What Is The Best Oil For The Crispiest Skins On Baked Potatoes?

There's something super satisfying about digging into a steaming-hot baked potato (or jacket potato, as they call it across the pond) after a long day. It's no surprise they're such a beloved comfort food. Light, soft, and fluffy on the inside and wonderfully crispy on the outside; they're basically impossible to resist. But if there's one thing that can spoil a baked potato, it's the skin. If you want to get the skin right and make your baked potatoes taste like they came from a restaurant, it's crucial to use the right kind of oil.

When picking the oil, you'll want to make sure it can handle the heat. Choosing one with a high smoke point is a great place to start since that way it can stay stable at high temperatures, which prevents burning and unwanted flavors. Oil also helps spread heat across the potato's surface. As a result, the excess moisture will evaporate and the skin will develop a golden-brown finish.

With all that in mind, refined avocado oil takes the top spot (it has a smoke point of 520 degrees Fahrenheit). It's mild, buttery, and will crisp up the spuds' skin without overpowering their flavor. Peanut and soybean oil are also great choices (both have a smoke point of 450 degrees). But while soybean oil is neutral, even refined peanut oil will add a nutty touch to baked potatoes. Other good alternatives include canola oil (435 degrees), grapeseed oil (420 degrees), and sunflower oil (410 degrees).

Although you have plenty of options, not all oils will work for baked potatoes. As you may have guessed, oils with low smoke points are best avoided. They will break down at the high temperatures baked potatoes require and develop unpleasant smells and off-flavors that will ruin the skins before the potatoes are fully cooked. That's exactly what makes an oil's smoke point such a big deal.

Olive oil, and particularly extra virgin olive oil, is one of the first oils you'll want to steer clear of. Extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point of 350 degrees, and as a rule of thumb oils with smoke points below 400 degrees aren't ideal since that's how hot the oven is usually set for this dish. The same applies to lard (370 degrees). And while it can add a silky, slightly sweet boost to the dish, coconut oil is another option to rule out at 350 degrees.

Choosing the right oil isn't a guarantee the potato skins will turn out perfectly crispy. Once you make your pick, wash the potatoes, dry them, rub them with the oil, then toss them in a 400 degree oven for an hour. Once they're done, all that's left to do is add your favorite toppings, whether that's beans and cheese, cheddar and bacon, or a little butter and chili.