Jacket potatoes are a staple of British cuisine. The simple dish can be made in a number of ways – and with an almost endless array of toppings. From classic additions such as baked beans and tuna mayo to more unique choices such as guacamole or pulled pork, there are so many ways to enjoy the humble meal.
While the toppings are certainly important, the best way to ensure you have the tastiest jacket potato is in the method you use to cook it. Traditionally, jacket potatoes are made by roasting the spuds in the oven. However, since the huge surge in popularity of air fryers in the UK, the jacket potato has been revolutionised. Using these handy appliances, you can cook the perfect jacket potato – but there is one step you should take beforehand to make sure that your spud comes out as tasty as it can be.
One TikTok user, Anthea or @superhomecook, shared her fool-proof method for making the best jacket potato and it includes one simple hack that shouldn’t be ignored.
In a viral clip shared on the social media platform, which has received over half a million views since it was first posted, she explains how she microwaves the potato for a total of six minutes. The trick here is to make sure the potato is covered in a paper towel (or kitchen roll as we call it in the UK).
This, she says, stops the potato from drying out in the microwave. “Whether you’re using the air fryer or the oven, these simple steps will give you that golden, crispy skin and fluffy inside,” she says in her TikTok post.
Before she microwaves it, she pierces it a number of times with a fork. Then, after it is finished in the microwave, she rubs the potato in olive oil and sea salt and wraps it in tin foil.
When it comes to cooking the jacket potato, she pre-heats her air fryer to 180C. Then, the potato cooks for 45 minutes.
The final step is to remove the foil and place the potato back into the air fryer, cooking it at 180C for a further 10 minutes.
Additionally, the TikTok user, who has posted a huge number of videos showing her jacket potato recipes, says that the best potatoes to use in the air fryer are Maris Pipers, red potatoes, King Edward’s, or all-purpose potatoes.
Other TikTok users shared their thoughts on the simple yet effective method, with one person taking to the comments section to call it “yum”. Another said: “That looks heavenly.”
