Baked Potato Ideas

[WildOrchid310]

Mom bought a giant sack of potatoes at the store and told me she wanted baked potatoes for dinner. I'm really excited about this; I haven't had a baked potato in way too long!

I've never baked a potato by myself before though! It's always looked simple enough, but tonight was the first time I realized I'd never actually made one myself!

What are some of your preferred "methods"? Also toppings! There are at least 10 spuds in that sack, and butter, cheese and bacon bits will get old fast!

 

[kadesma]

Mom bought a giant sack of potatoes at the store and told me she wanted baked potatoes for dinner. I'm really excited about this; I haven't had a baked potato in way too long!

I've never baked a potato by myself before though! It's always looked simple enough, but tonight was the first time I realized I'd never actually made one myself!

What are some of your preferred "methods"? Also toppings! There are at least 10 spuds in that sack, and butter, cheese and bacon bits will get old fast!

Hello WildOrchid,
baked potatoes are yummy, I scrub mine then poke several holes in the skin, and rub the tater with evoo and sprinkle with salt. I then put it on a baking rack and bake at 350 a good 45 min to an hour. Then I cut in half and add butter, finely sliced green onions, cheese to taste,salt,fresh cracked pepper, parsley and any other herbs I like as some fresh tarragon ,cilantro, just to give you an idea. I'd look up an cheese site or ask for ideas here, gorgonzola,brie, there are so many cheeses, prosciutto chips,pancetta, instead of our bacon just ideas.
again welcome
kadesma

 

[GLC]

Since I did the exercise last month cooking whole potatoes by different methods, I now steam them. Uses far less energy than the oven, and it produced the least change in potato weight. Took five minutes longer than in the 400F oven, 40 versus 35 minutes to 190F internal.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f32/understanding-80249-5.html#post1157535

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

There is no reason to over-think a baked potato recipe.

Get some russet potatoes. Wash them a bit. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and put them in. I set mine right on the oven rack.

Let them bake for about 45 minutes to an hour. They're done when you can grab them with a towel (to protect your hands from the heat) and squeeze. If they give they're done.

Serve them with butter, or with sour cream and chopped chives (or chopped green onions), or both.

When you have mastered this basic recipe, Google twice baked potato recipes.

 

[Dawgluver]

I nuke 'em. Stab them a few times with a fork. About 10 minutes or so in the microwave,( flip after 5, then another 5,) squeeze to make sure they're done.

Add your butter, cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, chives, etc.

 

[chopper]

Chicken and Swiss on a baked potato is good too. I got the idea from a place in the mall called Steak and Bake.

 

[Andy M.]

Microwaving a baking potato results in a more moist potato with no crispy skin than baking in the oven. That's not a bad thing, jsut a different option.

I have found you have to bake a potato in the oven if you want to make a twice baked potato. You need the firmer dry skin to hold the potato together.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I nuke 'em. Stab them a few times with a fork. About 10 minutes or so in the microwave, squeeze to make sure they're done.

Add your butter, cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, chives, etc.

That works too! (I might poke them with a fork a couple times to let the steam vent and prevent exploding, although that may be an old wives tale since I've never seen a potato explode in the nuker.)

The only difference IMO is that slow baked potatoes retain a more flaky, dry texture, and the baked potato skin comes out more crispy. It seems to me that most people want the inside and don't care about the skin so this may not be important. (Actually I like the skin better than I like the insides.)

Chicken and Swiss on a baked potato is good too. I got the idea from a place in the mall called Steak and Bake.

Any kind of cheese on a potato is magnificent!

I don't know WTH why potatoes and cheese go together so well, and add chives or chopped green onions and they're even better..

 

[TATTRAT]

Egg White Brushed, Sea Salt crusted, and baked.

Toppings: ANYTHING. Seriously, Chilli, hot dogs, gravy, bulgogi, fried chicken, fried shrimp, lump crab, sweet sour pork, BACON. BACON BACON AND MORE BACON. Bacon guacamole, diced tomato, cilantro, and sour cream=yum! Any creamy melty cheese from brie to blue, cheddar, Gouda, provolone, smoked mozz, fontina, Stilton, Chevre(herbed or plain)Boursin, enve jalapeno cream cheese, really ANY cheese. . .Vegetables: Brocolli, fajita style veggies(peppers, onions), braised cabbage, roasted Brussels sprouts, Ginger curry carrots.. .really, the options are endless. The sky is the limit.

A baked potato is just about as good a palate one could wish for.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I've experimented with baking potatoes on a bed of sea salt, and it wasn't exactly earth shattering but the results were interesting, and the skins came out really good!

Plus, mostly you can just reuse the salt again, or use it in other recipes.

TR's post contains a lot of excellent ideas posted in a very compact form. You could spend a month or two exploring the recipe ideas in just that one post.

 

[TATTRAT]

I've experimented with baking potatoes on a bed of sea salt, and it wasn't exactly earth shattering but the results were interesting, and the skins came out really good!

Plus, mostly you can just reuse the salt again, or use it in other recipes.

TR's post contains a lot of excellent ideas posted in a very compact form. You could spend a month or two exploring the recipe ideas in just that one post.

Baking fully burried in salt is a bit better than just on a bed of, as it really helps cook more evenly. It's a lot of excess salt, but, like casing a fish in salt, the results are beautiful. My fave though to do that with, is beets.

In my suggestion I mean simply a pastry brush, egg whites, and brush and seasoning. The skins get almost potato chip crisp, and the potatoes just turn out soft and fluffy. . . the treatment is more for the skins than anything.

A close second is doing potatoes confit, but that'a for another thread.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Thanks for the good idea to fully embed the potato in salt. Like I said, you can mostly reuse the salt so it's not a total waste. And I get sea salt at my local Asian market in 5# or larger bags, and it's very economical.

Would you use coarse salt, or medium or fine?

I'd love do do a fish in salt some day! Or maybe even a chicken.

(You probably wouldn't be able to reuse the fish salt, but potatoes are mild and it probably wouldn't hurt or flavor the salt at all.)

 

[TATTRAT]

Coarse. no doubt about it.

I know of buddies that have done guinea fowl, and joints of meat, but yeah. ..I would trash the salt after that. Whole fish are certainly more the norm, and that is my only experience with salt crusts.


Back to potatoes, for an uber potato: cut out a bulk of the mid section(reserve for other things), brown in butter, and use as bread for any sandwiches. . . may be best for knife and fork style, but still as you can see, the options are endless.


I forgot a favorite of mine too; Pulled pork BBQ, and topped with coleslaw. Talk about a belly busting potato!

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Good for the confirmation. Coarse is what I used.

We haven't even started on potato skin recipes. Never mind the pulp!

 

[Cerise]

A few Greek-inspired potatoes:

View attachment 14669

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f18/spanokopotatoes-79983.html


Bake and add butter, S&P, lemon juice and chopped artichoke hearts

 

[Cerise]

Pic didn't show. One more try.

Stuffed with feta cheese, tomatoes, herbs of choice, pine nuts, kalamata olives. Top with Greek yogurt, if you like.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Mmmmmmmm!!! Chocolate eclair baked potatoes!!!

 

[Cerise]

LOL. Spinach stuffed eclairs. And they're almost as tasty.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Spinach is okay. As long as they have chocolate. And bacon!!!

 

[licia]

I scrub the potatoes and bake part way in the microwave then finish up in the oven. The kitchen doesn't heat up as much and they taste great. I also do casseroles the same way...it cuts down on oven time and still gets the results of having been cooked in the oven.