How Long to Cook a Jacket Potato in the Oven

1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes at 200°C (fan 180°C / 392°F, gas mark 6).

A proper oven jacket potato — crisp skin, fluffy middle — takes time, but it’s almost entirely hands-off. At 200°C, allow 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes depending on the size of the potato.

The secret to a crisp skin

Prick the potato all over (both for a crisp result and so it can’t burst), rub the skin with oil and salt, and bake it directly on the oven shelf rather than in a tray, so the heat circulates all around. Skip the foil if you want crisp skin — foil steams it soft. It’s done when the skin is crisp and the potato squeezes easily.

Method

1. Prick the potato all over with a fork so steam can escape.
2. Rub with a little oil and salt for a crisp skin.
3. Bake directly on the oven shelf at 200°C for 1 hour to 1 hour 30, depending on size.
4. Squeeze gently to check it's soft inside before serving.

How to tell it's cooked

• The skin is crisp and the potato gives when squeezed
• A knife or skewer slides easily into the centre
• The inside is fluffy, not firm

Times by size

Food safety: Always prick the skin before baking — an unpricked potato can build up steam and burst. Eat hot; if keeping a cooked jacket, cool it quickly and refrigerate, and don't leave it wrapped in foil at room temperature.