Baked potato in foil at 350

Emma is a former editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer. Check out her website for more cooking stories

updated Aug 2, 2020

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(Image credit: Lauren Volo)

As long as there are a few potatoes in the pantry, I know that I have at least one option for dinner. Whether topped with a simple pat of butter or a scoop of hearty chili, baked potatoes are a favorite no-brainer meal when I just want something easy and warm. Here are three different ways to make them.

No matter which method you choose to use, be sure to wash the potato and prick it all over with a fork. Forgetting that crucial pricking step will result in a spud grenade in your oven — pricking the skin lets the steam inside the cooking potato escape without this risk of bursting.

Read more: 20 Ways to Turn a Baked Potato Into Dinner

Watch

3 Ways To Bake A Potato

1. How To Bake Potatoes in the Oven

• The method: How To Bake a Potato in the Oven
• The result: Crispy potato skins!

(Image credit: Lauren Volo)

Heat the oven to 425°F. Rub the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and prick with the tines of a fork. Wrap each potato in aluminum foil and place it in the bottom of a slow cooker. Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 8 to 10 hours.

A Perfect Baked Potato will have a crisp skin with a light and fluffy inside. The steps to achieve these results are effortless!

Most home cooks have been taught to cook a baked potato wrapped in foil, but this step is not necessary. If you enjoy baked potatoes from your favorite steakhouse restaurants, you will recall they have a crispy skin with a soft fluffy inside. Baking a potato in the oven with no foil wrapping is the secret to baked potato perfection! So – throw out that aluminum foil! Rub the outside of the baked potato with olive oil or butter instead. If you follow our easy guidelines below, you will always have perfect baked potatoes!

Which potato should I choose for baked potatoes?:  Any potato can be baked, but for the perfect baked potato with the desired flaky texture, it is recommended that mature, baking-type potatoes such as the Russet potatoes be used.  Russets are known as a starchy potato, a baking potato, or a mealy potato.  The starch gives the potato it’s characteristic fluffiness.  When you’re in the mood for a good, classic baked potato, it’s Russet Potatoes.

A sprout of any size can be toxic, but you would have to eat many sprouts to get sick.  Do not buy potatoes if they have sprouted or have a green tint to the skin. The same is true for potatoes that turn a greenish hue.  A potato in this condition is “light-struck” which causes a build-up of a chemical called Solanine.  This is a natural reaction to the potato being exposed to too much light.  The green part, if eaten in large quantity, can cause illness.

When baking a lot of potatoes at one time, choose potatoes with uniform shapes and sizes; they will cook more evenly and get done at the same time.

Check out Linda’s Potato Hints, Tips, and Information, and The History and Legends of Potatoes.

Perfect Baked Potato Recipe- No Foil Baked Potato Method:

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Perfect Baked Potato Recipe

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 10 mins

Servings: 1 Person

Calories: 170 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil, vegetable oil, or butter
• 1 medium potato (Russet Potato)
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt or sea salt

Instructions

1. Adjust the rack in your oven to the middle position and preheat oven to desired temperature (see Cooking Temperature Chart below).

2. Rinse and scrub (I use a stiff-bristled brush) each potato under cold running water, as you will be eating the skins of these perfect potatoes.  Do not soak the potatoes (that will make them soggy.   Also do not use hot water or you will start cooking the outside and the inside will not catch up).  Dry each potato thoroughly with a clean towel.

3. Look the cleaned potatoes over and remove any bruises or discolored spots with the tip of your knife.

4. Pierce each potato deeply with a fork or sharp knife four (4) times on each side at approximately 1-inch intervals (this will allow steam to escape during the baking).  If you do not pierce the potatoes, they may explode during baking in your oven.  You do not want this to happen as it makes a terrible mess in your oven!

   

5. Wrapping the potato in aluminum foil will produce a soft skin (not crispy). Technically this is steaming rather than baking (as the moisture in the potato remains trapped) and the light, flaky texture will be missing.  The texture of a steamed potato is entirely different from that of a perfect baked potato.  Save yourself the trouble and expense of wrapping potatoes in aluminum foil and serve perfect baked potatoes.  My suggestion is to NEVER use aluminum foil when baking potatoes!

6. For a crispier potato skin:  Rub the outside of the potato with olive oil, vegetable oil, or butter over the skins.  I like to roll the potatoes in coarse or sea salt after rolling in the oil and before baking.  Place coarse salt onto a small plate.  Roll potatoes lightly in the salt.  The skin is so yummy to eat when baked!

