This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Some varieties of potato, such as Russet and King Edward, are more suitable for baking than others, owing to their size and consistency. Despite the popular misconception that potatoes are fattening, baked baked potato in oven wrapped in foil can be part of a healthy diet.
Some restaurants use special ovens designed specifically to cook large numbers of potatoes, then keep them warm and ready for service. Pricking the potato with a fork or knife allows steam to escape during the cooking process. Potatoes cooked in a microwave oven without pricking the skin might split open due to built up internal pressure from unvented steam. Wrapping the potato in aluminium foil before cooking in a standard oven will help to retain moisture, while leaving it unwrapped will result in a crisp skin. When cooking over an open fire or in the coals of a barbecue, it may require wrapping in foil to prevent burning of the skin.
