To ask how to make a jacket potato?

[redpedal]

I'm 27 and have never cooked a jacket potato

I want to make one for tea, how do I get it really crispy but fluffy on the inside? Oven or air fryer? Foil or no foil? Microwave first or not?

So many questions! Please can somebody tell me how I can bake it to perfection?

10mins I'm the microwave, spray a little oil on it and salt &pepper for the crispy outer, then 45 mins on full whack in the oven.. we had jackets for tea last night..delish!!!

Jacket potatoes are one of my favourite foods! I'd like to think I've pretty much perfected them now lol, first poke loads of holes in it with a fork, and rub a bit of oil and salt all around/into the potato. Cook straight in the oven at 220, no need for foil (preheat oven first for 10 mins or so), and then leave it there near the top of the oven for at least an hour, sometimes mine are in for nearly an hour and a half! I promise it will come out perfect, crispy on the outside and fluffy and soft inside. Come back and let me know how it was!

This, the poked holes are important. I do turn mine about half way through though.

Gently squeeze with oven gloves to decide if it's soft enough for you.

Why do some people microwave first and then some don't? Does it really not make a difference?

Speeds it up!

Microwaves cut the cooking time of cooking for one or two

Microwaving saves time and energy in the oven - you can cook it through quite quickly in the microwave and then the oven crisps up the skin (as it doesn’t get crisp in the microwave)

Bit of olive oil, sea salt and black pepper on the skin, poke some holes in the skin, wrap in foil then in the oven for 60-75 minutes depending on how big it is.

Did some the other day for the first time in the airfryer. 40 mins on 190 turning halfway through then another 20 because they were quite big.

Turned out nice.

Stab it a couple times with a fork and stick it in the oven at 150 for about 1hr 20. No oil or foil or extras

This may horrify some, but honestly, having tried a dozen different ways, I have found the best option for me is to buy the McCain frozen jacket potatoes. I just microwave them as per instructions on packet and they've always come out beautifully crispy on outside and fluffy in middle.

Really simple. A light coating of oil. Some sea salt all over. Into the oven at 220. Test it is cooked. Jobs a good un.

This is it!

In the oven with a metal skewer stuck through it. No need for oil or foil.

This, although I use the airfryer rather than the over. Timings are spot on though for fluffy on the inside & nice and crisp on the outside.

I do a proper (raw) potato to for about an hour and three quarter in a normal oven at 160 degrees. Perfect.👍

I microwave mine for 8 minutes then air fry it for about 5 to crisp the skin (basically until it's done though. I've not timed it properly). This is for a relatively small potato though - bigger and I'd microwave it more.

This is how I do it, you can even use the grill to make it nice and crispy faster if you are in a rush

Microwave for 6/7 minutes oil on the skin once its ready airfry at 180 for 20ish minutes. I used to microwave them then put them in the oven for 30 minutes .

Oh remember to prick them with a fork for the microwave

Microwaving speeds up the cooking of the insides, but you need external heat for texture - both fluffiness and crispiness.

It's hard to cook a jacket potato for too long.

If you can find a fluffy or floury variety of potato that helps - King Edward and Maris Piper are the most accessible ones (but if I can get them I grow Yukon Gold which are outstanding).

My combi microwave makes fantastic jackets, to my surprise.

Low and slow here: Stab it all over with a fork or pointy knife, very lightly rub with oiled hands and sprinkle with salt. 150° oven for about 3 hours, turn down to 100° if it cooks quicker than expected.

I buy the McCain micro ones, perfect everytime and easy as hell 🤣

This. But if you also stick a metal skewer through it, it will cook a bit faster.

No foil, no microwave, no air fryers!

Mmmm jacket pots. Food of the gods!

Put raw potatoes with a cross cut into the skin into half an inch of water, no foil, and bake for 2 hours at 160. Let water evaporate. It takes the skins crispy and the insides fluffy.