How to Bake Potatoes in Half the Time

A baked potato smothered in butter and sour cream, with cheese or bacon sprinkled on top is a delicious lunch or dinner option. However, many people don't opt for baked potatoes in that they take way too long to bake. Fortunately, there is a way to cut a potato's baking time in half and still keep it light and perfect.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pot
• Water
• Stove
• Oven
• Potato

1. Clean the potatoes thoroughly. Get out a pot big enough to boil your potato or potatoes. Poke a few holes in the potato with a fork.

2. Pour water into the pot, high enough to cover the potatoes you want to bake.

3. Bring the water to boil.

4. Boil for approximately 5 minutes.

5. Take out the potato or potatoes from the boiling water. Place immediately on a pan, individually wrapped in foil if you want. Foil does tend to keep the moisture in for a better balanced cooked potato.

6. Place in preheated oven, anywhere from 350 to 500 degrees. Bake for half the time you usually bake a potato or potatoes. Most potatoes take about an hour to cook so you should cook your potatoes in 30 minutes. Test to see if it is done at 15 minutes. If it's not soft yet, add another 15 minutes and check again.

7. Take out of the oven and dig into a perfectly baked potato.

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[ursaminor]

on 2/12/2008 I never thought of boiling the potatoes first! What a good idea. I have used "potato bakers" in the past, which are basically a large nail driven through each potato, which helps cook it from the inside, but I think parboiling would actually improve the finished product. Thanks!