Perfect Every Time, Crispy Skinned Baked Potatoes

Baked potatoes are a classic side dish that can be enjoyed alongside almost any meal, but making the skin perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy filling on the inside can be tricky. If you’re looking for a simple, foolproof method to achieve that perfect, golden-brown crispiness every time––look no further! In this blog post, I’ll share my top tips and tricks to ensure you get the perfect baked potato every time.

It’s late afternoon and you don’t have a meal planned for the evening, you begin the peerless hunt for ingredients in your kitchen. Eureka! Potatoes!

The humble, versatile and hearty potato, how we love thee. Whipping up a baked potato, or jacket potato if you ever happen to be in England, couldn’t be simpler. Whether its the star of the show and topped with a filling like chicken salad, or broccoli and cheese or served on the side with a meal with a slathering of butter, baked potatoes are made so much better by having perfectly crispy and slightly chewy, salty skin.

Keep reading and I’ll teach you how to achieve the perfect baked potato with simple step by step instructions.

Tips for Making Perfect Crispy Baked Potatoes:

1. Choose the right potato for the job. Russets are ideal for baked potatoes due to their low moisture content and starchiness, resulting in delightlfully fluffy interior and crispy crunchy skin.
2. Ensure potatoes are completely dry after washing for the crispiest skin.
3. Less is more when rubbing with oil.
4. Because salt draws out moisture this will help achieve the crunchy crispy skin we are after.
5. Pricking your potatoes before baking is essential, unpicked potatoes may explode.
6. Lastly, you may bake your potatoes directly on the rack of your oven. Be sure to place a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips.

Can I Use Other Varieties of Potato?

While russet potatoes are the best choice for baking, there is nothing stopping you from using what you have on hand. Another potato that is low in moisture and high in starch are Idaho potatoes, which will give you the idea ratio of fluffiness on the interior and crispiness on the exterior.

Waxier skinned potatoes such as yukon golds will give you a yummy buttery flavor but will be more dense and have a chunkier interior as opposed to a light fluffy one.

Recipe

4 medium/large russet potatoes cleaned and dried

4 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil (avoid refined seed oils, they are bad for your bod!)

4 teaspoons fine unrefined mineral or sea salt (I love Redmond Real Salt for their amazing mineral composition and lack of toxins)

2 teaspoons flaky sea salt like Maldon or kosher for finishing

Step by Step Instructions for Crispy Skin Potatoes:

Step 1: Begin by giving your potatoes a thorough scrub with a vegetable brush.

Step 2: Coat bone dry potatoes (see tip above) with a tablespoon of chosen oil with a brush or hands.

Step 3: Sprinkle with fine salt and rub over whole surface of potato.

Step 4: Prick potato all over with a fork.

Step 5: Place on a baking sheet and bake near the top of the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 1 – 1.5 hours, or until potatoes are tender all the way through.

Step 6: Remove from oven and allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Step 7: Cut a cross in the top and fluff interior slightly. Serve with a knob of butter or toppings of your choice.

If you make this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @ournurturedhome with your handiwork.