Baked: What are the best potatoes for baked potatoes ?
Subject: What are the best potatoes for baked potatoes ?
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Shawn Sklofsky (shawnskl at uniserve.com)
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 03:27:40 GMT
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I just moved out on my own and I'm just starting to learn to cook.
I purchased some "Yukon Gold" potatoes at Safeway for baked potatoes. Well, I made one tonight (425F for 45min.) and the inside was icky.
Is there one type of potato that's better than other for baking ? Any hints on how to make the "perfect" baked potato ?
Suggestions appreciated.
Thanks
From: sandy at pacifier.com (Sandy)
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 1998 20:12:22 -0800
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Well, basic Idaho russet potatoes (the big brown ones) are the fluffiest bakers and all-around potatoes. For potato salads and the like, try the "waxy" potatoes like red and yukon. Hash browns are a toss-up - I usually use the russets though.
From: Young (qwerty5 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 07:39:49 -0500
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Yukons make terrific mashed potatoes, if you're interested ...
From: cornie at aol.com (Cornie)
Date: 13 Feb 1998 05:08:19 GMT
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>Is there one type of potato that's better than other for baking ?
I use russett (sp) potatoes.
>Any<BR>
>hints on how to make the "perfect" baked potato ?
I turn my toaster oven on 400 and then wash the potatoes. Then I put some margarine or butter on the outside. You can salt the outside, too. Then pop into toaster oven for about an hour.
From: sally bond (sazzy008 at home.net)
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 00:51:19 -0500
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How was it yucky on the inside? The Yukon Gold is good for baking, but I have found it doesn't quite have the fluffy texture of a russet potato.
From: Shawn Sklofsky (shawnskl at uniserve.com)
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:09:38 GMT
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>How was it yucky on the inside? The Yukon Gold is good for baking, but I
>have found it doesn't quite have the fluffy texture of a russet potato.
I guess that was it. The texture was too...starchy or something. I guess I'm used to the baked potatoes at steakhouses, you know where the potato is so good you even want to eat the skin.
Oh well. You live and learn, right ?
From: shacra (CRASharon at msn.com)
Date: 13 Feb 1998 21:19:13 -0800
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Shawn Sklofsky says...
>guess I'm used to the baked potatoes at steakhouses, you know where
>the potato is so good you even want to eat the skin.
The skin is the best part....Who doesn't eat the skin of a baked potatoe after all those lectures... that is where all the vitamins are. Before you answer, I love all of the potatoe.
From: sally bond (sazzy008 at home.net)
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 00:20:56 -0500
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Oh! Yeah! Eat the insides with all the goodies, then eat the skins with mor butter between, like a sandwich. Yum. :-)))
From: Russell J Steele (pensfan+ at CMU.EDU)
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 1998 09:17:40 -0500
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by A. T. Hagan at sprintmail.com:
> This must be the baked potato from the Cardiac Cafe', right?
Sounds like that's where my mom got the recipe for her bacon and Miracle Whip sandwiches I used to eat every Sunday morning for breakfast with my eggs. What was my mom thinking getting me addicted to that stuff at such a young age? ;-)
From: Bob Y. (rdyoung at wcc.net)
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 08:36:35 -0600
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shawnskl at uniserve wrote:
> you know where
> the potato is so good you even want to eat the skin.
"even want to eat the skin?" My Lord, the skin is the best part if it is nice and crisp. Hunk of butter inside the hollow shell, a little salt and pepper. If I had the time right now, I'd bake one, eat the skin and toss the inside.
From: polenta-brain (polenta-brain)
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 17:28:20 GMT
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Bob Y. wrote:
>"even want to eat the skin?" My Lord, the skin is the best part if it is
>nice and crisp.
well, I agree! especially with "if it is nice & crisp" & therein lies my question: When I was a kid, my mom made baked taters with a nice THICK, Crispy skin. The skins today all see so THIN! THe other day I was baking a Yukon Gold & I put it on greased parchment paper right on the rack. I used the paper, because in the past I have had the skin rip right off & stick to the rack. Well, it did the same thing, ripped right off & stuck to the paper! grrrrrrr......I can't seem to get a decent skin anymore! The russets/Idahos do the same thing.
From: (sf)
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 1998 22:35:00 GMT
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I will agree that it's hard to find potatoes with the same thick skin you remember. It's hit and miss, mostly miss.
Do you turn the oven up to 400 degrees? Do you preheat the oven? I always bake potatos directly on the rack and never have a problem with the skin sticking.
From: Nancy Young (qwerty5 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 13:15:15 -0500
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You know, I used to eat the skin of the baked potatoes when I was a kid, thinking it was just a strange thing to do ... with tons of butter (yeah, right, in my house it was margarine)
Well, I went to my ex-bil's wedding in a really fancy hotel in Baltimore and a waiter came around and offered an hors doeuver I don't feel like looking up the spelling) I asked what they were and was (happily) shocked to find that they were potato skins.
Since then, my guilty secret has become a mainstay on every menu, it seems ...
From: Jerry Roush (roush_jerry at htc.honeywell.com)
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 12:32:30 +0000
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I like Yukons boiled, then sprinkled with olive oil, salt & pepper! IMHO, "plain ol'" russets are the best for baking. My wife bakes 'em in the microwave, wrapped in wax paper. I don't know how long it takes (see dejanews for recent discussion).
From: aquari at aol.com (Elizabeth Dean Brooks)
Date: 13 Feb 1998 15:17:45 GMT
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>Use russets from Idaho, Eastern Washington, or Nevada. The best bakers
>and friers that I've ever used came from Winnemucca, Nevada, if you
>can find them.
>
>Good eats- D.M.
Amen to that!
Lib
From: Bernhard Schopper (webweave at cais.com)
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 05:03:22 -0500
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I'm not sure what "Yukon Gold" potatoes are (I suppose they're grown in Canada), but the best baking potatoes are Idaho potatoes. The key is not to wrap them in Al foil since it inhibits flakiness due to excess retention of moisture. A good baked potato should be flaky.After you washed and dried the potatoes, grease them lightly with melted butter and bake for about an hour at 400F, depending on size. When the potatoes are half-done, puncture each once with a fork. This will vent the steam.
From: Art Simon (aasimon at pop.flash.net)
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 11:15:24 -0600
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> Is there one type of potato that's better than other for baking ?
I think you'll have better luck with russets. Wash, dry, prick with fork, rub with a little oil, bake.
Those yukon golds are great *roasted*. Wash, cut into bite size chunks, toss into steel mixing bowl, add some olive oil, a little minced garlic, and maybe some salt-substitute herb mix like Mrs. Dash. You may or may not want to throw in a tablespoon of coarse sea salt.. Toss all well to cover, then put into shallow roasting pan in standard or convection oven. Rost until golden brown, serve as a side dish. Delicious!