Baked Potato.......?

Question

How do I make a great baked potato?? I need 2 answers on this please. I have a gas grill, and an oven... What is the best way to make them with any of those 2 things???

And how can I make them without foil??? I can go get some, if I have to, but I would rather not go anywhere.

Also I need to know what temp and for how long. I know the basics (cleaning, cutting, garlic, and butter) but for some reason I can't seem to get the baking part right... :) I usually do like 350 for and hour. but they don't come out right....


Also.. They are the large baking potatoes....


Thank you to everyone for your help!!!

I do have a microwave, but I don't care for the taste of them afterwards...

Answer 1

Usually 350 degrees requires about 60-80 minutes. If you do 425 degrees it only takes 40-60 minutes to bake a potato right. again Time depends on thickness of potato. here is what I do...Wash the potato..then dry it. Poke holes in it with a fork..and if you want..dry it again..if you want dry skin..put it directly on the rack in the oven. If you want a softer skin, wrap it with aluminum foil. If you want some taste on your skin..roll it with some olive oil and kosher salt.
Also..get an oven thermometer...ovens are highly inaccurate (well a lot of em are) so it helps to know the true temperature inside your oven. Hope this helps. Another tip..after its done..take it..stab it with fork..if it goes through easy it should be done. let it sit for 5-10 minutes (its freaking hot anyway)...then roll it a little bit (softens inside) cut an X on top, squish in sides..it ends up looking real good..top with your favorite toppings.
~G

p.s. I suggest the oven over gas grill anyday, but if you must put it in the BBQ...make sure you are aware of the temperature as stated above, same cooking times, but DO cover with tin foil as BBQs will burn the skin on the potato..keep it in direct heat (not on the flames)..and it should be fine..honestly BBQ does not add flavor to a potato (it's too dense to soak up the smoke flavor other than in the skin..which is really minimal) and if someone tells you that..they're lying. BTW...true baked potatoes in steak restaurants etc..are NOT baked in foil, or covered with any seasonings including oil and salt. They bake it plain on rack, and let you decide what you want on it. A trick they often do...they bake it for 35 mins..let it sit..then right as you order your food, put it back in for 10 minutes so it does it's final cooking and is "ready" with your steak.

and if you absolutely must microwave a potato (hey not everyone has an hour to cook a potato)..poke holes in it..wrap in saran wrap...microwave on high for 6-8 minutes..check if done (poke)..if skin is too soft..put in oven for ten minutes at 350-425 to dry skin. Not the best..but it's a good and quick compromise.

Answer 2

I always use foil. I scrub the potatoes. Then I slice them a little more than half way through length wise from end to end. I salt them and put a little butter and chopped onions in between the slices of the potatoes. Add some garlic powder and I wrap them in foil I throw them on a cookie sheet in case the butter leaks through a little, so it wont drip and cause a fire. I bake them at 350 for an hour.after that, take one out and check it. Depending on the size of the potatoe, it may take a little longer. I suppose you could bake them without the foil by putting them in a casserole dish and bake them. Good Luck

Answer 3

I think baked potatoes are best cooked on a grill. I take a knife and make a cut down the center all the way through the potatoe then I put it in the microwave for 4 minutes on high then I wrap the potatoe in foil after putting salt on it then cook on the grill for about 30-45 minutes. There done when you can easily put a fork through the middle of it.

Answer 4

How do they 'not come out right'? You need the foil to keep the moisture in so they don't dry out on you. If you had a microwave, you could wrap them in damp paper towels, but these would ignite in the oven or on the grill. You either cook a potato for too long, or not long enough. The best way to find out is to poke it with a fork after 30 mins and see if the fork goes in easily, or if it's hard to poke through. If it's hard, cook it more. If it's soft, it's done. Add salt, margarine/butter, garlic and whatever other seasongings you'd like after they're cooked. Salt is important.

Answer 5

Wash the potatoes, pierce all over with a fork, spray with cooking oil, sprinkle with salt.

Place directly on rack in the middle of the oven and bake at 325º for about an hour. Wearing an oven mitt, squeeze the potatoes. If they are squishy, they are done. If they are still firm, keep baking until they are done. It might take upwards of an hour and a half if the potatoes are large.

BTW, I don't know what is all this talk about foil... I never use foil, and my potatoes don't burn. They get nice and crispy on the outside. Just make sure you spray oil on them first.

Answer 6

Seems you have a big problem with big potatoes.

This is how I do it every time and it works like a charm and also drives visits over and over again!

Peel potatoes, slice them (1/2 inch).

add some olive oil in over baking sheet or some butter so they don't stick to it.

Season potatoes with salt, pepper, arrange them in the baking sheet, add some powder garlic and some xtra virgin olive oil on top of them (not too much though).

Bake for 20 mins - 1/2 hour at 350 and you will be the queen of the kitchen.

Answer 7

If you have any shortening, you can rub a little of that on the outside of the potatoes before baking. That will help keep the skins from getting tough when you bake them without having to use foil.

I can't remember the time and temp I usually use to bake them (haven't made them in awhile), so hopefully someone else will have a good suggestion for baking time and temp.

Answer 8

Wash the potato and prick it with a fork to release steam. Preheat the oven to 400. Bake the potato for I hr or longer if it is very large. You can tell if it is done by squeezing it gently to see if it's soft. Wear an oven mitt when you do that.

Do NOT use foil. That will steam the potato and you will not get a crisp outer shell.
I like to eat them with butter, sour cream and chopped chives.

Answer 9

the oven(not gas grill) should be 200 to300 degrees bake for 30 to 40 minutes(in a bigf pot or ontop of a cookie sheet or baking pan) or keep checking until its soft take out the potatoes and put butter,garlic or whatever

Answer 10

an hour should be enough, turn the tep.up a bit at first. you don't need foil. are you saying you put butter and garlic in first? do this when cooked. if you have a microwave cook the potato's for about 6mins. and then put them in a hot oven for 10mins. but remember 6mins each potato ie. 2=12mins etc. good luck