3 Tips for Perfect Baked Potatoes

Upgrade your russets with these three tips to achieving perfect baked potatoes, every time.

Easy baked potatoes

I used to think baked potatoes were pretty straightforward: wrap in foil, bake, eat.

However, I routinely faced one major issue, and, on occasion, a second issue also plagued me.

Two problems with baked potatoes

Baked potato issue #1: aluminum foil

When I began to prioritize clean eating, I eventually realized that other items in my kitchen also contributed to the health factor of my food.

Therefore, I began to switch out kitchen supplies such as:

• Plastic cling wrap >> Natural wraps
• Plastic cooking utensils >> Wooden spoons and utensils
• Plastic mixing bowls >> Glass bowls
• Plastic measuring cups >> Sturdy stainless dry measuring cups and glass cups for liquids
• Plastic measuring spoons >> My favorite stainless measuring spoons
• Nonstick cookware >> These healthier options
• Nonstick bakeware >> Glass, cast iron, and stainless options
• Aluminum bakeware >> Ditto
• Coffee maker with plastic parts >> This stainless option

Basically, I went on a quest to replace anything plastic, nonstick, or aluminum with a healthier, nontoxic option.

However, my aluminum-foil-wrapped baked potatoes continued to trouble me.  How else to bake the perfect potato?

Until one day I had a potato epiphany: aluminum foil is not necessary.  I repeat, you can bake a potato without wrapping it in foil.

In fact, potatoes baked without a foil wrapping develop a deliciously crispy skin.  Yum!

Who knew that baked potatoes could be delicious, WITHOUT ALUMINUM FOIL?

Problem solved.

Baked potato issue #2: uneven baking

Sometimes, my baked potatoes didn’t cook well in the center.  Mostly, this was a result of trying to eat a baked potato before it had finished cooking.  

Therefore, it might be more accurate to call this issue “impatience” or “I should have started baking these potatoes earlier and now it’s time to eat but they’re not quite finished” instead of “uneven baking”.

Whatever the precise nature of this dilemma, here is the solution: metal skewers.

Metal skewers are the secret password for perfect baked potatoes.  I wish I’d known decades ago about this metal skewer trick!

There is something magical about baking a potato with a piece of metal pierced through its center.  

Results of baking a potato on a metal skewer

1. Faster bake time: while the oven bakes the outside of the potato, the metal skewer introduces heat in the center of the potato, baking it from the inside out.  This essentially speeds up the entire process.
2. Perfect consistency: That hot metal running through the center of the potato makes it all soft and fluffy inside.  The perfect baked potato!

Pro tip: it’s perfectly acceptable to double up two potatoes on one skewer.  If your skewers are long enough and two potatoes will fit on a single skewer, this is the perfect solution when you’re short on skewers. 

I actually own only four skewer sticks but there are five people in my family.  Every time I bake potatoes, I combine the two smallest potatoes on the same stick.  Just aim for leaving a small gap between the two potatoes and they will both bake perfectly!

Temperature for perfect baked potatoes

In my experience, 400 F works well for baked potatoes.  Anywhere between 400-450 degrees should work. 

Potatoes baked at 450 will finish cooking faster and they may have a crispier skin.

Potatoes baked at 400 will take a bit longer and will still have a crispy skin.

If possible, I recommend baking potatoes with your oven set to convection bake.  Convection bake contributes to that crispy potato skin and fluffy interior.

Size of a perfect baked potato

While it can be fun to choose huge potatoes for the ultimate baked potato bar experience, the bigger the potato, the longer it will take to bake.

If your goal is to make an entire meal out of a baked potato, you’ll want to allow plenty of time for the potatoes to achieve the perfect consistency.  Metal skewers will help, but a large potato will require a longer bake time.

For the purposes of serving dinner to my family, I like to allow about 60 minutes to bake our potatoes.  This means I usually aim for potatoes about the size of my open hand, or about 5 inches long.

Anything larger than that tends to translate into a late dinner!

Of course, the opposite is also true.  Smaller potatoes will cook faster.  If you’re short on time and have the option to choose smaller potatoes, go for it!

3 tips for perfect baked potatoes

To sum up, follow these steps to achieve a perfect baked potato, every time:

1. Skip the foil
2. Use a metal skewer
3. Bake at 400 F and use convection bake, if possible
4. Bonus tip: choose potatoes about 5″ in length

Baked potato topping ideas

You probably don’t need me to tell you this, but here’s a list of classic baked potato toppings:

• Butter: grass-fed, please!
• Sour cream: organic + full fat
• Shredded cheddar: raw + as local as possible
• Chopped bacon: sourced locally
• Sliced green onions: do not skip these!

Want to get more creative with baked potato toppings?  Try these:

Sauces

• Ranch dip
• BBQ sauce
• Salsa
• Hot pepper jam

Veggies

• Chopped sweet bell peppers
• Sauteed spinach or greens
• Cooked broccoli
• Caramelized onions

Meats

• Chili
• Taco meat
• Pulled beef
• BBQ pork
• Pork carnitas
• Shredded chicken
• Buffalo chicken

And more

• Diced avocado
• Black beans

Truly, just about anything could be a baked potato topping.  

I love the versatility of baked potatoes!  You can set up a bar where everyone can add their preferred toppings.  Or you can transform baked potatoes into an entire meal: Tex-Mex, BBQ, Veggie-Loaded, Buffalo Chicken, and on and on.

Favorite baked potato meal

One of my family’s favorite go-to meals consists of loaded baked potatoes topped with Slow Cooker Pulled Beef and served with a big green salad. 

It’s the ultimate topping extravaganza!  We top our potatoes with butter, cheese, sour cream, green onions, and tasty pulled beef. 

We also top our salads with whatever’s handy but usually including shredded carrots, diced bell peppers, toasted pepitas, and cheese of choice.

What will you add to your perfectly baked potatoes?