Alton Brown's Simple Approach To Baked Potatoes Involves Just 3 Ingredients

For some, a baked potato is simply a vessel for toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese, chives, and bacon bits. While a well-dressed tater can be the highlight of a good steak dinner, sometimes, all of those cheesy, textured toppings are hiding a dry and disappointing potato. Chef Alton Brown's baked potato method uses minimal ingredients and yields a side dish with a fluffy center and crispy, salty skin. His recipe features three primary components: a large russet potato, canola oil for cooking, and Kosher salt.

Using a fork, Brown pierces holes in the entire potato, which allows excess steam to escape during baking. Rather than covering the spud in a layer of foil (which makes for one soggy potato), Brown coats his in canola oil and a sprinkling of chunky salt. The chef places the dressed potato right onto the rack to bake –- no wrapping necessary, and no baking sheets to scrub later. This is the reason that restaurant-baked potatoes often taste better than homemade ones.

Alton Brown's simple oil and salt formula are not-so-secret ingredients for upgrading basic baked potatoes. Yes, Brown's potato approach is simple and may seem barebones, but it isn't anti-toppings. In fact, personalized fillings are the final step.

Brown's process culminates in a dramatic finale. After baking, the chef again uses the fork to poke a trail of holes along the outside of the potato. He then uses his hands to snap the potato open along the dotted line. Finally, like any good potato recipe purveyor, he recommends finishing the dish with your favorite toppings. A well-cooked baked potato is your oyster — you could even try dressing it with horseradish and shallots, just like an oyster. Go classic with butter or a combo of cheese, sour cream, and chives. Get creative and top your baked potato with a heaping helping of macaroni and cheese, or take a cue from Martha Stewart, and sprinkle some caviar on top.