Mikey’s Baked Taters
By Mr_Mike_Love
One of our favorite side dishes, to go along with summer, is baked potatoes. They go great with steaks, burgers, dogs, just about any good summer dish. The best kind of baked taters is “The Loaded.”
I am kind of picky of what I use to make the best baked taters, but, any ingredients you want to use, it’s all up to you. As long as you stick to the basic prep, you will have something that is unbelievably awesome.
The best spuds to use with this are Russet. They are less starchy, and tend to be on the larger size, which is what we want.
So, without further ado, here’s my favorite way to prepare. Deviations can be made as far as how you cook it, i.e. Grill or oven. If going with the grill, make sure you tightly wrap those spuds in aluminum foil.
Preparation:
However many spuds you are making, for the party, or for yourself, this recipe works. Select the largest Russets you can find. Wash the taters in warm water, scrubbing them with your hands or a soft brush. Set aside and allow to dry. IMPORTANT NOTE!!! Make sure you flip the suckers to make sure the other side is dry!!
After they have dried, take a bowl and pour in your favorite oil. It could be vegetable, corn, canola, or olive. The choice is up to you. Using a fork, pierce the tater at least 5 times to allow steam to escape.
This part can get a bit messy, but, so worth it. Take each tater and dip it in the oil, using your hands, completely coat it with oil. Before the oil has a chance to soak in, sprinkle a generous amount of Kosher Salt on all sides, making sure all surfaces are covered. Place on a rack and proceed with the same method on all other potatoes.
Preheat your oven to 300F (149C). If using the grill, wrap tightly in aluminum foil. For the oven, place on an oven safe rack, and place in the middle position in your oven. Make sure you have an oven pan, or cookie sheet, on the next level down to catch any drippings. Cook for 90 minutes, or until fork tender. If using on the grill, place the spuds directly on the hot coals for at least an hour. Test doneness with a fork. In both cases, it should glide in smoothly.
The rest is up to you, but this is my favorite wat to finish them. The only thing to do that is standard, is to slice each spud up the middle, not going all the way through, and pinch the ends together to open it up.
Mikey’s Way:
(Amounts are for each potato)
3 pats of butter (about 3 tablespoons)
Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Diced onions
Diced Jalapeno
A dollop or two of sour cream
Bacon bits
Method:
Once your spud has opened for you, place the 3 pats of butter in the middle, followed immediately by the cheese. Place back in the oven for a minute, or until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle on the onions and jalapenos, as little or as much as you like. Add a dollop or two of sour cream and top with bacon bits.
ENJOY!!!
I know I did!!