Martha's Method for Making Baked Potatoes Will Give You Fluffy-Crispy Spuds Every Time

A classic baked potato is a regular on Martha's lunch rotation. With our founder's foolproof method, the humble spud transforms into a tender, fluffy cloud encased in a crisp jacket when you prepare it right. Once you master the method, raise the bar even further with our delicious baked potato variations for lunch or dinner.

The Potatoes

Russet potatoes are best for baking; because of their high starch content, they yield a softer, airier center than waxier varieties do. When choosing potatoes at the grocery store, look for these three signs of greatness:

• A smooth surface and even complexion. If a tater has lots of eyes or dark spots, skip it.
• A tan jacket. A greenish tint means that it's old.
• Some heft. Choose ones that feel heavy for their size.
  

The Technique

Our method calls for baking four potatoes but you can scale it up and bake more for a larger, hungrier crowd as it works for any number of potatoes you can comfortably fit in your oven. A prebake brush of olive oil and sprinkle of salt are Martha's tricks for producing crisp, tasty skin. (Martha always eats the skin—and so should you. Not only is the jacket delicious, but it's also packed with fiber, calcium, potassium, and vitamins.)

The slam is the part of the technique that Martha has gotten most attention for. They even use it (and the rest of her baked potato recipe) at The Bedford, Martha's restaurant in Las Vegas.

Prep:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Thoroughly wash and dry 4 russet potatoes. Prick each in a few spots with a fork. Brush with extra-virgin olive oil and season with kosher salt.

Bake:

Place potatoes directly on rack and bake until soft and easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes, depending on the size of the potato. Remove from oven.

Slam, Slice, and Serve

Grab a hot potato with a clean kitchen towel and bang it down firmly on the counter once to fluff up the flesh.

Cut open, season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper, and top with unsalted butter, sour cream, and chopped chives.

Dig in while they're piping hot—baked potatoes are best enjoyed straight away.

3 Loaded Variations

Use the same basic technique for any baked potato—and feel free to pile on the toppings. To get you started, we have three satisfying variations that turn this favorite steakhouse side into a self-contained meal.

Broccoli-Cheddar Baked Potato

Broccoli and cheese is a magical combination in a quiche and it works just as well in a baked potato. Pairing it with creamy cheddar sauce and fluffy potato is great way to encourage more broccoli consumption. Better still, our streamlined recipe calls for cooking the broccoli in the oven alongside the potatoes, then adding when the potatoes are about halfway through baking.

BLT Baked Potato

Another tried-and-tested combination that works well in baked potato—albeit one you might not expect. Lettuce in a baked potato may be surprising but it works really well. Use a crunchy lettuce like romaine or iceberg (as you would for a BLT), and pair it with a generous drizzle of our easy buttermilk dressing, halved cherry tomatoes, and crumbled cooked bacon.

Baked Potato With Poblanos and Sour Cream

A lively combination of poblano peppers and onion is sautéed until tender, then chicken broth and sour cream is stirred into the vegetables and cooked briefly. Add Worcestershire sauce and fresh lime juice for punch and top baked potatoes with this mixture plus more sour cream and some cilantro leaves.