Baked Potatos

Hi all,

I have what I hope is a basic baked potato question. I've been baking potatoes for years. Greased with butter or oil, non-greased, wrapped in foil and unwrapped and they always come out with a paper thin skin. I only use Russet potatoes and I've tried from several different markets in different states. I want a baked potato like you get at a restaurant with a thick skin. What am I doing wrong? I bake at 350 deg. for 1 to 1-1/4 hours until they pierce easily with a knife. Any thoughts?

Rob

Nothing. It is the potato type. It's russets you want. Larger ones tend to have thicker skins. Not sure what you're buying, or what the difference is between what you're buying and what you're thinking restaurants have, but they're available even here in ****ant Shawnee. [The silly word police. P-i-s-s-a-n-t.]

No foil during cooking. That leaves you with steamed potatoes, not baked.Yuck. 400?. Usually an hour, sometimes longer if the size is large. When 3/4 of the way cooked or so, a single stab with a fork on the upper sided of the potato will allow an escape for the steam that builds, resulting in a more flaky finish.

Yeah, for baking you want Russet and you are picking the right ones. You know, those long oblong ones. Sometimes labeled as Idaho potatoes, but that's another story. All potatoes grown in Idaho are Idaho potatoes, but most of the potatoes grown in Idaho are russets

I have noticed that some russets have heavier skin than others and I think that's more about the soil they are grown in and how old they are when dug up. I think the older ones have rougher, thicker skins - but I'm not a potato farmer You might want to shop around.

I noticed that the russets I used yesterday were thinner skinned (they were from local Lancaster County). The "Idaho's in the big chain market were heavier skinned. So who knows might have something to do with the soil?

In any event I made twice baked and they turned out fine and I noticed everyone at the table ate the skin, where usually most don't. I'm the type that eats the whole potato including the skin when baked, regardless

skip the foil...gets you a nice crispy restaurant potato with thick skin

i personally let my taters bake low and slow in the oven. oil and salt applied to outside.

I bake mine at 425 degrees - no foil. About an hour (depending on size).

Ray