Old Habits: Baked Potatoes Wrapped in Foil or Not?

When we picture a baked potato, we picture it wrapped in shiny aluminum foil. Why is that? Because restaurants serve them that way? Because our parents did it? We think we must have done it out of habit, without knowing the reason. Not anymore...

Some say wrapping baked potatoes in aluminum foil helps them cook faster (aluminum conducts heat, then traps it), and it does keep them hot for longer once they come out of the oven, which is why we think restaurants use this method.

Wrapping potatoes will also give you a softer, steamed skin, if that's what you like. But we prefer our potato skin crispy and seasoned, so we rub our potatoes with olive oil and cover them with kosher salt before roasting them on a baking sheet (turning once or twice). They don't seem to take a noticeably longer time to cook. The oil keeps the skin from getting too dry and papery, and it adds flavor that makes eating the skin all the more tasty.

And, of course, remember to pierce your potatoes. While we've never had one explode in our oven, the photo above is evidence that it can happen.

How do you cook your baked potatoes?

(Image: Flickr member booleansplit, licensed for use under Creative Commons)

Comments (16)

I do wrap mine in foil. I also rub them with oil and kosher salt before baking. I've discovered that if I throw a couple of cloves of garlic (peeled) into the foil alongside the potato and bake it all together I end up with delicious roasted garlic to mash into my baked potato. Mmmm.

No foil! Just jab the potato six times (3 times, each side) with a fork, and pop it into a preheated oven at 425 for about 45 minutes. The result: unbelievably crisp skin, fluffy spuds.

I find the best way is to skewer them with a metal skewer. THe metal skewer conducts the heat inside the potato and you get a well baked potato with the crispy skin on the outside.

mmmmm yum

I'll admit, I rarely serve baked potatoes, so when I do, I usually buy those ones that are shrink wrapped for cooking in the microwave. I have no idea how long it would take to cook a baked potato, plus I am admittedly "scared" of the carbs.

Olive oil, maldon salt, pierced all over (fortunately I've never forgotten), for 2 hours in a low oven. The technique (I hesitate to call it a recipe!) comes from Delia Smith and her How to Cook series of books and tv episodes -- it is amazing! Lovely crunchy, salty crust, and fluffy interior. Best potatoes ever! The low oven really makes a difference -- I've compared low and high heat (heck, 2 hours is a long time to wait for a potato!), but yes, it is worth it!

Yep, olive oil and salt for me too. I grew up using foil, but now that I eat the skins, no foil works better.

I've always used foil, but I think next time I make baked potatoes I'll have to try the olive oil salt no foil way! Thanks for the tips.

I'm the only one in my family of 4 to like it baked without the foil. The lone ranger. LOL I like the olive oil and salt idea...never thought about that.

My mom has a set of huge "potato nails" that she would hammer into the potatoes before cooking. Of course, they are really hard to get out of hot potato before eating!

I'm a stabber/no foil potato baker, but I've never tried the olive oil & salt rub. Great idea for next time.

microwave. I just pierce it and stick it in, no fuss. It takes about eight minutes.

olive oil and sea salt without foil is the way to go! it ends up nice and crisp and salty on the outside and fluffy inside. at the peak of my "morning sickness" it was the only thing I could eat for dinner.

I pierce with a fork and wrap mine in plastic wrap & then I pop them in the microwave. Easy breezy.

We add one more step to the standard of the olive oil and the sea salt. Slice it length-wise before seasoning, and place one bay leaf (fresh if you grow them) between the two halves before wrapping in foil and baking. Ummy, ummy.

We always just stabbed them ALLover with forks (don't stab yourself though, it's easy to do that) and then put them in the oven for a long time -- it makes the skin super crispy.

i forgot to pierce a potato just the other day and my oven looked like that!

I use salt and butter on mine instead of olive oil.