How to make jacket potatoes even better

[PinotAndPlaydough]

I mean they are already pretty damn good and we have them about once a week. But I’m wondering if anyone has any sneaky tips to make them even better, is there a trick to make the skin super crunchy or is it all about the fillings.
What’s everyone’s favourites fillings or sides?

Twice cooked! Bake potatoes as usual. When cooked, halve lengthways and remove the cooked flesh with a spoon into a bowl, keeping the skin intact. Add butter, seasoning and whatever else you fancy (grated cheese, finely sliced spring onion, crispy bacon) to the cooked potato. Mash and pile back into the reserved skins. Bake again for about 15-20 mins until golden.

Make hassleback potatoes. Take them to whole other level.

Coat the skin with oil (tasty version) or water (healthy version) rub it it and then sprinkle with salt all over. Roast. That makes a super crunchy skin.

I put little bowls of grated cheese, chopped spring onion, browned-off pancetta, frankfurters or sausages in the table. Whatever is in the fridge. And butter of course.

And if I can be bothered and feel the need for double carbs. Fry off onion, pepper, mushrooms, sweet corn add a tin of baked beans and cook for a good half hour so it all gets soft and melds together. Like super-charged baked beans. Add chill black pepper for extra oomph. My perfect comfort food.

Everyone can help themselves.

Cover the skin with oil and salt before baking 😋

Micro first, stand, air fryer!

I decided that I couldn't justify the oven on for one jacket do microwad it in the usual way but then I cut itt in half and put it under the grill skin side up to make it crispy. Worked brilliantly. Not quite what the OP asked but a handy trick all the same

I love the sound of twice baked, I’m trying that out.

I always use olive oil and salt, do people wrap theirs in foil?

The twice baked spuds is always the comfort food supper my grown up DC have when they visit. (Trying not to use the COVID past tense)

We have a cheese and onion version, a cheese and bacon version and a fishy version with cream cheese, smoked salmon and olives.

Grilling the skins is a brilliant notion. I will try that 🙂

Microwave until 3/4 cooked, rub with chilli garlic oil, season well and into a hot oven for 20-30 mins.

Buy the Albert Bartlett Elfe bakers from Waitrose - don't need any special tricks, just crispy skin and flesh so creamy you don't even need butter. Nothing else matches.

Swap the salt coating for garlic salt.

Some sensational suggestions here !

The jacket potato spike (not sure what it's called) is a really handy item - it makes sure they cook really well in the middle and are nice and fluffy

I love a cold and crunchy salady side with a hot potato with butter and cheddar.

@Lunaballoon

Twice cooked! Bake potatoes as usual. When cooked, halve lengthways and remove the cooked flesh with a spoon into a bowl, keeping the skin intact. Add butter, seasoning and whatever else you fancy (grated cheese, finely sliced spring onion, crispy bacon) to the cooked potato. Mash and pile back into the reserved skins. Bake again for about 15-20 mins until golden.

I love twice baked potatoes, and it always seems like such a simple meal, but somehow it seems to use all the bowls in the house, all the spoons and baking trays, and the grater, bits of cheese and potato all over the kitchen!

:o :o

If you can face the aggro of twice baked potatoes then that chicken in white sauce in a tin is AMAZING ...lots of S&P, butter, mayo, cheeeeeeeeeese, sweetcorn, tin of chicken all mixed in with the scooped out potato

Also corned beef and those crispy onions in a tub...again plus mayo cheese and butter

dh is not keen on baked potatoes, and it seems like a nursery tea, so I haven't had them for ages.

Oh yes, Elfe potatoes, once you've had them you don't want any other kind.

Ok Elfe potatoes and garlic salt going on the shopping list.

I like to scoop out the middle, mix with chopped leek then put it back into the skin 😋 I don’t use oil, salt or foil, just pre cook in the microwave and then bung them in the oven for as long as possible to crisp the skins!

@poorbuthappy

Make hassleback potatoes. Take them to whole other level.

Thank you Jesus for bringing me this PP's post.

My tip is massage them in a gulf of olive oil, cover in sea salt flakes and pepper to taste, and always cook a wee bit longer than you think you should.

Favourite filling is butter topped with tuna mayo and red onion.

Ack!! A glug of Olive oil is sufficient, not a gulf.

Mmmmmmm is it really too late for a double baked jacket spud 😋

Peel potatoes, boil for 10 mins in salted water, drain, put in oven at 180 degrees fan. Bake until soft in middle. Skin will be very crunchy.

@PinotAndPlaydough surely you don't really mean peel them!? That's not a jacket potato!

I think I am going to try all of these over half term!

Cook them in the oven until the skins are crispy, get them out, cut the top off and scoop the potato out, put in a bowl and mash together with grated cheese, cooked bacon and a little milk to make creamy. Pop back inside the potato skins and pop the little 'lid' back on. Back inside the oven for another 20 mins or until the cheese has melted.

Serve with coleslaw - delicious!