Baked Potatoes Bar | Paula Deen (2024)

FAQs

How do restaurants get baked potatoes so soft? ›

Foil will prevent potatoes from drying out while they are kept warm – one of the reasons restaurants serve their baked potatoes in foil. but it will also leave the skin soft and moist, not crispy.

Editor's Tip: Additional favorite baked potato toppers include roasted red peppers, blanched broccoli, diced onions, diced ham, shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh herbs, sliced hot peppers, sliced olives and crushed tortilla chips.

Some say wrapping baked potatoes in aluminum foil helps them cook faster (aluminum conducts heat, then traps it), and it does keep them hot for longer once they come out of the oven, which is why we think restaurants use this method. Wrapping potatoes will also give you a softer, steamed skin, if that's what you like.

Why is it common to salt the exterior of a baked potato? A: Chefs started doing this years ago to allow the salt to absorb or draw out the moisture of the potato while baking, which results in a dry, fluffy potato. They used to do something similar with prime rib, sometimes baking it over rock salt.

We recommend baking potatoes at 400 degrees F for about an hour. Smaller spuds might take a little less time, while larger baking potatoes over 1 pound might take a little more. For a fully baked Idaho Russet Burbank, the internal temperature should be right at 210 degrees F.

People are often accustomed to placing their taters on a baking sheet with parchment paper or wrapping their spuds in foil. But one of the reasons why restaurant baked potatoes taste so good is because kitchens know that using wire racks or oven grates allows all sides of the spuds to be exposed to hot air.

Keeping Baked Potatoes Warm

You'll want to keep your baked potatoes at the ideal temperature throughout your potato bar party. Here are several ways to keep them warm: Slow cooker: Set your slow cooker to the warm setting to ensure your spuds stay warm without continuing to cook.

"It pokes holes in the skin, which allows steam to escape.

Don't wrap your potatoes in foil

Plus, without the use of foil, the skin will get extra crispy and flavorful.

Wrapping a potato in foil prior to baking traps the potato's natural moisture, steaming instead of baking it. This results is a soggy baked potato, not the light fluffy Idaho Baker that most people prefer.

Can you overcook a baked potato? ›

Visual signs: The potato skin will start to wrinkle when over cooked. The potato, when wrapped in foil or placed on the bottom of a pan will have a dark brown spot on the bottom, a sure sign of over cooking. Foil traps the moisture in the potato causing the skin to be wet and the inside flavorless or gummy.

One of the most satisfying parts of eating a potato at a restaurant is getting one with a crisp skin that contrasts perfectly with the fluffy, starchy goodness inside. To accomplish this, add a coating of oil to the outside of the potato and sprinkle salt on it before putting it into the oven.

Don't skimp on the salt.

If you make this baked potato recipe, you will be! Coating the spuds in salt makes the skins extra-crispy and flavorful. Plus, with a bit of the salty skin in each bite, you won't need to worry about seasoning the potato flesh as you eat.

If a potato bakes with one side touching a sheet pan, you'll get a hard spot and possibly uneven cooking. Place a thin wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Line up your spuds, side by side, and place the pan into the oven. Make sure there's a little room between each potato before closing the oven door.

As the potato is cooked its texture becomes softer and 'squishier'. The reason for the change in texture is the rupturing of the cell walls. When they are intact they hold the potato in a rigid shape. They are strong and hard to break just by gently pressing on the potato.

Technology may have changed since the nineteenth century, but the basic practice hasn't. According to Restaurant Ninjas, restaurants that serve baked potatoes bake their potatoes in advance and keep them in warming equipment. Moreover, there is a constant cycle of new potatoes going out to ensure the food is fresh.

Garlic and herbs are added to boost flavor

Instead of boiling a few potatoes and mashing them plain, a lot of restaurant chefs like to apply a little more finesse. Garlic and herbs infused in butter and cream add a flavor boost without overpowering.

Size and Cut: The size and cut of the potato pieces can also affect their cooking time. Smaller pieces will cook faster and become softer than larger ones. If the potato cubes were too large or unevenly cut, this might result in some pieces remaining crunchy.