Potatoes: what to check before baking

Useful to know

When choosing potatoes look for hard, smooth tubers. The University of Iowa recommends avoiding sprouted potatoes, soft sections, and a greenish color. A cool, dark and airy place is suitable for storage. [1]

Before cooking, rinse under running water and scrub with a vegetable brush. When baking whole potatoes, choose roughly the same size so that you can monitor their readiness in a similar way. This is a practical organization of the tray, not a guarantee of equal time.

In the university example, potatoes are punched with a fork and baked at 425°F, approximately 218°C, for about an hour or until ready. [1] Use readiness as a crucial criterion: a large and a small potato does not necessarily have to be pulled out at the same time.

Do not confuse the conditions for raw tubers with those for a ready dish. After cooking, storage is a separate task; a warm kitchen is not a replacement for a refrigerator.