7. Bake on racks of oven until tender.

8. Bake according to the Temperature Chart below.  Do not overcook potatoes as the insides will be dry, so it’s important to be vigilant.

9. The higher the oven temperature, the shorter the cooking time will be and the crustier the skin.  Larger potatoes will take longer to bake.  Bake potatoes along with whatever else you are baking and gauge the cooking time according to oven temperature.

10. Turn the potatoes over halfway through the baking time to prevent browning of the undersides where they touch the oven rack.

11. Potatoes are done if tender when pierced with a fork to see if it slides out easily and you can check the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees F.  Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness.  You can also test for doneness by gently squeezing the middle of the potato (using a pot holder or oven mitt).  If it gives in easily to your touch, it is done.

12. When baked to perfection, remove potatoes from the oven.  Slit across the top with a sharp knife.  Gently pinch (squeeze) in each end of the potato towards the middle (using your thumb and index finger).  The potato will then pop open and loosen the fluffy white interior from the skin.  Be careful as there will be some steam.

Nutrition Facts

Perfect Baked Potato Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 170

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Oven Temperatures for Perfect Baked Potatoes:

Conventional or Regular Oven:
(about 5 ounces, medium-sized potatoes, or 150 grams each)

45 minutes at 400 degrees F.
60 minutes at 350 degrees F.
90 minutes at 325 degrees F.

(about 8-10 ounces, large-sized potatoes or 227-283 grams each)

60 minutes at 400 degrees F.
80 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Place the potato directly on the oven rack in a preheated oven.  Place a baking sheet (I put a piece of aluminum foil) on the lower rack (below the potatoes) to catch any drippings.

Convection Oven:
(about 5 ounces, medium-sized potatoes or 150 grams each)

45 minutes at 375 degrees F.
60 minutes at 325 degrees F.
90 minutes at 300 degrees F.

(about 8-10 ounces, large-sized potatoes or or 227-283 grams each )

60 minutes at 375 degrees F.
80 minutes at 325 degrees F.

Convection ovens cook up to 20% faster than regular ovens.  Also, the food in a convection oven is cooked at a lower temperature than in a regular oven to achieve the same results.

The general rule is to decrease your oven temperature at least 25 degrees lower than a regular oven.

This is the type of cooking and meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking.  I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking.  I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer shown in the photo on the right.  To learn more about this excellent thermometer and to also purchase one (if you desire), just click on the underlined: Thermapen Thermometer.

You now have a perfect baked potato – All you need to do is load it with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Favorite Baked Potato Toppings Ideas:

• Butter
• Sour Cream
• Salsa
• Sliced green onions or chives
• Bacon bits
• Shredded cheese
• You could even make a meal out of your baked potato by topping with taco ingredients or additional meats and vegetables on top.  Get creative!

What goes well with the Perfect Baked Potato – the Perfect Steak!  

It’s hard to think of eating a juicy steak without a baked potato.  These two foods go hand in hand.

Learn how to Cook the Perfect Steak.

Comments from readers:

I’m a good cook.  A while back I was looking for alternate baking times for potatoes so I could synchronize with other oven dishes.  Your tutorial – it’s that good – on baking potatoes nailed the subject.  I used to be a tech writer years ago.  Your informative, tight, and expert writing is about as good as it gets.  Thanks.- Jack Labusch, Niles, Ohio (10/16/14)

I had never made a baked potato before.  I remember the ones my mother used to cook when I was a kid being really dry but I wanted to make one, so I googled it and found your site.  My baked potatoes were delicious and I have you to thank for it.  They’re now a regular staple in my ever-burgeoning cooking repertoire.  Thank you so much.  I so appreciate a recipe that turns out beautifully. – Diane (12/20/13)

I was just looking online at new ways to bake a potato AND I SAW YOUR SITE. PERFECT just like you said with no aluminum foil used and salt, pepper, and butter on the outside – perfect cook times.  They were amazing!  I don’t think I came up for air, it was the best baked potato I’ve ever had at home or anywhere else! – from Facebook (10/30/13)

How long does it take to bake a potato at 350 degrees Fahrenheit?

Does it take longer to bake potatoes in foil?

How long does it take to bake a potato at 375 in foil?

How long does it take to grill potatoes at 350?