How to Bake a Potato

1 . Stage

Preheat the oven: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 400°F.

2 . Stage

Wash and dry the potatoes: Wash the potatoes and dry them with a kitchen towel. If they have big eyes or tiny sprouts, dig those out (the tip of a potato peeler is the best tool for the job).

3 . Stage

Poke steam holes: Poke each potato all over 10-12 times with a dinner fork. Don’t be afraid to really get in there; drive the tines about an inch into the potato.

4 . Stage

Grease and season the potatoes: Rub the potatoes with the oil or bacon grease. You can eyeball this amount, but 1/4 teaspoon per potato should do it. They should be a little slick, but not dripping with grease. Rub as much salt as you like on the skins. A lot of it will fall off, but it makes the potatoes sparkle!

5 . Stage

Bake the potatoes: Set the potatoes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (or, if your oven racks are clean, directly on the rack). The rack helps air circulate for even baking. If you are baking a lot of potatoes, don’t crowd them on the baking sheet; they’ll steam if crowded. Bake until you can easily slide a fork or skewer into the center of the potato, 30 to 60 minutes. The baking time will depend on the size of your potatoes. They’re done when the skins are slouchy and wrinkled. You may even hear a slight hissing sound, or see tiny bubbles coming from one of the poke holes. If you squeeze one, it should yield to the pressure of your fingers easily, and quite likely crack open a little. If the potato is still hard, keep baking it until it’s done.

6 . Stage

Serve: To serve, prick the center of a potato with a fork and pry it open to expose its crumbly and fluffy flesh. Season and top as you like, and dig in! Let leftover potatoes cool, then wrap them in foil and refrigerate them for up to 4 days. Baked potatoes do not freeze well. Love the recipe? Leave us some start below!