Tried out a new pizza shop this evening - 18" pie with ham, pineapple, green peppers and mushrooms. Goooooood.
Not sure yet, but it's kind of cool-ish today and raining, so I might make soup or chili. I'll discuss with the Mr. and see what he wants.
-Salad -Leftover grilled steak -Baked potato, fully loaded (it's been in the brine all day) -Some green veggie -Fudgesicle
So what is the purpose in soaking a potato to bake? I know that soaking cut potatoes removes some starch so that they get crispier when fried, but the baked potato mystifies me.
I'll have Butchers Cut Flat Iron Steak with Balsamic Reduction and Red Onions French Lentils Saute Kale Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding for dessert.
The recipes I picked it up from says it's supposed to give them a fluffy interior and a crispy skin. Others likes America's Test Kitchen have said it gives the skin a flavorful salty residue. You don't prick the skin before brining, just scrub then soak. I also cut a 1/4" deep cross in the top (almost the entire length and then side-to-side) for steam to escape rather that poke holes in it. I started brining & slashing them when I got my Breville, and went back to baking potatoes and away from microwaving, and read the different methods. I'm not certain any of it it makes a difference. I still struggle with zeroing in on a decent temp/time combo. The web is all over the place and recipes frequently contradict (meaning some give a way shorter bake time for 300' than others give for 350'). The last one I did was 350' for an hour and a half, then kept it in the over for another 1/2 hour at 250' as I reheated some ribs. I rubbed it with oil for the last 1/2 hour. It came out crispy on the outside and dry & fluffy in the middle.
I just scrub the potatoes and prick with a fork, or wrap them in foil. Bake at 400 for an hour. Voila.
That's how I used to do it. It's not complicated enough for me. So you bake at 400°, huh? I've read recipes (instructions, really) for as low as 300°. America's Test Kitchen bakes at 450°.
When we got Outback carryout recently, the baked potatoes had that annoying salt crust on them. I could hardly eat the potato because of all the salt. (And the skin is usually my favorite part.)
These have never ended up like that. Outback probably oils the outside when the potatoes are done and then rolls them in kosher salt right before serving. And I agree with you, I always take that salt off. And I doubly agree with you...a crisply skin is the best part. I have a recipe for boiled whole red potatoes that has nearly 2 cups of Kosher salt in 8 cups of water. They look like little snowballs when they drain and cool off. Then you flatten and crisp them up in a 500° oven, brushed with malt vinegar. They are very good, and not as salty as they sound.
We are my brothers..but a I hear grilled bbq chicken, red skinned potatoe salad, French bread ..probably a salad. And margaritas
Tonight I will have Apple Braised Pork Chop/Waffle Fries/Jicama and Apple Slaw Peach Pie with ice cream for dessert.
Tonight I'll probably have a salad and leftover homemade pizza. Ive been watching videos on how to stretch out the dough (a weak point in my skill set), and now carry some guilt over how I've been abusing my crusts. Hopefully I'll mend my ways next time around. If I don't have that, I may go out for dinner...although I really don't have a yen for anything specific.
My SO and I spent several hours buying some new furniture, and there just happened to be a Red Lobster next door to the furniture store. She had Shrimp Scampi and Lobster tails, and i had fish and chips with a class of chardonnay.