwave oven which harm nutrients from potatoes, use an ordinary oven which takes some one to 1 and a half hours to cook potatoes. Getting the skin golden brown is the traditional and best way on how to bake a potato. This isn’t possible with microwave ovens.
Also needed, of course, are russet potatoes which are ideal for baking. Medium-size potatoes are recommended. Prepare some Olive or canola oil and salt to taste, kosher or salt derived from the sea. Prepare also a flat oven pan for catching drippings, a paper towel, a fork, a tong, and a small pointed knife.

Preparing the Potatoes

Brush the potatoes in cold water. Use clean unused brush with stiff bristles. The hard surface of a clean unused scouring sponge will also do. In cleaning the potatoes, make sure the skins are not damaged. In this style of cooking baked potatoes the skin need to be kept intact for baking.
However, also make sure to remove potato skin blemishes, like deep small holes, bruises, or discolorations. Use the small pointed knife to do this. Simply screw the blemishes away using the pointed tip of the knife. This is essential for how to bake a potato in a healthy way. Then drive the fork points deep into the potatoes on all sides. The holes serve as escape routes for steam when the potatoes are being baked. This takes care that baked potatoes still have their skins intact. Wash the potatoes in running water.
Preparing the Oven and Oiling the Potatoes
Clean the inside of the oven, especially the grill pan where the potatoes are to be placed. Pat dry the potatoes using the paper towel. Pre-heat the oven by setting it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While heating the oven, put a small amount of oil in a small bowl and roll the potatoes on it for a thin coating. Or, dip one side of a potato on the bowl and spread the oil on the rest of the skin with the thumb. This is how to bake a potato with the skin protected from being damaged during baking. Apply salt to taste over the oiled skins.

Baking Proper

When the oven is heated up to 350 degrees F, use the tong to place the potatoes on the oven grill pan. Make sure to place the catch pan under it to catch drippings. Close the oven door and bake for at least an hour, or until the potatoes are golden brown and puffed up. A proportion of 1:15 may be adopted. The baked potatoes should be easy to break open and the inside should be thoroughly cooked and soft.

Preparing to Serve

Take the baked potatoes out of the oven using the tong. Place on a tray and stab each potato half-way around with the fork. Using the fork and the small knife, gently break open the potatoes into halves along the dotted line formed by the stabs. Put in any filling desired: grated cheese, butter, or any jelly. Serve while hot.