How to cook Jacket Potatoes and Ultimate Toppings List

We love a jacket potato here in the Mad House and think that they are a massively underrated meal. They are so versatile and perfect as a base for a meal if you have a family that doesn’t all like the same food. So I want to share with you my tips for cooking Jacket potatoes and our ultimate toppings list, although I am not sure you can beat good old beans and cheese! Firstly I realised that jacket potato is only called this in the UK elsewhere they are baked potatoes. We call them jackets as they cook in their jackets (skins)!

Jacket Potatoe with sour cream and chives

How to cook Jacket Potatoes

I think this depends on whether you like crispy or soft skins and also the timescale you are working too. Often I forget to pop them in the oven early enough, so I do a mixture of part microwave and part oven cooked.

We have rounded up the best baked potato fillings & toppings plus advice on how to cook the ultimate Jacket Potatoes.

Firstly you need to choose the right potato(often it will say on the bags or label), but my preferences are Maris Pipers, King Edwards, Yukon Golds, or Rooster potatoes and they need to be a good size so one potato will be one meal.
Wash the skins and remove any mud and then pick the skins a few times with a fork.
For Crispy skins brush them with an oil – we prefer rapeseed for this.

Oven cooking – If you have the time then this is a great way of cooking your potatoes. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and put your potatoes the top shelf of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes before turning down the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and bake for another hour and a half until the skin is crisp and the flesh soft.
Oven/Microwave Combo – This is my favourite method. For four potatoes I cook in the microwave for 15 minutes (one potato takes about 4 minutes, two take 8 minutes, three 12 minutes) before brushing with the oil. Then heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and put your potatoes the top shelf of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Slow Cooker – Yes, you can slow cook your spuds, check out how to cook Jacket Potatoes in the slow cooker. This is a fabulous way to cook lots of potatoes to be eaten at different times.
Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker – I have yet to give Instant Pot Jacket Potatoes a try but I do love my instant pot.
Air Fryer – Again we have had an air fryer for over ten years and never cooked Jacket Potatoes in it. That is because of 2 of my family like softer skins.