The cooks agree: “To get golden-brown baked potatoes, don't add more oil, but 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.”
There are recipes that, although simple and quick, can be made even easier with a few cooking tricks.
It's worth noting that potatoes are a very versatile, filling, and relatively low-calorie food, which can help prevent excessive consumption of other, less nutritionally valuable foods. They also provide potassium, carbohydrates, calcium, iron, and vitamins C and B6.
The best trick for getting golden-brown baked potatoes
Baked potatoes are a classic side dish for meat, vegetables, and fish, but getting them nice and golden brown and crispy on the outside while remaining tender on the inside isn't always easy. Although many people use oil to achieve this, there's a very simple trick that cooks use that can make all the difference: adding cornstarch before baking.
This simple method helps reduce the amount of oil used and gives the potatoes a thin, drier, and crispier outer layer. Adding a pinch of paprika also enhances both their color and flavor, making them the perfect side dish for practically anything.
The secret lies in properly preparing the surface of the potatoes. Once cut and completely dry, a small amount of cornstarch (one tablespoon per kilogram of potatoes) is added and spread evenly. This achieves a golden and crispy exterior without having to increase the amount of oil.
Besides this one, there are other tricks worth knowing:
- Whenever possible, it's best to use floury varieties, which have a higher starch content. When cooked, their interior becomes fluffier, creating a perfect contrast with the crispy surface.
- Pre-cooking the potatoes for about 8-10 minutes in boiling salted water helps them cook more evenly and promotes a crispier finish, as well as reducing the subsequent baking time.
- After draining them and letting them cool slightly, peel them, place them in a colander, and gently shake them so the surface loosens a little. Then, add the cornstarch and mix well to enhance the crunch.
- While the potatoes are cooking, place the tray with about 60 ml of oil per kilo of potatoes and preheat the oven to 190ºC with fan.
Wash the small potatoes well and boil them in their skins in a pot of salted water until tender. Drain them, let them cool slightly, and cut them into chunks. Place them in a baking dish and add salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Mix everything well so that the potatoes are thoroughly coated with the spices and oil. Place the dish in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and have a crispy, appetizing appearance.
Finally, it's worth remembering that potatoes have a high water content, representing more than 75% of their composition. If eaten with the skin on, they can provide even greater nutritional value, as some of their protein is concentrated just beneath it. Furthermore, they are rich in potassium and low in sodium, and contain vitamin C, necessary for collagen production and wound healing, as well as B vitamins.
