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.
Don't wrap your potatoes in foil
"I see a lot of people using foil to wrap their potatoes in but this is a big no-no and causes soggy skins!" he says. Foil holds in moisture and steams the potatoes, resulting in a "boiled" taste and texture. Plus, without the use of foil, the skin will get extra crispy and flavorful.
Wrapping a potato in foil before baking it traps in too much moisture, causing the potato to steam, not bake, resulting in a soggy spud — not one with the light, fluffy texture that's often considered the hallmark of a great baked potato (via Idaho Potato Commission).
Restaurants prepare the potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing just the potato, then just before serving, it is mixed into boiling cream (or milk or even broth or a combination thereof) to reheat it and make it nice and creamy.
Prepare the Potatoes Beforehand
To minimize waiting time, restaurants bake large batches of potatoes ahead of the day. They bake potatoes in advance and store them in the oven until someone orders them.
Placing under heat lamps is second best but the outer edges away from the light won't keep as warm, placing in a steam table insert is third best as this introduces moisture. The only way you can achieve a superior tasting potato for most of your customers is of course to batch cook like Wendy's used to specify.
Instructions How To Make Foil Wrapped Baked Potatoes
Prick the potatoes 2 times with the fork to make holes for the steam to escape. Rub the potatoes with a little olive oil and with salt. Wrap the potatoes in foil and put them on a baking sheet.
What are the benefits of using aluminum foil on a baked potato? We've found that when wrapping a potato in foil, they actually cook faster because the aluminum foil traps the heat, thus cooking them faster.
"It pokes holes in the skin, which allows steam to escape. Otherwise, they could explode—it doesn't happen all the time, but it happens every once in a while. The potato is full of water it's trying to turn to steam, or water vapor.
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.
The reason is to prevent the potatoes exposure to air, which causes dehydration, oxidation, and discoloration. Immersing cut potatoes will also help rinse off excess starch.
Carefully add the potatoes to the hot tray along with the garlic and rosemary. Toss to coat in the fat and spread out in a single layer so they cook evenly. Roast for 40-45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to serve.
Rumor has it that an un-pricked spud will explode in the oven—but in all actuality, that's unlikely. Conventional wisdom says that when you bake a potato, you have to prick it with a fork all over a few times, piercing the skin to allow steam to release.
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.
Baked potatoes do not need to be refrigerated, but they should be stored in a cool and dry place. If you intend to eat them within 4 days of cooking, you can wrap them tightly in aluminum foil or store in an airtight container and keep at room temperature.
Covering dishes with aluminum foil during a bake helps lock in moisture. Loosely placing or tenting a sheet of foil over a dish can prevent the top from browning while the rest of your dish continues to bake.
Once the inside of the potato is cooked through – if you prefer your baked potatoes to be nice and crispy on the outside (like my husband Jack) – leave the potatoes in the oven for longer. But don't go more than 30 minutes longer – otherwise, the inside of the potato could start to overcook and dry out.
The shiny side should be down, facing the food, and the dull side should be up when cooking meals wrapped or covered in aluminum foil since it has a shiny and dull side. This is due to its greater reflectiveness, the shiny side will reflect more heat radiation than the dull side.
Poke the potatoes with a fork just enough to pierce the skin so the potato won't burst when baking, especially in the microwave. Four or five times should be plenty. A potato is composed mainly of water, so poking them helps release steam as it cooks.
Misconceptions in the Kitchen
In fact, some cooks wrap potatoes in aluminum foil dull side facing out during baking with the belief that the shiny side reflects heat toward the potato, cooking it faster. This is just not so. When baking potatoes, the aluminum foil performs the same -- shiny side facing in or out.
Restaurants often use specialized equipment, such as a convection oven or a potato oven, to cook baked potatoes quickly.
You don't dry the potato well.
Excess moisture on the skin can seep into the potato during baking and cause soggy skins. Do be sure to prick a few holes into the skin, too. While the potato is unlikely to explode in the oven, no one is here to take risks with dinner.
Here's the theory: Baked potatoes typically cook from the outside in, requiring about 75 minutes in a 350-degree oven to cook through. A piece of metal stuck through to its center will conduct heat, thus speeding up the process.