Best Baked Potatoes

I've liked baked potatoes my whole life. I like them loaded up or paired down with just a pat of buttah. They're a versatile little side. These'll also pair perfectly with all the proteins coming off your grill in the coming months! This way of baking potatoes will produce a crispy skin and a fluffy inside. They're so dang good. Here is what you need:

-Russet potatoes *you can technically bake any potato you want, but russets are a starchy potato that will give you the fluffy texture. Also, buy Russets with an even brown tone without any greenish cast.

-olive oil

-kosher salt or sea salt

1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Position another oven rack in the next position beneath the middle rack. Place a cookie sheet on this rack. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Rinse and thoroughly scrub each potato under cold running water. Place potatoes on a dry towel and pat dry.

3. Look the cleaned and dry potatoes over and remove any dark spots or bruises.

4. Pierce each potato deeply with a fork or a knife, 4-6 times. This is a very important step. The piercings allow steam to escape- if you don't the potatoes could explode causing a fourletterwordmess in your oven. 

5. Rub the outside of the potatoes with olive oil. Sprinkle each potato with a generous sprinkling of salt and rub it around the entire potato.

6. Using tongs, place potatoes directly on the middle oven rack (don't be tempted to wrap the potatoes in foil). Make sure your cookie sheet is directly on the rack underneath to catch any drippings.

7. Bake potatoes until tender, about an hour at 350 degrees. You can also do 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

8. Remove potatoes from oven using tongs. Slit the top, pinch ends and squeeze together to pop open. Top with your favorite toppings. 

And please, pretty please enjoy those crispy skins along with that fluffy white goodness! It's only proper.

images by Briana