When baking potatoes for a potato salad, prepare them as you would any other baked potato.
Potato salad is a tasty comfort food normally made with boiled potatoes. Baking the potatoes adds a new twist, providing a fluffy texture. Potatoes can be baked in the oven or in the microwave. Baking potatoes in a microwave is faster, but many of the nutrients are lost. Oven-baked potatoes take 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the temperature you choose. Russet potatoes are the most popular for baking.
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven. Higher temperatures shorten the cooking time and yield crustier skins. For baking times, choosing 325 degrees takes an hour and a half, 350 takes an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, and 400 degrees takes 45 minutes.
2. Choose potatoes of uniform sizes so they cook in the same amount of time.
3. Scrub the potatoes with a stiff-bristled brush and rinse them under cold water. Remove any bruises, discolored spots and sprouts with a knife.
4. Poke each potato deeply with a fork four or five times on each side. Poking the potatoes allows steam to escape while baking. If you do not poke the potatoes, they may explode.
5. Brush the potatoes lightly with olive oil, vegetable oil or melted butter. Rolling the potatoes in salt adds flavor to the skin.
6. Bake the potatoes on the middle rack of the oven. Place a pan underneath the potatoes to catch any drippings. Halfway through your cooking time, turn the potatoes over.
7. Test your potatoes near the end of your cooking time. Fully baked potatoes are soft to the touch and easily pierced with a fork.
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