Mini Baked Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to poke holes in small potatoes before baking? ›

Yes! Pricking the potatoes with a fork creates tiny holes that allows steam to escape. This prevents your potato from bursting open in the oven (and making a mess!).

A smaller potato will cook in less time than a larger one, such as the 40 counts that Morton's Steakhouse wait staff present on the mobile cart in the dining room. Those giant Russet Burbank potatoes can be baked in about an hour if you follow these guidelines. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

You can easily double it or half it if you need a different amount. I find 2 1/2 pounds of baby potatoes feeds my family of five with a little bit leftover most days. Usually a good rule for baby potatoes is about 1/2 pound per person, but it obviously depends on the people eating!

Raw potatoes contain solanine and lectins, two compounds that can cause gastric distress and potentially make you sick. Additionally, raw potatoes contain resistant starch, which is difficult to digest, and their overall taste and texture is nothing like the potatoes you know and love. When in doubt, cook that potato.

Smaller spuds might take a little less time, while larger baking potatoes over 1 pound might take a little more. For a fully baked Idaho Russet Burbank, the internal temperature should be right at 210 degrees F.

Trapping that spud in aluminum foil where the moisture cannot escape results in a wet potato. Over baking the potato in foil cannot be seen (or easy to smell that it is overcooked) so you can end up with dark brown skin on the bottom, tough to eat and giving off a slightly burnt taste.

I would just skip poking the potato all together. It is very rare that a baked potato will burst if the steam can't escape.

Toups also calls out a common mistake people make when baking potatoes. "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.

Why are small potatoes often more expensive than larger ones? Small potatoes that are selling at a higher price than larger potatoes of the same variety are more expensive because they are harvested earlier, before they get their full growth. The farmer gets more money for new small potatoes……

Baby potatoes are harvested before they reach maturity and are smaller in size, typically around 1-2 inches in diameter. They are often sold with their thin, delicate skin still intact and are prized for their sweet flavor and tender texture.

What is the difference between potatoes and small potatoes? ›

New potatoes are much smaller than mature potatoes, with softer, thinner skins and a higher moisture content. They are also much lower in starch than mature potatoes. New potatoes typically retain their shape when cooked, which makes them a popular choice for cold potato recipes like potato salad.

Use this general formula to know how many potatoes are in a pound: One large potato equals around one pound. Two medium-size potatoes equal about one pound. Three small potatoes equal around one pound.

Add the butter and warm milk to the bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork (or pass the potatoes through a ricer or food mill for a smoother mash). Season with salt and pepper. Plan on 1/3 to 1/2 pound potatoes per person for your feast.

The potatoes are done when tender.

The potatoes are done when they are tender all the way through. You can test this by poking the potato with a fork, paring knife, or skewer. If the utensil slides easily all the way to the center, the potatoes are done.

Don't exceed the recommended cooking time because potatoes will continue to cook after they're removed from the oven and the skin will get dry. "Another common mistake is letting the potato rest or cool before cutting. This is not meat and the potato doesn't get better with resting.

Visual signs: The potato skin will start to wrinkle when over cooked. 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. Foil traps the moisture in the potato causing the skin to be wet and the inside flavorless or gummy.