Loaded Baked Potato Rounds Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do restaurants bake potatoes in foil? ›

Some say wrapping baked potatoes in aluminum foil helps them cook faster (aluminum conducts heat, then traps it), and it does keep them hot for longer once they come out of the oven, which is why we think restaurants use this method. Wrapping potatoes will also give you a softer, steamed skin, if that's what you like.

The two most common examples when you would need to poke them are, in the microwave (we always recommend pricking the potato with a fork so steam can dissipate into the oven cavity) or if a potato goes from refrigeration and is cold when placed into a hot 400 degrees F oven.

Sides are usually optional and customers can order as many or as few as they wish. Baked potatoes that are served with a number of these sides are commonly referred to as loaded potatoes or loaded baked potatoes. These potatoes can themselves be a side item to a steak dinner, or a similar entree.

NEVER BAKE POTATOES IN FOIL.

Foil wraps will not decrease baking time, but will result in a soggy potato interior with wet skin. Wrapping a baked potato in foil after it has been baked will allow you to hold up to 45 minutes, but the best method for holding a baked potato is in a bread warming drawer.

As professionals know, it's a sin to neglect the skin. That potato's exterior is more than just a casing for a plush interior, and it should be both crispy and flavorful. To achieve a killer potato skin, season the potato pre-bake with a generous layer of olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

We recommend baking potatoes at 400 degrees F for about an hour. Smaller spuds might take a little less time, while larger baking potatoes over 1 pound might take a little more.

A piece of metal stuck through to its center will conduct heat, thus speeding up the process. Though most potato nails are made of aluminum, there are also stainless-steel versions available.

Visual signs: The potato skin will start to wrinkle when over cooked. The potato, when wrapped in foil or placed on the bottom of a pan will have a dark brown spot on the bottom, a sure sign of over cooking. Foil traps the moisture in the potato causing the skin to be wet and the inside flavorless or gummy.

A russet potato is usually about 80 percent water, so poking it and trimming off the ends will help the steam escape. Sometimes a potato could be even moister and the water, especially in a larger size potato may be trying to escape as steam from the middle cells of the potato.

What is in Bob Evans loaded potatoes? ›

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Our famous mashed potatoes topped with melted cheddar cheese, bacon, sour cream and green onions.

But potatoes are full of starch, which can block the moisture from leaving the potatoes. As the potatoes soak in cold water, starch is drawn out of the potato and into the water. Then, when potatoes are cooked or fried, more of that moisture will be successfully removed.

We recommend 400° F. In previous studies with Kitchen Consultants, out of Los Angeles, we raised our baking time suggestions from 45 or 55 minutes to one full hour or when the internal temperature of the Idaho® baked potato reaches 210° F. Baking in foil is NOT recommended, as it steams the potato.

Wrapping potatoes in foil does not hasten baking. On the contrary, since the foil itself has to be heated before the potato begins to bake, cooking times increase slightly. Not only do you get better baked potatoes when you bake them unwrapped, you also save money.

Is it faster to bake a potato in foil? Technically, it could decrease the cook time a little bit, but it's not worth it. Trust us! Wrapping potatoes in foil produces a soggy potato because the foil holds in moisture and steams the potato.

The interior of a foil-wrapped baked potato is wetter and less fluffy, and the skin isn't crispy. Wrapping adds an extra step and results in inferior baked potatoes, especially if you enjoy eating the crispy skin, so don't do it!

Technology may have changed since the nineteenth century, but the basic practice hasn't. According to Restaurant Ninjas, restaurants that serve baked potatoes bake their potatoes in advance and keep them in warming equipment. Moreover, there is a constant cycle of new potatoes going out to ensure the food is fresh.

Q: Why is it common to salt the exterior of a baked potato? A: Chefs started doing this years ago to allow the salt to absorb or draw out the moisture of the potato while baking, which results in a dry, fluffy potato.