Dolly Parton's Genius Trick for the Perfect Baked Potato (And It’s So Simple!)

This is how I’ll be preparing baked potatoes from here on out.

I never imagined I'd refer to Dolly Parton as my inspiration for culinary creativity with baked potatoes. However, ever since relocating to Tennessee—the land of her roots—I've realized they do indeed celebrate everything related to Dolly, including music, cookware, and even recipes.

Dolly and her sibling Rachel Parton George have released a new cookbook. Good Lookin' Cookin' In this case, they shared that their approach to baking potatoes was "somewhat unconventional." Intrigued, I decided to give it a go. The outcome was perfectly cooked potatoes featuring exceptionally crisp skins paired with an incredibly light and airy inside. This type of baked potato is so delightful that just adding a small amount of butter and salt turns it into an unforgettable accompaniment for any meal.

Dolly and Rachel's Recipe for Perfectly Baked Potatoes Revealed

Dolly and Rachel's recipe calls for russet potatoes that are scrubbed clean and toweled dry, which isn’t unusual. But unlike other recipes that call for foil wrapping, poking, or prepping with oil, this recipe has you throw the potatoes right into a hot oven and bake them directly on the oven rack.

Many recipes Request to utilize the prongs of a fork to pierce numerous holes into the exterior of each potato. This technique aims to stop potatoes from exploding during cooking by enabling steam to vent through the skin, potentially resulting in fluffier interiors once they're baked. Resisting this temptation proved irresistibly appealing, so I decided against trying it.

Read More: 16 Simple Recipes to Enjoy Loads of Potatoes

How Dolly and Rachel Prepare Baked Potatoes

Using the instructions from Dolly and Rachel’s recipe, I washed four medium russet potatoes and patted them dry with a paper towel as I turned up the oven to 450°F. This heat level appeared somewhat elevated considering their recommended cooking duration of 50 minutes to an hour; however, ‘In Dolly We Trust,’ after all?

Once the oven was heated up, I placed the potatoes right on the rack to bake. Much to my astonishment, they neither burned nor split open, and the outcome was fantastic. The cooked potatoes featured a crisp, almost cookie-like exterior paired with an incredibly smooth inside that absorbed butter effortlessly.

These roasted potatoes made me think of English jacket potatoes , typically requiring at least two hours of baking at 400°F, were done in just one hour. If you're someone who enjoys both the flesh and skin of a baked potato, you'll appreciate how crisp these potatoes become.

Although I was concerned that Dolly and Rachel's potatoes might turn out tasteless due to the absence of oil or salt on their exterior, they actually emerged as an exquisite unadorned base (perfect for adding generous amounts of butter and salt just before eating). Additionally, I appreciated the reduced preparation and cleaning involved since there wasn’t any necessity to scrub oil and salt residues from countertops or chopping boards.

The next time you're looking for a simple dinner side dish, try following their instructions and simply bake some potatoes in a hot oven—without any wrapping, piercing, or seasoning needed.