4 tips to help you cook a perfect baked potato every time

Potatoes are bland by nature, and even if you plan to pile on toppings such as sour cream and butter, you should still try to inject some flavor before they’re baked.

2. Prick the potato
Just about anyone who has baked potatoes knows they need to have holes pricked all over before baking.

This allows steam to escape while they’re cooking and keeps them from bursting open – something that can create a huge mess and ruin dinner. Plus, it can shorten the cooking time because the heat can penetrate the potato more easily.
Many people prick the foil that the potato is wrapped in, but this is a big mistake. When doing this, some of the foil will inevitably get stuck in the potato’s skin, which can be a nasty surprise for whoever happens to bite into it.
3. Get rid of the foil