Loaded Baked Potato

Let's cook

1. 1

   Prick and dry the skin

   Scrub the potatoes, prick them all over with a fork, and dry them completely.

2. 2

   Oil and salt the skin

   Rub with oil and roll in coarse salt. This is what makes the skin crisp and seasoned rather than leathery.

   💡

   The salted skin is the best part of a baked potato. Do not wrap it in foil.

3. 3

   Bake directly on the rack

   Bake at 425°F (220°C) directly on the oven rack for 55–65 minutes. Foil steams the skin soft; the bare rack lets it crisp all round.

4. 4

   Check with a skewer

   It is done when a skewer slides through with no resistance and the skin is visibly crisp and slightly wrinkled.

5. 5

   Split and fluff immediately

   Cut a cross in the top and squeeze the ends to push it open, then fluff the inside with a fork. Trapped steam makes the flesh dense if you wait.

   💡

   Open it the moment it comes out. Steam has to escape.

6. 6

   Load

   Add butter first so it melts in, then cheese, bacon, sour cream, scallions, and plenty of pepper.

Nutrition & Safety