OK, I’m not an amazing cook – but I can bake a good potato with the 59 cents a pound variety. Here is my inexact, but guaranteed perfect baked potato formula (even people who HATED potato skins have complimented these):
Medium sized russets or bakers, 1 per serving.
Preheat oven to 400. Scrub the taters well. Dry off. Prick with fork multiple times. Rub skins with a generous amount of olive or canola oil. Apply kosher or semi-coarse salt. Bake for an hour, 20 minutes longer if potatoes are large. Allow potatoes to cool for about 5 minutes before busting them open to put in butter, etc.
A few tips: DON’T wrap in foil. Aesthetically pleasing to some, but moisture needs to escape while baking to allow a fluffy texture. DON’T use margarine on baked potatoes unless you do so for moral reasons. For the love of God people – butter.