Why dedicate an entire post to something as straightforward as a baked potato? Surely, everyone already knows how to make one, right? Not so fast. While baking a potato might seem easy, there’s a surprising amount of science at play. Moisture transforms into steam, oils crisp up the surface, and heat gradually works its way to the starchy center, turning it soft and fluffy. Easy? Sure. Simple? Not exactly.
Maybe, like me, you learned the basics by watching your mom. Those potatoes took what felt like forever to bake, and we eagerly sliced them open to enjoy the fluffy centers—while the limp, soft skins went straight to the trash. Little did we know just how much we were missing out on!
Discovering a Better Way
Years ago, when my job brought us near New York City, we seized every chance to explore Manhattan’s dining and entertainment scene. One chilly winter evening, we found ourselves at a rink-side restaurant at Rockefeller Plaza. Snow flurries danced through the air as we watched skaters glide effortlessly across the ice. Though I’ve long forgotten the name of the restaurant, one thing from that night remains unforgettable, the baked potato that accompanied my steak.
This wasn’t just any baked potato. Its skin was perfectly crispy, seasoned to perfection with a salty, almost fry-like flavor. Inside, the potato was light, fluffy, and creamy, creating a delicious contrast with the crunchy, flavorful skin. It elevated the humble potato from a mere side dish to an experience.
Growing up, my mom baked potatoes in a very different way—wrapped in aluminum foil and cooked low and slow at 350°F. While the interiors were soft, the skins were limp and unappealing, never seasoned or crisped. Eating the skins wasn’t even on the radar, and I had no idea what I was missing.
That night in Manhattan changed everything. Inspired by that masterpiece, I set out to perfect my own method for recreating the ultimate steakhouse baked potato. Here’s my foolproof approach to achieving that golden, crispy skin and a fluffy, flavorful center.
Fabulous Steakhouse Baked Potato
Prep the potatoes with butter, roll in coarse kosher salt, skewer them and place them on a center rack.
Bake them @ 420 for one hour then remove and gather your condiments.
Remove the skewer, slice the top and plump with oven mitts before loading it up with goodies! Print
Steakhouse Baked Potato
Crispy skin baked potato with all the fixin’s!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Ingredients
- 1 Idaho russet potato – blemish free
- 4 TBL salted butter
- Coarse kosher salt
- 1 strip bacon – fried crisply and chopped – garnish
- 1 green onion – top only, sliced thinly – garnish
- Sour cream – garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 420 degrees
- Begin with an Idaho russet potato and be picky. Choose only plump, well-formed spuds
- Briefly scrub the potatoes without puncturing the skin, pat them dry and let them rest until the moisture has completely evaporated. Wet potato skins will not crisp properly
- Skewer each potato lengthwise with a stainless rod. This promotes faster, even cooking and prevents potato explosions. Yes. It’s a thing.
- Coat the potatoes in butter, press and roll in salt, place them on a center rack of the oven and bake for 60 minutes
- Remove from oven, carefully remove the hot skewers, slice through the top, press the ends together using heat resistant mittens to open and plump them
- Use a fork to fluff the interior and fill with butter. Don’t skimp on the butter!
- Garnish with bacon bits, green onion and sour cream
This looks so delicious!