BEST BAKED POTATOES

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Baked potatoes are one of those dishes most home cooks think they don’t need a recipe for, but following our precise roasting technique guarantees a perfect potato—with a fluffy interior, crispy skin, and even seasoning—every time. For starters, our testing pointed us to an ideal doneness temperature: 205 degrees. Baking russet potatoes in a hot oven propped up on a wire rack prevented a leathery ring from forming beneath the peel, and taking the potato’s temperature with an instant-read thermometer ensured we hit the 205-degree sweet spot every time. Coating the potatoes in salty water before baking was all the effort required to season the skin; brushing on vegetable oil once the potatoes were cooked through and then baking the potatoes for an additional 10 minutes promised the crispest exterior possible. Potatoes this good deserve an accompaniment, so we came up with some simple but sophisticated toppings to serve with them. Open up the potatoes immediately after removal from the oven in step 3 so steam can escape. Top the potatoes as desired, or with one of our flavorful toppings.

SERVES: 4

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• Salt and pepper
• 4 small russet potatoes (8 ounces each), unpeeled, each lightly pricked with fork in 6 places
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and prepare potatoes. Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in ½ cup water in large bowl. Place potatoes in the bowl and toss so exteriors of potatoes are evenly moistened. Transfer potatoes to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and bake until center of largest potato registers 205 degrees, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Brush potatoes with oil and bake. Remove potatoes from oven and brush tops and sides with oil. Return potatoes to oven and bake for 10 minutes.
3. Squeeze and season the potatoes. Remove potatoes from oven and make 2 slits in each potato using a paring knife. Using clean dish towel, hold ends and squeeze slightly to push flesh up and out. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

VARIATIONS:

BEST BAKED POTATOES WITH HERBED GOAT CHEESE

• Mash 4 ounces softened goat cheese with fork.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon minced shallot, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste, and dollop on potatoes before serving.

BEST BAKED POTATOES WITH CREAMY EGG TOPPING

• Stir 3 chopped hard-cooked eggs, ¼ cup sour cream, 1½ tablespoons minced cornichons, 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon minced capers, and 1 tablespoon minced shallot together in bowl.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste, and dollop over potatoes before serving.