In this article
My mother never wrapped a potato in foil in her life. Foil was for leftovers. Her baked potatoes came out of the oven with skins so crisp and salty that my brothers ate the skins first and fought over the ones I left, and the insides were dry and fluffy, the kind that soaks up a whole pat of butter in a few seconds. When I married and first ate a foil-wrapped potato at somebody else’s table, I thought something had gone wrong in the kitchen. The skin was soft and damp, and the inside was heavy and a little gluey. Nothing had gone wrong. That is just what foil does.
A potato is mostly water. In the oven that water turns to steam, and the steam has to go somewhere. Wrapped in foil, it stays trapped against the potato, so the skin softens and the inside cooks wet. On the bare rack, the steam escapes through the fork holes and the skin, the skin dries and crisps in the hot air, and the starch inside turns light and fluffy. Her whole method was a hot oven, a little oil, a lot of coarse salt, and patience. And one more thing that most people skip: the second the potatoes came out, she slit them and squeezed the ends, so the steam rushed out right then instead of soaking back into the potato.
Why this baked potatoes works
- No foil. The steam escapes instead of soaking the potato, so the skin crisps and the inside stays dry and fluffy.
- Russet potatoes. Their high starch and low moisture give the fluffiest inside. Waxy potatoes stay dense.
- Oil and coarse salt on the skin. The oil helps the skin brown and crisp, and the salt seasons it and draws out moisture.
- The squeeze. Opening the potatoes the moment they leave the oven lets the steam out before it can turn the inside heavy.
Ingredients
Makes 4 large baked potatoes. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the potatoes
- 4 large russet potatoes, about 8 ounces each (225g each)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
To serve
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (57g)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (120g)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped chives or green onion, optional
Choose russets of about the same size so they finish together. The potatoes must be completely dry before the oil goes on, or the skin will steam instead of crisp.
How to make baked potatoes
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the middle. Put an empty sheet pan on the rack below to catch any drips.
- Scrub the potatoes under running water and dry them completely with a towel.
- Prick each potato 6 to 8 times all over with a fork, so the steam has a way out.
- Rub the potatoes all over with the oil, then roll them in the coarse salt so the skins are well coated.
- Set the potatoes directly on the bare oven rack. No pan under them and no foil around them.
- Bake at 425°F for 50 to 60 minutes, until the skins are crisp and a fork slides into the thickest part with no push at all.
- The second they come out, cut a slit along the top of each potato and squeeze the ends toward the middle so the fluffy inside bursts up and the steam escapes.
- Top each with a tablespoon of butter and a spoonful of sour cream, season with salt and pepper, scatter chives if you like, and serve right away.
Tips that make the difference
- Do not skip drying the potatoes. Wet skins steam and stay leathery.
- Test for doneness with a fork, not the clock. Big potatoes can take the full hour or a little more.
- Squeeze with a folded kitchen towel. The potatoes are very hot.
- Do not hold baked potatoes in a warm oven wrapped in foil. Serve them as soon as they are opened.
Variations
- Loaded. Top with shredded cheddar, extra sour cream and chopped green onion, and slide back into the oven for 2 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Chili potato. Split and fill with hot beef chili and a handful of cheese for a whole supper on one plate.
- Twice baked. Scoop out the insides, mash them with the butter, sour cream and cheese, pile back into the skins and bake 15 minutes more.
- Sweet potato. Bake sweet potatoes the same way on a lined pan, since they drip sugar, and top with butter and cinnamon.
Storage and make-ahead
Leftover baked potatoes keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat them in a 400°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes so the skins crisp again. The microwave softens the skin.
My father’s favorite breakfast was leftover baked potatoes, cubed with the skins on and fried in butter until crisp, with a fried egg on top.
Frequently asked questions
Why shouldn’t I wrap baked potatoes in foil?
Foil traps the steam against the potato, so the skin turns soft and damp and the inside cooks wet and dense. Baked unwrapped, the steam escapes and you get crisp skin and a fluffy inside.
How do I know when a baked potato is done?
A fork or skewer should slide into the thickest part with no resistance at all, and the skin should feel crisp. At 425°F that is usually 50 to 60 minutes for an 8 ounce russet.
Do I really need to prick the potatoes?
Yes. The holes let steam escape steadily, which helps the inside turn fluffy, and they keep the occasional potato from splitting open in the oven.
Can I bake them ahead for a crowd?
You can bake them up to an hour ahead and keep them unwrapped on a sheet pan in a 200°F oven. Open and squeeze them just before serving.
Dry skin, oil, coarse salt, a bare rack and a hot oven. Throw the foil back in the drawer where my mother kept it.
Perfect Baked Potatoes with Crispy Salted Skin (No Foil)
Old-fashioned oven baked potatoes with crisp, salty skin and a fluffy inside: russets rubbed with oil and coarse salt, baked on the bare rack at 425 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, never wrapped in foil, and squeezed open the second they come out.
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes, about 8 ounces each
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped chives or green onion, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the middle. Put an empty sheet pan on the rack below to catch any drips.
- Scrub the potatoes under running water and dry them completely with a towel.
- Prick each potato 6 to 8 times all over with a fork, so the steam has a way out.
- Rub the potatoes all over with the oil, then roll them in the coarse salt so the skins are well coated.
- Set the potatoes directly on the bare oven rack. No pan under them and no foil around them.
- Bake at 425°F for 50 to 60 minutes, until the skins are crisp and a fork slides into the thickest part with no push at all.
- The second they come out, cut a slit along the top of each potato and squeeze the ends toward the middle so the fluffy inside bursts up and the steam escapes.
- Top each with a tablespoon of butter and a spoonful of sour cream, season with salt and pepper, scatter chives if you like, and serve right away.
