Learn the three most popular ways to cook a baked potato: oven-baked, microwave, and slow cooker. Follow these cooking directions for the perfect, fluffy baked potatoes every time!
ingredient
- 4 russet potatoes, or Idaho
- olive oil, or vegetable oil for brushing
- kosher salt, for seasoning
Directions
- Preheat the Oven – Set the oven rack to the center position. Preheat to 400ºF (204ºC). Place a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet, and set aside.
- Potato Preparation – Scrub and rinse the outside of the potatoes with cool water. Pierce each potato with a fork 8 times, about ⅛-inch deep pricks all around. Brush olive oil over the surface and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake Potatoes in Oven – Evenly space the potatoes on top of the wire rack. Bake until the skin is lightly crisp, the centers pierce easily with a fork, and the largest-sized potato registers between 200 to 210ºF (93 to 99ºC), about 70 to 80 minutes.
- Potato Preparation – Scrub and rinse the outside of the potatoes with cool water. Pierce each potato with a fork 8 times, about ⅛-inch deep pricks all around. Brush olive oil over the surface and sprinkle with salt.
- Microwave the Potatoes – Place the potato on a microwave-safe plate, one at a time for even cooking, or two potatoes max. Cook on “High” for 5 minutes. Use tongs to flip. Continue to cook in 1-minute intervals until the center pierces easily with a fork, and registers between 200 to 210ºF (93 to 99ºC), about 1 to 7 minutes, depending on size and quantity.
- Potato Preparation – Scrub and rinse the outside of the potatoes with cool water. Pierce each potato with a fork 8 times, about ⅛-inch deep pricks all around. Brush olive oil over the surface and sprinkle with salt.
- Wrap with Foil – Individually wrap each potato with foil.
- Slow Cook the Potatoes – Place the potatoes in a single layer in the slow cooker insert. Cover and cook until the centers pierce easily with a fork, and register between 200 to 210ºF (93 to 99ºC), 4 to 5 hours on the “High” setting, or 6 to 7 hours on the “Low” setting, depending on size.
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