Right, dumb question re baked potatoes.

[MummyPenguin]

I just never make them at home. Well, I have in the past for a quick lunch and put them in the microwave, but the skins go all squishy. Tonight I want to do them in the oven. Question: do I have to put them in the microwave for 5/10 mins before oven cooking them? DH says yes, but I thought you could just prick them, wrap them in foil and oven cook them without prior microwaving. What do others think?

I just put them in the oven about an hour and half before I want them.

I don't microwave, I don't prick, I don't tin-foil, I just bake.

(sometimes if they're ready early, I cut them open and put butter in, then wrap them in tin foil and put them back in)

You can just put them in the oven - they take about an hour. If you microwave them first they take less time obviously

If you want crunchy skins, rub a little bit of veg oil over them before you put them in the oven... wouldn't bother with tinfoil.

Agree with bakedpotato - prick them, rub olive oil, and then a little salt, then bake on a baking tray in oven. Also if you put a metal skewer through them they'll cook quicker.

I'm with the others.. just prick them and sling them in the oven for 1.5hrs - oil for extra crispy skin.

i prick, rub on olive oil and a little salt, bake for an hour, maybe an hour and a half.

I jsut stick them in the oven, oil, foil and salt. I usually stick some in when I'm doing a roast or soemthing else that takes a while too cook, rather than jsut have the oven on for 90mins for pots. They then keep in the fridge for 3/4 days and can be microwave reheated, but still have the taste of oven baked spuds.

I microwave mine for 5-10 mins. Then put them in a hot oven - about 210 degrees for 10 minutes.
They are cooked, but crisp.
Dh and ds love them.
I did them last night.

Thanks all. Hmmm, might microwave them 5/10 mins first, for quickness.

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clearly she doesn't cod. Mind you, so far, the thread suggests atleast three different ways.

Was told by friend who makes fab baked pots not to prick and to chop sharply with knife after taking out of oven as the sudden steam makes the insides all fluff up.

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And don't forget to take out of oven before eating...

Groan... of course I knew how to bake them, but my initial question was do I microwave them a bit first or is there no need? And no, I didn't know about the olive oil and salt rubbing etc. so I've learnt something anyway! Well, the upshot was, microwaved them a little bit first, not too long, had to do them a little bit after I took them out of the oven too, as they still seemed slightly on the hard side and had taken ages in the oven despite it being on a high heat, and the troops kept demanding to know where they were! We had them with beans and cheese and salad. Very nice, do make you feel stuffed though. I'd got apple pie and custard for afters but none of us could face it.