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How To Bake A Potato: Russets or Sweet

Baked potatoes are an easy side dish to any dinner, they really don't need anything else besides a bit of butter and salt for a stellar side. Not to mention they're the perfect base for a more filling meal and an awesome Baked Potato Bar.
The right potato, the right temperature, and the right timing are key. Now let’s bake a great Baked Potato.
Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 4 russet potatoes or sweet potatoes (scrubbed and dried)
  • extra-virgin oil, optional
  • kosher salt, optional
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

Let's BAKE A Potato! (Option 1- The Oven)

  • Preheat the oven to 375-400 degrees. Depending on your oven and your comfortability.  Pierce potatoes all over with a small pairing knife or fork. According to the Idaho Potato Commission, potatoes are about 80 percent water. As your potatoes bake, some of that water converts to steam and exits through the tiny channels you poked in them. This moisture loss is a good thing. Outside of preventing explosions, it delivers lighter, fluffier baked potatoes.
    Rub them with oil and season generously with salt and pepper (do not pepper the Sweet Potato if going the sweet topping route). Place on a baking sheet. Or on an oven rack (cooling rack) inserted inside a baking sheet, especially if baking sweet potatoes. Due to their high sugar content, the sugars are released while baking and will often drip. The baking sheet will catch those drips, avoiding a huge mess in your oven.
  • Bake until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. To make sure they're fully cooked, use an instant-read talking kitchen thermometer to measure the internal temperature; it should be 205°-210°F.
    Sweet potatoes cannot keep a secret. When they’re done, the whole world will know it. (Well, figuratively, that is). They start to ooze out their sweet caramelized juice, wrinkle up a bit and when pierced with a knife or fork should slide in easily when a sweet potato is fully cooked.
    See Notes.

Break Out The Air Fryer! (Option 2)

  • It may be one of the longer air fryer cook times, but it's a little shorter than the oven if you need to save some time.
    Prep the potatoes the same way you would for the oven by scrubbing them clean, patting dry, and piercing steam holes all over with a fork or pairing knife.
  • Place them in the basket of an air fryer at 400° for 40 minutes and you'll have tender, crispy potatoes.

Make a Baked Potato in the Microwave (Option 3)

  • While this isn’t my favorite method, because you don’t have the great crusty crispy potato skin, it sure is faster.  And yes, it’s not really “baked”. However, if you’re not into eating crispy skin - this method is awesome and a favorite of Stan’s❣️
    You want to scrub and dry your potatoes. Then pierce them with a fork or pairing knife creating steam holes – this is very important, even more so in a microwave than in an oven (though it’s important there, too).  Steam builds up in the potato as it heats and without these little holes to release the steam it could explode – not all that fun to clean.
  • Microwave your potato for 5 minutes, then turn it upside down (hopefully you have a rotating tray, if not, turn it around on the tray as well), and microwave it for another 4 minutes, and check to see if it’s soft enough.
  • Add more time as needed, 1 minute at a time.  If you are microwaving more than one potato at a time it may take longer.  Never put foil in the microwave!

Notes

Hi Checking for doneness:
  • A fully baked potatoes will have slightly wrinkled skins. 
Non Visual Cues I’ve found helpful (low-vision / blind cooking tips):
  • Potatoes may make tiny hissing sounds, if you listen carefully.
  • If you lightly squeeze a potato, it should yield to the pressure of your fingers, and possibly even crack open a little.
  • You should be able to slide a fork or skewer deeply into the potato with minimal resistance.
If you are still feeling unsure, use an instant-read talking kitchen thermometer: their internal temperature should be between 205°F and 210°F. (In this magic temperature zone, starch granules in the potato have absorbed water, ruptured, and rendered the interior flesh fluffy and light).

Leftover Potatoes

I often bake a few more potatoes than I need. They become building blocks for future meals: hash, gnocchi, loaded potato skins, twice baked potatoes, improvised baked potato soup.
Allow potatoes to cool, then wrap them in foil and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Baked potatoes do not freeze well.

Tips and Trick for the Best Russets and Sweet Potatoes

  • Choose potatoes that are roughly the same size and shape so cooking time will be the same.
  • Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up.
  • Let potatoes cool for about 5 minutes before serving.