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Jacket potatoes Foil or not?

i love skyi love sky Posts: 3,297
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in Food and Drink #1
I was always told to wrap Jacket potatoes up in foil before putting in oven but does it do them any good doing that?

Do you wrap yours and does it cook them faster by doing so?

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    benjammin316benjammin316 Posts: 264
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    #2
    I fork them, pop them in microwave for 6mins each side then put them in the over, no foil for about 15mins
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    NX-74205NX-74205 Posts: 4,691
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    #3
    Only if they're being done on an open fire, otherwise they're just pricked, rubbed with olive oil and sea-salt and then placed in the oven. Anybody who does jacket spuds in a microwave should be ostracised from polite society and/or burned at the stake for heresy.
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    StrakerStraker Posts: 79,657
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    #4
    NX-74205 wrote: »
    Anybody who does jacket spuds in a microwave should be ostracised from polite society and/or burned at the stake for heresy.

    Harsh but fair.
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    walterwhitewalterwhite Posts: 56,944
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    #5
    NX-74205 wrote: »
    Only if they're being done on an open fire, otherwise they're just pricked, rubbed with olive oil and sea-salt and then placed in the oven. Anybody who does jacket spuds in a microwave should be ostracised from polite society and/or burned at the stake for heresy.

    I wouldn't go that far, but I agree that unless you don't eat the skin then you can't do a jacket in the microwave and get a good result. I don't bother with foil either, just salt and olive oil and cook them to within an inch of their life.
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    Apple22over7Apple22over7 Posts: 698
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    #6
    I wrap them in foil - but then I'm a weirdo who doesn't like a crispy skins on jacket potatoes and much prefer a softer, soggier skin.
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    FusionFuryFusionFury Posts: 14,121
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    #7
    They are lovely cooked in anyway

    Can't beat a British jacket potato.
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    petral_galpetral_gal Posts: 1,051
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    #8
    No foil definitely! I have to admit though, I do enjoy occasional microwaved ones as i love the hard bit you get at the bottom. Crisssspy!!
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    bobcarbobcar Posts: 19,424
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    #9
    To get the skins crispier use water rather than fat on the skin before cooking, if you want the skins soft then use fat. It sounds counter intuitive but it is correct.
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    indianwellsindianwells Posts: 12,702
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    #10
    All I do is prick them, chuck a handful of salt on a baking tray, put them on top of the salt and in the oven for an hour. Always come out fluffy in the middle with a crispy skin.
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    sarahj1986sarahj1986 Posts: 11,305
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    #11
    I've never used foil. I wash them, prick them and stick them in the oven
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    walterwhitewalterwhite Posts: 56,944
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    #12
    bobcar wrote: »
    To get the skins crispier use water rather than fat on the skin before cooking, if you want the skins soft then use fat. It sounds counter intuitive but it is correct.

    Really? I always use olive oil and get super crispy skin.
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    bobcarbobcar Posts: 19,424
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    #13
    walterwhite wrote: »
    Really? I always use olive oil and get super crispy skin.

    When I use olive oil the only way I can get the skin hard is if the inside is also soft and fluffy which I hate. With water I can get the skin crispy but the inside cooked but not fluffy as I like it or if I want for other people (the wife usually) fluffy by cooking a bit longer.
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    Glawster2002Glawster2002 Posts: 15,211
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    #14
    NX-74205 wrote: »
    Anybody who does jacket spuds in a microwave should be ostracised from polite society and/or burned at the stake for heresy.

    Not at all.

    Initially part cooking them in the microwave for @ 5 minutes havles the time needed in the oven and the result is exactly the same.
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    Andrew1954Andrew1954 Posts: 5,448
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    #15
    Glawster2002 wrote: »
    Not at all.

    Initially part cooking them in the microwave for @ 5 minutes havles the time needed in the oven and the result is exactly the same.
    Yes. That's what I do. I also stick an old metal knife through the potato before putting it in the oven. Conducts heat through to the centre so you don't get hard bits in the middle.

    Foil? What does that achieve?
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    Jasper92Jasper92 Posts: 1,302
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    #16
    Ooh, good question! My Mum swears by using foil, claiming it keeps the heat in. I say the exact opposite, and leave the foil out so I can have a really crispy skin :-p
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    Watcher #1Watcher #1 Posts: 9,046
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    #17
    No foil, but then I'm a microwave for 5 mins, oven for 15 jacket spud person - mostly because I usually fancy one when I don't have an hour and quarter to wait...
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    bobcarbobcar Posts: 19,424
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    #18
    Andrew1954 wrote: »
    Yes. That's what I do. I also stick an old metal knife through the potato before putting it in the oven. Conducts heat through to the centre so you don't get hard bits in the middle.

    That's a good tip if you like them soft inside - and a bad tip if like me you like them nice and firm inside. (EDIT: That comes across as a bit double entendre, I didn't mean it like that).
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    HectorMcClureHectorMcClure Posts: 1,754
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    #19
    I'm another who does them in the microwave. The key is to keep turning it every minute or so in the micro. Otherwise it overcooks on one side and goes hard. Once it's near enough cooked I coat it in olive oil and salt and pepper and put it in the oven for ten mins to crisp up.
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    StrakerStraker Posts: 79,657
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    #20
    Olive oil taints the taste though.

    There are no shortcuts - Jacket spuds are most assuredly not a fast food when done right.
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    callmedivacallmediva Posts: 1,862
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    #21
    Straker wrote: »
    Harsh but fair.
    nice one
    :D
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    callmedivacallmediva Posts: 1,862
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    #22
    I stick em in the oven just as they are, then when they're nice and crispy, I take them out, scoop out the potato, mash with butter and cheese, then place under the grill with a slice of cheese on top, til it's melted. :)
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