When you imagine the most traditional American dinner you can almost certainly imagine that it includes potatoes—probably a baked potato. And in many cuisines the humble baked potato plays a starring role. These workhorse starchy potatoes are incredibly versatile filling inexpensive accessible and delicious. And while you might think that the classic baked potato requires little skill the truth is that there’s a bit more art involved in making one that would pass for a side dish served in the finest restaurants.
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Mashed | 2023-05-19 16:00:18 |  258,610 Views |
Why baked potatoes always taste better in a restaurant
If you’ve ever found that your home-cooked meals never quite measure up to the meals you get out to eat there are a few big reasons why. And luckily you don’t need any special culinary training to replicate the tactics that make them so good at your favorite restaurant. There’s more than one tip for the perfect potato: factors like the type of potato the cooking time and temperature the way you prepare them and the ingredients and seasonings you use can all make or break it. But perhaps the biggest difference between yours and a chef’s is the way you bake them: It should never involve aluminum foil but instead rely heavily on a source of fat: oil or butter. If you’re looking for a crispy outside and a creamy inside—and you are—tweaking these two steps will make all the difference.
Much of what separates an acceptable baked potato from a phenomenal one is the texture—which should always be light fluffy crispy (but not burnt) on the inside and golden brown on the outside. That’s what you’d expect from a restaurant-made one too. Sticky dense centers and burnt or overly wrinkled skins are common pitfalls but easy enough to avoid if you prepare yours like a chef would. That means skipping the microwave and ditching the foil in the oven too.
Wrapping your Russet or Yukon Gold in foil traps the steaming heat inside the packaging so your potato will steam but won’t get that lovely golden brown crispy exterior you’re after. Instead brush the outside generously with oil a key tip for achieving that restaurant-style taste and texture. You can also save some money on your premium olive oil here and use canola or vegetable oil. Of course what you do next once you have your perfectly cooked potato is up to you and is open to interpretation. Keep it classic with butter and salt or go wild with inventive toppings. You can even make a whole meal out of it with lots of protein as the Brits would do by piling a hot dog on top for a Bonfire Night-inspired meal.
