How to bake potatoes
Scrub russet potatoes, oil and salt the skins, then bake at 400°F (200°C) until a fork slides in easily. Plan about 45 to 75 minutes depending on size for a fluffy interior and crisp skin.
A baked potato should have crisp salty skin and a dry fluffy interior. Soft soggy skins usually mean the potato was wrapped in foil the whole time or baked too cool. Hard chalky centers mean the potato needed more time or was too large for the clock you used.
This guide uses russet (baking) potatoes in a hot oven at 400°F (200°C). Medium russets often take 45 to 60 minutes. Large ones can need 70 to 75 minutes. The real test is a fork or skewer that slides to the center with little resistance, not the clock alone.
Scrub well, dry thoroughly, rub with a little oil and salt, then bake directly on the oven rack or on a sheet pan. Pierce a few times so steam can escape. Skip full-time foil wrap if you want crisp skin. Foil after baking can hold heat for serving, not for the whole roast.
You will need russets, oil, salt, a fork and a hot oven. Butter, sour cream, cheese or chili are finishing choices, not part of the bake. Leftover baked potatoes reheat well and make hash the next day.
Step-by-step guide
Time: 50 to 80 minutes depending on potato size
What you need
- Russet potatoes (medium to large)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons oil per potato
- Kosher or sea salt
- Fork or skewer
- Sheet pan or oven rack
- Oven preheated to 400°F (200°C)
Before you start
- Pierce each potato a few times before baking so steam can escape.
- Hot potatoes hold steam. Split carefully and watch for a burst of heat.
- Do not wrap tightly in foil for the whole bake if you want crisp skin.
Step 01
Heat the oven and prep the potatoes
Clean skins and a hot oven set you up for crisp outsides and even centers.
Illustrative: start with clean dry potatoes before oil and salt. Do this step in order
1a
Preheat to 400°F (200°C)
Give the oven a full preheat. Putting potatoes into a cool oven stretches the time and softens the skin before the interior cooks.
1b
Scrub and dry thoroughly
Wash under cool water with a brush or your hands to remove dirt. Dry completely with a towel. Wet skins steam instead of crisping.
1c
Pierce each potato a few times
Use a fork to poke 4 to 6 holes around each potato. Steam needs a path out. Skipping this can split the potato open in the oven.
Step 02
Oil, salt and place in the oven
A thin oil coat and salt season the skin and help it crisp.
Illustrative: oil and salt the skins, then bake hot. Do this step in order
2a
Rub with oil
Coat each potato with about 1 teaspoon oil (up to 2 for a large russet). Rub so the whole skin is lightly shiny, not dripping.
2b
Salt the skins generously
Sprinkle kosher or sea salt over all sides while the oil is still wet so it sticks. This is the main seasoning for the skin.
2c
Set on a rack or sheet pan
Place potatoes directly on the oven rack with a sheet pan on the lower rack to catch drips or bake on a sheet pan. Leave space between them so hot air can move.
2d
Skip foil for the main bake
Foil traps steam and softens skins. Save foil for holding finished potatoes warm. Common mistake: wrapping from the start and wondering why the skin is soggy.
Step 03
Bake until fork-tender
Time is a guide. The fork test decides when you are done.
Illustrative: the center should offer little resistance. Do this step in order
3a
Start checking at 45 minutes
Medium russets often need 45 to 60 minutes. Large ones may need 70 to 75. Begin checking at 45 so you do not overshoot small potatoes.
3b
Test the thickest potato
Push a fork or skewer into the thickest part. It should slide to the center with little resistance. If you hit a hard core, give it 10 more minutes and test again.
3c
Look for slightly wrinkled skins
Done potatoes often show lightly wrinkled skins and may give a little when squeezed with an oven mitt. Shiny tight skins usually need more time.
Step 04
Rest, split and fluff
A short rest makes splitting safer and the interior fluffier.
Illustrative: fluff the interior before you load toppings. Do this step in order
4a
Rest 5 minutes
Let potatoes sit a few minutes so steam settles. They are easier to handle and less likely to burst hot steam into your face when split.
4b
Split lengthwise and pinch open
Cut a line along the top with a knife. Pinch the ends toward the center so the potato opens. Watch for steam.
4c
Fluff and add toppings
Rake the interior with a fork. Add butter, salt, pepper or other toppings. Eat soon while the skin is still crisp.
Done when
- Oven at 400°F (200°C)
- Potatoes scrubbed, dried, pierced, oiled and salted
- Baked until fork-tender in the center
- Rested a few minutes before splitting
- Fluffed interior ready for toppings
Eagle Frame's takeaway: scrub, dry, oil and salt, then bake at 400°F (200°C) until fork-tender through the center. Trust doneness over the timer and keep foil off during the bake if you want crisp skin.