Jacket Potatoes in the Oven (Baked Potatoes)

The best jacket potatoes in the oven have a crispy skin and are soft and fluffy in the middle. But what's the secret to making them truly amazing?

If you're looking for an easy and delicious midweek dinner that the whole family will love, look no further than oven-baked potatoes. We recommend rolling your potatoes in salted water before baking. This simple step helps draw out excess moisture, resulting in a perfectly cooked spud every time.

Once your potatoes are baked to perfection, it's time to stuff them with your favourite fillings. Whether you prefer classic toppings like tuna mayo or more adventurous options like chilli con carne the possibilities are endless.

Jump to:

• History
• Ingredients
• Equipment
• Instructions
• Serving Suggestions
• 📖 Step by Step Recipe
• Storage
• More Potato Recipes
• 💬 Reviews

In a hurry? Air Fryer Jacket potatoes (or air fryer sweet potatoes) are delicious and have similar results. The air fryer gives a much quicker result! We also have slow cooker jacket potatoes, perfect for when you want to set up and forget about them until dinner!

History

Jacket potatoes in the oven are truly a Great British classic! In Victorian England, street sellers would sell baked potatoes during the Autumn and Winter months. They were bought and carried in pockets where they would keep hands warm until ready to be eaten. Children were sent to school with potatoes in their pockets and husbands would carry them to work!

In fact using a baked potato as a lunch continued until around the 50's when more intricate or store bought lunches became the done thing.

Ingredients

With just a few simple ingredients, you'll be well on your way to creating perfectly baked potatoes that are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.

Baking Potatoes

If you're looking to purchase potatoes specifically for making jacket potatoes in the UK, check with your local supermarket. They usually have large baking potatoes available to buy singularly or in multipacks.

In the US, russet potatoes are the go-to potato for oven baked potatoes.

However, other potato varieties can be used. If using smaller potatoes, you may want to use two potatoes per portion.

No matter what type of potato you choose, make sure to wash them thoroughly and dry them before cooking.

Salt

If you want to take your jacket potatoes to the next level, consider using salt water in your cooking process.

We used cornish sea salt flakes for this recipe, which is a natural salt that dissolves easily when mixed in warm water.

Rolling the uncooked potato in salt water before baking can help add flavor and draw out excess moisture from the potato skin, resulting in a deliciously crunchy texture.

Oil

Another important steps is brushing the skin of your baked potato with oil for the final cooking time. This helps to add extra crisp and texture to the skin, resulting in a delicious crunch with every bite. While olive oil is a popular choice, you could also use vegetable oil for similar results.

Equipment

To make delicious jacket potatoes in the oven, you will need a few essential pieces of equipment, including a large mixing bowl for mixing salt into the water for rolling the uncooked potato in, a baking tray for cooking the potatoes on (a tray with a rack works best), and a pastry brush for coating the potato with oil towards the end of cooking time.

Instructions

Here's a quick run-through of the steps to make the best jacket potatoes in the oven.

The full instructions with measurements can be found on the recipe card.

Preheat your oven, then take your potatoes and use a fork to pierce the skin a few times.

In your large bowl, stir your salt into warm water until it has dissolved and then roll each potato in the salted water to coat the skin.

Jacket Potato Cooking Time

Place your potatoes onto your baking tray or rack. Place the tray into the oven and bake potatoes for around 50 minutes, though this time will need adjusting for the size of your potatoes.

After 50 minutes, brush olive oil over your baked potatoes with a pastry brush and cook for 20 minutes more.

Serving Suggestions

The possibilities are endless when it comes to filling your baked potato. You may enjoy it plain covered with butter, season with salt and pepper and a sprinkle of parsley for extra flavour.

Cheese and beans is another great classic British topping. Or try our recipe for egg mayonnaise to pile into the potato.

Why not try a large dollop of sour cream or one of our amazing recipes below?

📖 Step by Step Recipe

Serving jacket potatoes in the oven as a side to our air fryer chicken thighs with a salad.

Storage

You can store cooked jacket potatoes in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat them in the oven for 'twice baked potatoes' and even crispier skins! You can also reheat them in the microwave but the skin will not be so crispy.

If you want to freeze leftover jacket potatoes, it's best to wrap them in cling film and place them in an airtight container before freezing. When ready to eat, allow them to thaw completely before reheating them in the oven or microwave.

More Potato Recipes

One potato, two potatoes, three potatoes, four... five potatoes, six potatoes, seven potatoes MORE. Potatoes are just the best and we have some great recipes for you!

Now you know how to make the best baked potatoes, what will you be filling yours with?