The Perfect Baked Potato

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Scrub the potatoes under running water to remove all the dirt.

Step 2: Pat the potatoes dry with a paper towel.

Step 3: Using a fork, carefully pierce the potatoes two to three times per side.

Step 4: Brush the whole potato with olive oil. This will make the skins nice and crispy.

Step 5: Sprinkle the tops with some coarse oir sea salt. Place them directly on the middle rack of the oven. I like to place a foil lined baking sheet underneath just in case anything drips off of the potatoes.

Step 6: Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a fork is able to pierce the potato with little resistance (the large jumbo could take a lot longer). Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Run a knife lengthwise across the salted top, leaving about 1/2 inch on both sides.

Step 7: Using both hands, pinch each side of the potato.While pinching, push towards the center of the potato, forcing it to open up. Keep pushing and squeeze the fluffy insides up (it might take one or two tries to get this right!).

Step 8: And there it is ready to be topped with anything you desire!