Baked potatoes

[Disgustin]

Ok, I have to ask—what’s with the English calling a baked potato a “jacket potato”? It’s baked, not wearing an actual jacket. We don’t call a roasted chicken a “crispy skin bird,” so why do they need a separate name for a perfectly baked tattie?

And another thing… why are you having it as a side dish with your actual dinner? I’ve seen English pals having a jacket potato alongside a steak or (God forbid) lasagne. LASAGNE! It’s not a portion of chips we’re talking about here—it’s a whole potato.

In Scotland, it’s simple—you bake a tattie, throw on some butter and a mountain of cheese, or go all out with beans or tuna mayo. Done. It’s lunch. It’s hearty, it’s filling, it doesn’t need to “go” with anything else because it is the main event.

Is this an English thing I’ve missed? Or just me? What are your thoughts?

PS: Let’s not even get started on folk who microwave them… criminal.

Where I come from a sausage roll is sausagemeat encased in pastry. Anything else is a roll and sausage. We would also day whether it was link or slice sausage.
I have never been anywhere that the difference between a sausage roll and roll and sausage wasn't clear.

There are regional differences in cuisine and terms across our great Isles. I for one think diversity of terms is a good thing. Makes life interesting.

How come sausages can wear metaphorical kilts but potatoes can’t wear metaphorical jackets?

It’s baked, not wearing an actual jacket.

Depends which recipe you're following. I find your confidence offensive.

I can see your point, in that a roast chicken isn't called a jacket chicken.

I don't think much of it when I hear jacket potato, but I wouldn't use it. I say baked potato as well.

You can’t go applying logic to food names OP - there are so many daft ones.

I think the “jacket” is highlighted because it becomes a key feature of itself - potato, plus a lovely crispy jacket skin to eat. The nice jacket is a key feature and is worth highlighting (I save my ire for those who profane the food by not eating the skin!).

I'm absolutely calling roast chicken crispy skin bird. Well I'm going with "crispy skin chicken" as it's more deceptive.

Good call of Toad in the Hole @NorfolkandBad. See also Ladyfingers,

Devils on horseback and of course the classic Spotted Dick.

🙋Lasagne and jacket potato right here 😋

Or jacket potato with Bolognese/Ragu on and some cheese, side of garlic bread

Maybe it's jacket because if you leave the skin on it stays warm, if you remove skin it gets cold quick, like if you have a jacket on

Will admit to occasionally cooking jacket spuds in the microwave but the texture and taste is completely different if they are cooked in a proper oven.

I don't have 60-90 minutes to wait for the fucker, so yes, I microwave them.

I have one of those combo microwaves so I use the grill feature to crisp the outside more if I feel like going posh. Most of the time, I can't be bothered.

Wait until you hear about "Toad in the Hole" 😆

I thought it was an American thing to have it with steak? Don't they serve it with sour cream or something

Surely it's just as OK to eat a jacket potato with a steak as it is potato same as steaks & chips.

I did have a jacket potato at the weekend and my friend said she thought it would have come with chips. What?

🤣🤣🤣

We have macaroni in a pie on a roll as a nation. I don't think we can judge anyone on double/triple carbs

If you go into Greggs in the morning you can have bacon or sausage in a roll. So if you ask for a bacon roll that's fine, but if you ask for a sausage roll they have to clarify whether you mean a sausage roll <points at pastry-encased sausage rolls> or a breakfast roll with sausage <waves hand at the heated thing behind hem with a pack of bread rolls next to it>. Repeat all morning.

Yeah, but roast potatoes exist and are completely different from jacket potatoes.

I think the semantic difference is whether you eat the skin. I don't know anyone who eats chicken skin, other than CatOfHate. Whereas it's normal to eat jacket potato skin.

I loved baked potatoes and always call them that. But the name doesn’t matter really does it?

Agree with you op about double carbs. If you eat a lasagne then the pasta sheets are sufficient.

But don’t understand why you should object to them served alongside protein of some sort? It’s just potato!

We had baked gammon ham, baked potatoes and red cabbage last week and it worked well because they all went in the oven together.

Btw, if anyone is worried about putting the oven on for just one or two baked potatoes when gas and electricity prices are so high; then have a look at Nancy Birtwhistle on Instagram. Or Google Nancy Birtwhistle and baked potatoes.

She does a great recipe where she bakes a lot all at once, two oven trays full, scoops out the skins, mashes the contents with spring onions, butter, crispy bacon lardons, and parsley I think, maybe a bit of cream, then fills the skins, sprinkles liberally with grated cheese, then freezes them all on a flat tray initially and then puts them in a Tupperware box or plastic bag for freezer and keeps them frozen. That way you can just take out a few at a time and microwave or re-heat in air fryer.

You don't know anyone who eats chicken skin?!?! We fight over it!!!

Topped jacket spuds don't 'go' with anything in England, either. If covered with eg the toppings you mention, they are a meal.

I've never seen anyone do that, unless in a restaurant and they've swapped the chips on a meal for a small spud with butter. There's nothing wrong with having a small jacket with butter as a side for steak. Definitely healthier than chips or mash.

Your assumption that this is 'the norm' in England isn't true, plus nobody's coming at the Scots for using terms like neeps and tatties so just wtf with the judgment over dumb shit, really.

It's grim 🤢

Is the bacon box-pleated or knife-pleated? Do the sausages have sporrans and sgian dubhs?

Thanks for the tip!

I hate spuds part microwaved then put in the oven but not tried the air fryer.

Will do so now.

A sausage in a roll is always a sausage sandwich. It’s a bit longwinded but you’d ask for “the sausage sandwich in a baguette/roll please”. Southeast.

There was a whole thread a few months ago about rolls, baps, barn cakes etc.