Coating potatoes in salt before baking is the key to achieving a crackly, crispy skin, as the large flakes pull moisture from the skin while it cooks. This results in a crust that snaps when sliced into, and it also helps prevent steam from softening the potato, allowing the olive oil to work properly.
Why salt beats foil for crispy skin
Many people prepare baked potatoes using only oil and wrap them in foil, but this can lead to mushy skin because the foil traps moisture inside the potato. Instead, the foil should be ditched and, in addition to olive oil, the potatoes should be coated with salt.
While table salt works, sea salt is recommended. The texture of table salt is finer, and the crust it leaves will be less dramatic.
How to make tastier and crispier baked potatoes
To begin, the oven should be preheated to 200°C Fan, and the potato should be properly washed under cold running water and dried with paper towels. The skin should then be pierced all over with a fork, as steam can build up inside potatoes and cause them to explode in the oven; piercing the skin helps the steam escape.
Olive oil should be generously poured over the potato, and it should be coated in rosemary sea salt, making sure every part of the skin is covered. Before putting the potato in the oven, it can be pre-cooked in the microwave for six to 10 minutes; eight minutes was perfect for the potato used. This helps give a really soft and fluffy middle without ending up with a tough skin. When ready, the skin should be just starting to wrinkle.
Baking and serving the potato
The potato should then be transferred to a baking tray using tongs and an oven mitt, as the potato and plate will be extremely hot. This potato needed baking for 40 minutes, and it needs to be tender enough for a knife to slide into the skin easily. Once ready, leaving it in the oven for five minutes helps the skin crisp up even more.
After that, the top is sliced open and the sides pinched to open it out, the insides are fluffed with a fork, and toppings are added. Options include tuna mayo, baked beans and cheese, chilli con carne, sour cream, or plain butter.
