# How to bake a potato? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 12, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978 "2015-07-12T22:06:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/1 "2015-07-12T22:06:09Z")
how long and how hot? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/2 "2015-07-12T22:12:34Z")
350º for 60 minutes or so. Rub the skin with oil, place on oven rack. After 60 minutes, test with a skewer for doneness. To jump-start the process, microwave the tater for a few minutes before placing in oven. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/3 "2015-07-12T22:12:35Z")
Rub the potato with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper onto the oiled potato and rub that in as well. Place the potato on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 Fahrenheit for about an hour. That’s the way I generally do it, and it tends to produce a nice, soft potato which is fully edible skin and all. ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/4 "2015-07-12T22:17:13Z")
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grab a potato or a few and wash/scrub. Pat dry. (or not, it just makes it easier for the next step.) Stab it all over with a fork. Roll it (or them) in some olive oil to coat them. Sprinkle with salt. (Kosher if you’ve got it, but really any.) Stick in oven. Bake for an hour. (If you have several potatoes you’ll need to add more time, about 15 minutes.) Use time to assemble all the stuff to put in the potaoes. Damn, I have to make potatoes tomorrow. Do not waste your time with foil. It’s wasteful and you don’t need it. I meant around the potato. If you’re worried about dripping etc, yeah, some foil under them can help keep your oven clean. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/5 "2015-07-12T22:22:28Z")
Wash a potato. Prick a few holes in it with a fork. Stick it in the oven until it’s sort when you squeeze it. The oven temperature can be anything from 325 to 450; just adjust the cooking time. Basically use the same temperature as the main course. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/6 "2015-07-12T22:35:25Z")
I learned something about microwaving a spud: leave a half-inch of water in the pyrex dish. Otherwise, the part of the tater that touches the glass will get extra-hot and dry out. Crunchy and tough. (Crunchy and tough would be delightful if I could control it precisely…) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/7 "2015-07-12T23:30:16Z")
_Rio_ by Duran Duran. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/8 "2015-07-13T00:28:16Z")
I rub potatoes with olive oil, coat them pretty heavily in kosher salt and bake them for about an hour at 400f. The salt seems to draw out the moisture and makes the potatoes fluffier. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/9 "2015-07-13T00:35:29Z")
60 minutes at 350 doesn’t cut it with my oven. I blame those arm-sized monsters my local supermarket stocks. I need 75 minutes. Otherwise, yeah, what everyone else says. Or just microwave it. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/10 "2015-07-13T01:31:48Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > 60 minutes at 350 doesn’t cut it with my oven. I blame those arm-sized monsters my local supermarket stocks. Jam a steel skewer through it before you put it in. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/11 "2015-07-13T01:36:25Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Jam a steel skewer through it before you put it in. America’s Test Kitchen proved that doesn’t work. Better to microwave the spud for a few minutes to get the internal temperature up before it goes into the oven. ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/12 "2015-07-13T02:06:40Z")
I got really tired of unbaked potatoes (350 for 1 hour, according to friends) I settled on using a thermometer. I cook to an internal temperature of 210f. Experience has shown me that a 1 pound potato will bake to perfection in about 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 350 so I plan on that. I weigh the potatoes when I buy them also. Saves worry. You can also buy plastic wrapped potatoes for microwaving (7 minutes?) but they have a damp peel. Bob ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/13 "2015-07-13T02:29:26Z")
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. Mrs Piper said to give her compliments to the chefs of the Dope. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/14 "2015-07-13T02:29:50Z")
If you really want a perfect baked potato: Start by rinsing it under cold water while giving the skin a good hard rub. It should end up smooth. Leave it in the fridge overnight in a bowl of cold water. You’ll need a plate or somehting to weight it down so it stays under. Next day, take it out and dry it well. Preheat the oven to 425. Rub potato with olive or safflower oil, salt, and black pepper. Prick the top with a fork if you must, I’ve never seen it make a difference. Bake on an open oven rack until the skin is crispy brown and papery, and the potato mushes easily when squozen. (What? That is the way my Grandmother said it!) 😉 Slit the potato lengthwise and open it like a book. stir the inside up and then sprinkle salt and pepper. Add generous amounts of butter and stir it in. Have mild sour cream on the table for the smart people. Do not listen to freaks who advocate low salt and even yogurt-y options. This is no time to be miserly. Eat the entire thing. All of it. The skin has all the vitamins, and a large part of the fiber. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/15 "2015-07-13T02:54:33Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > America’s Test Kitchen proved that doesn’t work. Better to microwave the spud for a few minutes to get the internal temperature up before it goes into the oven. Really? I find that surprising. It seems pretty obvious to me that a metal skewer would transmit heat from the oven into the interior of the potato and cook it quicker and more evenly. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/16 "2015-07-13T02:57:00Z")
Put the potato in the microwave. Cook until it explodes. Take another potato and cook it slightly less. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/17 "2015-07-13T02:57:09Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > If you really want a perfect baked potato: > > Start by rinsing it under cold water while giving the skin a good hard rub. It should end up smooth. > > Leave it in the fridge overnight in a bowl of cold water. You’ll need a plate or somehting to weight it down so it stays under. > > Next day, take it out and dry it well. Preheat the oven to 425. > > Rub potato with olive or safflower oil, salt, and black pepper. Prick the top with a fork if you must, I’ve never seen it make a difference. > > Bake on an open oven rack until the skin is crispy brown and papery, and the potato mushes easily when squozen. (What? That is the way my Grandmother said it!) 😉 > > Slit the potato lengthwise and open it like a book. stir the inside up and then sprinkle salt and pepper. Add generous amounts of butter and stir it in. > > Have mild sour cream on the table for the smart people. Do not listen to freaks who advocate low salt and even yogurt-y options. This is no time to be miserly. > > Eat the entire thing. All of it. The skin has all the vitamins, and a large part of the fiber. I wouldn’t add anything to your post. Except some chives. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/18 "2015-07-13T03:01:19Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Wash a potato. Prick a few holes in it with a fork. Stick it in the oven until it’s sort when you squeeze it. The oven temperature can be anything from 325 to 450; just adjust the cooking time. Basically use the same temperature as the main course. Seriously. Sorry to sound snarky, but am I the only one who reads this like asking how you boil water? (The holes, btw, are to prevent the uncommon but unfortunate baking potato explosions.) ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/19 "2015-07-13T03:10:40Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > America’s Test Kitchen proved that doesn’t work. Better to microwave the spud for a few minutes to get the internal temperature up before it goes into the oven. While I can’t find this on their website, it was in one of their magazines. The mags always contain info that doesn’t make it to the website to entice us to pay for both. It’s one of the very many things people will convince themselves that it works (like sticking a can of beer up a chicken’s ass) when it really doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978/20 "2015-07-13T03:21:17Z")
> [@Apocalypso](#): > > Put the potato in the microwave. Cook until it explodes. Take another potato and cook it slightly less. 😛 Grin! Exactly! “Drive east along the highway to where it crosses Fourth Street, and, a mile before you get there, turn left.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-bake-a-potato/724978.md?page=2)