Get the facts on baking a potato—and then some!
by Leon A. Frechette - continued from Page 3

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Spud Spikes potato nails

Basically, there are two ways to bake a potato: in an oven or on the BBQ on an open rack or sheet pan with broiler rack (I recommend substituting the sheet pan with a ribbed grilling stone or a raised pizza pan) placed on the oven rack for a crisper skin or sealed inside a closed parchment paper pouch encased with aluminum foil or clay baker for a softer skin.

Both approaches work in the oven or on the BBQ. Rubbing real butter or olive oil on the potato's skin and sprinkling it with our Spud Spikes Potato Seasoning will make the skin crispy; however, there's a good chance the butter or oil and seasonings will drip to the bottom of the stove or BBQ or burn onto the rack if the potato sits directly on the rack. It may even cause the potato to stick to the rack. I recommend baking potatoes on a sheet pan with a broiler rack sitting on a sheet pan or grilling stone (with the ribs pointing up) placed on the rack.

The steam-baked method will require a sheet pan with broiler rack or grilling stone (with the ribs pointing up) so butter or oil won't drip onto the electric stove's element, gas stove's flame and bottom of the stove, and the BBQ's flame, even if the potatoes are wrapped.

Before baking potatoes, it is important to rinse and scrub each potato skin under cold water using a potato brush. Do not use hot water as it will start the cooking process. I don't recommend soaking potatoes either; it could make them soggy depending on how long they soak. With the tip of a knife remove any bruises, dark spots, and sprouts then rinse the potatoes again. Finally, dry each potato thoroughly with a clean towel.

From experimenting over the years, I have learned that a smaller BBQ cooks a potato faster, whether the goal is a traditional baked potato or a steam-baked potato.

Our convection gas stove comes in a close second, and a conventional electric oven is dead last. If I use my large stainless steel BBQ, then our convection gas stove will dance circles around it. This is when Spud Spikes potato nails will come in handy to decrease cooking time.

The convection gas stove continuously circulates heated air around the food being cooked. A built-in fan in the back of the oven helps to evenly distribute the heat, so cooking time and temperatures can be reduced, cutting energy use by about a third, on average. A convection oven cooks up to 20 percent faster than a conventional oven.

These times and temperatures are without the aid of Spud Spikes potato nails, baking one to four 5-ounce potatoes placed on an open middle rack in the oven. For more than four potatoes, add 15 minutes to the time. Prick each potato an inch deep on each side three to four times with a fork to help release steam so the potato doesn't explode.

1. For a conventional oven, set the temperature at 350°F and bake the potatoes for 60 minutes.
2. For a convection oven, set the temperature at 325°F and bake the potatoes for 60 minutes.

A potato is done when the center reaches 210°F; check it with an instant-read thermometer. Alternatively, squeeze the center of the potato gently; if it's done, the potato will yield to a gentle pressure. If you use this method to gauge doneness, wear oven mitts so you don't burn yourself!

If you follow these simple steps, you'll find that Spud Spikes reduce baking time up to 50 percent (translation: saves you money!) and you will enjoy evenly cooked potatoes. First, preheat the oven to 325°F to 450°F (depending on the size and number of potatoes and the type of stove). Next, clean the potato skins, make sure they are dry, prick the skins a few times with a fork (an inch deep), and insert a Spud Spike lengthwise in each potato. Finally, bake the potatoes on an open middle rack. They will be done in about 30 to 40 minutes (again, depending on the size and number of potatoes and stove you have). Be sure to turn the potatoes over halfway through the estimated baking time. This traditional baking method does not include any butter or oil and salt on the potato skins.

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