Perfect baked potatoes: Crispy skin, fluffy inside secrets
Baked potatoes make the perfect dinner side dish. They taste great and bring back pleasant summer memories. However, preparing them in the oven can be more challenging than it seems. How do you ensure the skin is golden and crispy while the flesh is tender and soft? An expert from the culinary magazine Good Housekeeping revealed their tricks.
Following the tips below, you can prepare whole potatoes or cut them into halves and quarters. To achieve a campfire effect, pay attention to the variety of potatoes. Type C potatoes have delicate, buttery flesh. They are perfect for casseroles and stuffing in the style of Turkish kumpirs.
Before you put the potatoes in the oven
Many people make the mistake of putting raw potatoes straight into the oven. It's worth parboiling them first. You don't need to peel them; just scrub them thoroughly and put them whole into salted water for no more than 15 minutes (from the moment they boil). Right after boiling, drain the potatoes and shake them vigorously in a colander, then dry them on a paper towel.
Campfire effect
You must do one additional thing to make oven-baked potatoes taste like they came from a campfire. You should dust them with flour. How to do it? The best way is to put the potatoes in a pot or container with a lid, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour (depending on the number of potatoes), close the lid, and shake the pot to get coated on all sides.
Then, pour oil over them—not cold, but heated. Cold oil causes the potatoes to absorb more fat, making them soft, greasy, and hard to digest.
Baked potatoes with flavor
Are you craving spicier potatoes, or maybe you prefer them with a subtle thyme aroma? To give your baked potatoes a bold flavor, add hot or smoked paprika, oregano, Provençal herbs, or nutmeg to the flour before coating them. The latter provides a slightly nutty taste and acts as an aphrodisiac. It improves mood and stimulates blood flow, which may positively affect libido.
You can also toss fresh sprigs of thyme or rosemary into the oven. Choose one strong spice or combine two favorite aromas. Remember, excess can be the enemy of good.
