Yes, I'm really asking this question! I am not the chef in the family....

I know I pierce them with a fork and wrap each one in foil, correct?? But what oven temp and for how long?

I plan to cook meatloaf along with them, at 350 degrees....can the potatoes go in that temp or is that too low or too high? So if I want to cook them with the meatloaf at 350, is it possible, and for how long? Thanks!

By Dana on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 01:36 pm:

If you cook them w/ the meat, you will need to increase the time. They take a while to cook. Many people like the foil around them. I prefer them without because it makes a crispy skin. I like to eat my skins that way. If you want you can salt them while they are wet after washing and wrap in foil (and yes you poke a whole in them before the foil part).

To make it quicker, you can precook them in the microwave just enough to get them a tad soft in the middle. The length of that depends on your microwave and how many taters you got going.

350 is a good temp, and I would do for about 40min to an hour depending on how many of them you are cooking. Longer if you add the meat. Less if you precooked. Boy, Im really a big help LOL.

Do a bit of a precook in the microwave, wrap if you want and put them in with your meatloaf. If they are precooked this way, I might opt for a bout 30 minutes in the regular oven. To test, just use a tooth pick or cake tester to see if it is soft all the way thru. Becareful on over cooking in the microwave, that is very easy and can leave hard spots.

By Fraggle on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 01:58 pm:

They do not need to be wrapped in foil. I just poke a metal skewer through them (the ones I have can fit up to three potatoes-leave a little space between each). It makes it easier to turn them halfway through so they can cook evenly on both sides, but if you don't have one just put them directly on the rack of the oven and turn halfway through. At 350-I would say plan for them to take an hour to an hour and a quarter-depending on how big they are. I stopped using foil a while ago becuase I found they didn't need to be wrapped and I guess bacteria can grow in there when they are left in the foil after baking. Good luck with dinner.

By Hol on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 02:12 pm:

I like to scrub the skins, dry them, and rub a little Crisco on the skins. It makes them crispy, and I LOVE to eat the skins. That's where all the nutrients are.

I poke them with a fork in a couple places. Otherwise, the potatoes can explode. Not a nice mess to clean out of your oven.

I do them for about an hour in the regular oven at about 400, sometimes longer if they are big. My stove is 36 years old, so the oven temp is not really accurate anymore. It's probably really 350 - 375.

Pre'cooking in the microwave is a good idea. I have never done it, tho. The weather is so nice HERE today that I could actually do some on the grill. I grease them, wrap them in foil, and put them right down into the coals. (We use charcoal). It takes longer in the grill, but they taste SO good.

Good luck.

By Breann on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 02:17 pm:

We cook ours in the microwave. Takes about 12 minutes for 3 big baking potatoes. We rub a little crisco shortening on the skins so they don't dry out while cooking.
Fast, and yummy too. Sometimes I even throw one in the microwave for lunch. Only takes a few minutes.

By Pamt on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 03:17 pm:

I really don't like microwaved potatoes at all. They always end up with crunchy spots. I use really large potatoes. I wash them, don't pierce them, wrap them in foil and bake at 350 for 1.5 to 2 hours.

By Cocoabutter on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 04:07 pm:

My mom has metal pins that are made for baking potatoes. She just pushes them through the center of the potato lengthwise. The object is the pin gets hot and bakes the inside of the potato faster. But don't use them in the microwave!

I do what Hol does- coat the outside with butter or Crisco for a crispy skin.

By Kate on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 04:08 pm:

THANKS, Pam!! I was all set until YOU came along and differed from everyone, LOL!!! You non conformist, you!! Since the majority says pierce and don't wrap, I think I shall have to go with that since I have so little experience....but thanks! Thanks to everyone!

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 05:20 pm:

My son, who was a sous chef at a couple of large restaurants, says 350 for an hour to an hour and a half (checking with a meat fork for doneness), and be sure to oil the skins. When I'm already using the oven, I prefer to pre-cook in the microwave for say, 7-8 minutes, and then in the oven for a half hour or a bit more, oiling the skins. My mom, when she took baked potatoes out of the microwave or oven, would roll them (using a potholder or oven gloves), pressing on them lightly, to sort of "break them up". I always do that when I do them in the microwave. (And, if you do them in the microwave, always wrap them in foil when you take them out and let them sit for 10 minutes to "finish" cooking.)

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 05:28 pm:

Food Network Hints

They say about 350 for an hour. If more than 4 potatoes, add 15 minutes. Now I'm hungry for baked potato soup! Yummy!

By Annie2 on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 06:48 pm:

I wash and dry them. Then coat them with a thin layer of butter. I bake them at 400 degress for an hour; poking them with a fork after 30 minutes.

By Karen~admin on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 07:26 pm:

1 to 1.5 hours at @ 400 or 425 for large potatoes.

By Hol on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 11:08 pm:

Try twice-baked potatoes. After they are baked, cut the potato in half, lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the contents into a bowl. Add shredded cheese (we like cheddar), butter, salt and pepper. You can also add sour cream, cooked broccholi florettes, or bacon bits. Mash them together, stuff the filling back into the skins, top with bread crumbs, and bake another 10-15 minutes in a low (200 degree) oven.

Yum-my!!

By Heaventree on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 11:15 pm:

Hol, I LOVE twice-baked potatoes!

By Kate on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - 11:19 pm:

Well, I did them pierced and no foil for 1.5 hours at 350 and they were great, thanks! Why do more potatoes require more time?? Its' a huge oven and potatoes are small in comparison...

From these posts it sounds like baked potatoes are foolproof! I sure hate the skins, though....

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, October 5, 2006 - 07:45 am:

LOL! I love the skins! I'm glad it worked out for you! I'm not sure why more time, for more potatoes.

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, October 5, 2006 - 01:28 pm:

I love the skins too, as long as they aren't too crisp. Which is why you oil/grease them. If you want the skins really tender, you wrap them in foil after oiling/greasing. Note, Kate, that most of the vitamins are in the skin, from what I've been told. It takes such a long time because potatoes are really dense and have a lot of moisture in them.

By Kate on Thursday, October 5, 2006 - 01:37 pm:

Next time I'll try oiling the skins and see if they're any yummier.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, October 5, 2006 - 02:21 pm:

I have never oiled the outside of a baked potato!

By Tink on Thursday, October 5, 2006 - 02:35 pm:

Kate, I like to oil the skins and then roll the whole potato in margarita salt before wrapping in foil. I love the flavor of the skins when I do this. I also scrape the insides out of the potato before I give them to my kids and then they dip the skins in ranch dressing and eat them that way. Maybe you'd enjoy them more either of those ways.

By Janet on Thursday, October 5, 2006 - 03:10 pm:

Mom used to put HUGE nails through the middle and then bake them in the oven...
I usually make them in the microwave, but I agree that the skins are yukky that way. I love eating the skins, too!