One thing that they do better in England than they do anywhere else in the world is the Jacket Potato. One of the first things I had to eat in the U.K. was a jacket potato at a dedicated jacket potato restaurant at Euston Station in London, whilst waiting for a train to go up to Chester.
Jacket Potato is the term that the British use to lovingly refer to what we would know as a Baked Potato here in North America, and their Jacket Potatoes are amazingly delicious!
They have crisp and brittle skins that crack like pork crackling when you break them open. Nice. Nice. Nice. And the interiors are so fluffy and light as a cloud. Melt in the mouth.
There is nothing damp or gluey about an English Jacket Potato. Eating one of them is a revelation in Baked Potato Deliciousness.
Prior to my experience in that baked potato eatery I had only ever had baked potatoes that had been baked, wrapped in foil, and whilst they were good, they were nothing at all like the crispy skinned heavenly bliss that was mine to enjoy in the U.K. on that first occasion!
The Brits love their jacket potatoes and they have the making of them down to a wonderfully fine art form. They do them better than anyone else on the planet! The difference is not just the cute name . . . Jacket Potato . . . but also in the technique!
The British take great care in the baking of their potatoes with the end result being a potato with the crispest exterior/skins that almost shatter when you break into them and fantastically fluffy mealy innards! Once you have tried baking potatoes their way, you will be spoiled for every enjoying them in any other way! Trust me on this.
A basic Jacket Potato is not just a delicious side dish either. They know how to top them and turn them into a meal better than anyone I know. So much so that they have restaurants and eateries dedicated just to the art form of Jacket Potatoes!
You can even buy frozen Jacket Potatoes there (which I greatly miss by the way!). McCain and some others do frozen Jacket Potatoes that you can buy in a four potato pack up to a much larger pack containing more. With one of those in the freezer you are never very far away from a delicious meal.
I always had a bag of frozen jacket potatoes in my freezer when I lived over there. I used to do their initial cooking in the microwave as per the package instructions, and then I would finish them off in a hot oven just for ten minutes or so to really crisp up the skins.
Always delicious, and nobody knew the difference.
Nothing else is needed when baking a Jacket potato, other than a really good baking potato and a hot oven. Russet potatoes are great potatoes for baking because their insides bake up nice and fluffy!
No matter how clean the potatoes look I always give them a good scrub with a brush and some running water. Then I dry them off really well.
You don't need any oil or butter. No tinfoil to wrap them in. Just a sharp knife to cut an "X" into the top and a hot oven. You don't even need a dish. They bake right on the oven rack, with the end result being some of the best baked "Jacket" potatoes in the world!
HOW TO COOK ENGLISH JACKET POTATOES
If you follow my instructions you will always have a delicious jacket potato with a perfectly crisp and flaky skin and soft fluffy interior!
Preheat your oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Move your oven rack to the middle of the oven.Wash your potatoes really well, no matter how clean they look. Dry well with a cotton towel or some paper toweling.Using a sharp knife, score an X in the top of each potato, about 1/4 inch into the flesh.Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack in the oven, scored side up.Roast for 2 hours until the skins are crisp and crackly and the interior is soft and fluffy. Remove from the oven. Rescore the flesh and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.Remove and using a gloved hand, push the two opposite ends of the potato together gently to break open and expose the fluffy interior. Top as desired, at the very least a generous pat of cold butter, some flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!
Once you have tried an English Jacket Potato you will never want to cook/bake your potatoes in any other way. These are so delicious and it only takes a little bit of effort on your part to ensure baked potato success!
Crispy crackly skins, soft fluffy insides. The best of both worlds. I enjoyed today with a simple topping of butter and seasoning and then a dollop of sour cream, some grated cheese and crispy bacon bits! Who could ask for anything more!
WAYS TO ENJOY AN ENGLISH JACKET POTATO
There are many ways to enjoy a jacket potato. These are some British favorites! I also like to enjoy mine with some reheated chili ladled over top or a tasty Bolognese sauce!
- Split the potato open, butter and season and then top with plenty of grated strong cheddar cheese and sliced spring onions.
- Split the potato open, butter and season and then top with heated baked beans and a grating of cheddar cheese.
- Split the potato open, butter and season and then top with sour cream and chives.
- Split the potato open, butter and season and then top with a hefty dollop of tuna mayonnaise.
Leftover jacket potatoes also make great Potato skins! I also like to use them to make Twice Baked Potatoes. Always a real treat!
If the potato is your favorite vegetable as mine is you can never have too many potato recipes. You might also enjoy the following!
POTATOES O'BRIEN - This is a pretty basic version of fried potatoes, using only salt and pepper as seasoning. You could also add garlic powder and or paprika. I added some paprika. I like the color it adds to potatoes when you are frying them. Basically it is like a potato hash, except it doesn't use already cooked potatoes. You peel and dice raw potatoes and add them to some hot fat, along with chopped onion and the seasoning. Its delicious!
POTATO PIE - This is a dish that's been around for a very long time. A dish which doesn't cost a lot of money and which you don't even really need meat to serve with it, although you could if you wanted to. We just have it plain, like this, a simple supper served with some buttered brown bread and some pickled beets. The milk and cheese provide plenty of protein. Simply delicious.
Yield: variableAuthor: Marie Rayner
English Jacket Potatoes
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 2 H & 10 MTotal time: 2 H & 15 MYou can make as many or as few of these lovely jacket potatoes as you wish. Crispy skinned, fluffy interiors and ready to top with whatever floats your boat! The world is your oyster!Ingredients
- medium russet potatoes (8 to 10 ounces each)
- whatever you enjoy serving them with (butter, flaky salt, freshly ground black pepper at the very least)
- grated cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- minced chives
- crumbled crisp bacon
- baked beans
- tuna or salmon mayonnaise (salad)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Move your oven rack to the middle of the oven.
- Wash your potatoes really well, no matter how clean they look. Dry well with a cotton towel or some paper toweling.
- Using a sharp knife, score an X in the top of each potato, about 1/4 inch into the flesh.
- Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack in the oven, scored side up.
- Roast for 2 hours until the skins are crisp and crackly and the interior is soft and fluffy. Remove from the oven. Rescore the flesh and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
- Remove and using a gloved hand, push the two opposite ends of the potato together gently to break open and expose the fluffy interior. Top as desired, at the very least a generous pat of cold butter, some flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!
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