Perfect Baked Potato

THE PERFECT BAKED POTATO

INGREDIENTS:

1 Russet potato per serving about 8 to 10 ounces each
Olive oil or oil of your choice
Sea or Kosher Salt
Butter (optional)
Fresh ground black (Tellicherry)

Select Russet potatoes that have a nice even brown tone to the skin without a greenish cast. Inspect potatoes to make sure there aren't any significant bruises, sprouts or discolored spots. Choose potatoes that are uniform in shape and size for even cooking. Rinse and scrub potatoes using a stiff bristled brush under cold running water. Dry off potatoes and using a fork, piece potato deeply several times on each side about 1 inch apart. This will allow steam to escape during the cooking process. Rub each potato with oil of your choice and sprinkle sea or Kosher salt onto potato and place on the center rack of preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 90 minutes or until done. Turn the potatoes over halfway through the baking time to prevent browning of the undersides where they touch the oven rack. Potatoes are done if tender when pierced with a fork and the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees F. You can also test for doneness by gently squeezing the middle of the potato (using a pot holder). If it gives in easily to your touch, it is done. When baked to perfection, remove potatoes from the oven. Slit across the top with a sharp knife and gently pinch (squeeze) in each end of the potato towards the middle using your thumb and index finger. The potato will pop open and will have a white fluffy interior and a crunchy, brown, well caramelized skin. Serve with a pat of butter, sprinkling of sea or Kosher salt and a heavy grind of fresh ground black peppercorns. Do not be temped to wrap each potato in aluminum foil since this will steam cook the potato instead of baking it.

NOTE: If you are baking more than 4 potatoes, you'll need to extend the baking time by 15 minutes or more. Also, if you want to super charge the perfect baked potato and make a loaded perfect baked potato, go for it! Add what ever condiments you desire such as fresh grated extra sharp cheddar cheese or cheese of your choice, fried crisp bacon pieces, sour cream, butter, fresh chopped chives, etc.

Below pix of the perfect baked potato on 04-26-09 by Bill aka Mickey Porter:

Following is a close-up pix of the above and the Russet potatoes used today were humongous indeed!

The perfect baked potato topped with butter, sour cream and served with venison cubed steak and mushroom gravy, asparagus bundle, toss salad, French garlic bread and a glass of Biltmore White Zinfandel wine on 04-26-09.

Bill aka Mickey Porter 04-26-09.

LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE

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Ephesians 2:8 - 2:9 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Open this link about faith in the King James Bible.

Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Open this link of Bible Verses About Salvation, King James Version Bible (KJV).

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

IN GOD WE TRUST - GOD BLESS AMERICA - "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE" JOHN 3:16 KJV