For Extra Fluffy Baked Potatoes, Freeze Them First
As far as potatoes go, we can all agree there are generally only two textures that are considered acceptable: fluffy and crispy. Whether it be french fries, chips, or mashed potatoes, the texture is just as important as the flavor.
While the oven temperature and baking time are important, they aren't the only factors that influence the fluffiness of a baked potato. When potatoes cook, Food Crumbles explains, the starches absorb water until they rupture. Steam gets produced in the process, and that's how a potato gets fluffy. When baking whole potatoes, however, the steam is trapped inside. To release it, you'll simply need to prick the skin with a fork or knife before you stick your potatoes in the oven, MyRecipes shares. This is the most common way to achieve fluffy baked potatoes, but there's actually something else you can do to rupture the starches even more.
What happens when you freeze potatoes before baking them?
There are plenty of foods that you can stash in the freezer without ruining them, but potatoes aren't generally thought of as one of them. That's because, as Foods Guy says, potatoes store water inside their cells, and when you try to defrost them, they become mushy on the inside. If you put them straight in the oven on the other hand, they'll come out perfectly fluffy.
A fluffy texture starts with the right potato
If you're making potato salad, hash browns, or any potato recipe where you want the potato to hold its shape, the waxy varieties are best. But if you're making baked potatoes, where a fluffy texture is more desirable, starchy ones like Idaho or russet are ideal. Per Southern Living, starchy potatoes are higher in starch but lower in moisture, so they have a naturally fluffier consistency.
