Baked potato
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A baked potato, also known as a jacket potato, is the edible result of baking a potato. Generally potatoes are baked either in an oven, a microwave oven, on a grill, or on an open fire. Baked potatoes are widely popular due to their availability, ease of preparation, and filling nature.
The recommended oven temperature for baking potatoes is 350°F / 175°C / Gas Mark 4. Schools are divided on whether it is better to wrap the potato in aluminum foil to retain moisture or to leave the potato unwrapped to create a crispy skin.
Once a potato has been baked, some people remove the skin and eat only the softer and moister interior, while others enjoy the taste and texture of the crispy skin. Most of the vitamins, minerals and trace elements in a potato are in or immediately below the skin, but then so are most of the pesticides, fungicides, and chemical coatings.
American restaurants serve baked potatoes with sides (commonly referred to as fixings or toppings) such as butter, sour cream, chives, shredded cheese, and bacon bits. British people often choose to have grated cheese (often with baked beans), tuna or a variety of other fillings.
