First, scrub the skin but don't peel it. The skin is your crispy armor. Then, poke it with a fork a bunch of times—otherwise, it might explode in your oven, and your kitchen will look like a crime scene. Rub it with oil and salt for crispy, salty magic.
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for about an hour, or until you can pierce it with a knife like a hot knife through butter. Don’t wrap it in foil! Foil steams the potato, giving you a soggy mess. You want the heat to circulate. Let it rest for five minutes after baking. Cut it open, fluff it with a fork, and drown it in your toppings of choice. You’ve earned this.
So, the next time you stand in the potato aisle, don’t be teenage me. Grab a Russet if you want fluffy, a Yukon Gold if you want creamy, or a sweet potato if you want to feel a little fancy. Your oven—and your taste buds—will thank you. Now go forth and bake, you magnificent tuber-wrangler.
