When it comes to potato dishes, my favorite is mashed potatoes, and my second favourite is baked potatoes.
To make the best baked potatoes, you certainly need some tricks. Simply putting them in the oven will only result in hard and dry potatoes. Follow these three key points, and I guarantee your baked potatoes will go from a C- to an A+!
1)Boil Before Baking
Many people put potatoes directly into the oven, but this results in very dry potatoes without that soft, fluffy interior. This is because potatoes need over an hour to cook through and crisp up when put directly in the oven. Think about it: potatoes aren't very moist to begin with, so how can they not dry out after more than an hour in the oven?
Therefore, before baking, put the potatoes in boiling water for about 10 minutes. This not only speeds up the cooking process but, most importantly, allows the potatoes to absorb enough moisture. This way, the baked potatoes will be crispy on the outside, while the inside remains soft and fluffy due to sufficient moisture, resulting in a full-flavored potato.
2)Shake the potatoes for Extra Crispiness
After boiling the potatoes, don't rush to put them in the oven right away. By adding one extra step, you can greatly enhance the crispiness of your baked potatoes - shake them about a dozen times! After draining the water, whether you keep the potatoes in a colander or transfer them to a deep pot, vigorously shake the container with the potatoes about 10-15 times. After completing this ritual, you'll notice that the surface of the potatoes seems to have developed a rough texture. This exposed starch layer helps the potatoes become crispier during baking!
3)Pay attention to Baking Time
The last point might seem like common sense, but it's worth mentioning. Since oven temperatures can vary between households, you shouldn't blindly follow the cooking time stated in recipes. While baking, observe how the potato surface browns. In my oven, it takes 50 minutes for the potatoes to turn golden brown. Readers can use this as a reference and adjust accordingly. During baking, if you notice uneven browning, you can open the oven and flip the potatoes. The goal is to achieve a golden brown color on most of the potato surface.
With perfectly baked potatoes, adding a dipping sauce is the icing on the cake. This incredibly rich onion sour cream sauce combines the sweetness of onions with the aroma of garlic powder. When paired with baked potatoes, it's absolutely delicious!
Ingredients (serve 2-4)
Basic Ingredients
Potatoes | 700g |
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Salt | 1 pinch |
Olive Oil | to taste |
Onion & Sour Cream Dip
Onion | ½ bulb |
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Sour Cream | 150g |
Mayonnaise | 1 tbsp |
Dijon Mustard | 1 tsp |
Parsley (Chopped) | 2 sprigs |
Paprika | 1 tsp |
Garlic Powder | 1 tsp |
Salt | ½ tsp |
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