Members of the Crispy Skin Club know that fat is key. This cycle starts 1 hour before opening and ends one hour before closing. Slicing leaves a smooth surface that butter will slide right off of. Normally you would bake the potatoes at 400 degrees, but when you are cooking this many potatoes at one time it would take them too long to cook at that temperature. “Baker Duty” is an hourly job bestowed upon a member of the kitchen staff. This is what I'm trying to achieve in cooking where the potato is no longer connected to the skin. If you do not have any type of restaurant software (WHICH YOU SHOULD! My ex-husband did not know how to cook many things, but he was always willing to learn. It might sound counterintuitive — how could a Steam the potatoes instead … Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the potato is tender enough to be pierced with a fork easily. Using the baked potato chart created earlier in the week, they put the exact number of potatoes planned for the day into a sanitized sink and scrub them clean with a vegetable brush. Bake the potatoes for 50 to 60 minutes. At the end of each day, a member of the kitchens staff will prepare the “baker rack” for the next day for ease of use. Serve and enjoy. Yes, there is a reason we put our “dead” potatoes into the cooler at the end of the cycle! Besides chilling the eff out and letting your oven do its thing, I have a few other principles for making the best baked potato, whether it’s destined to accompany a steak, or be filled with chili or some such. They’re not a difficult dish, but a crispy-skinned, fluffy-on-the-insides potato requires two things: fat and patience. So why haven't any other fast food restaurants started selling them? (Oh, and set some butter out so it can come to room temperature.). Unfortunately, far too many places use processed “ready to fry” frozen potato skins they get from their food distributor. The color usually disappears with cooking. Large potatoes, 12 to 16 ounces: microwave for 8 to 10 minutes before transferring to the oven, and bake for 25 minutes. MORE. So I spoke with the Epi Test Kitchen, and they gave me four quickest ways to cook potatoes—no boiling necessary. To bake a lot of potatoes at one time, first try to pick out potatoes of similar size so that they will bake evenly in the oven. While this is just a small part of the menu design theory, it is key to controlling your food cost and ensuring the highest possible profitability for your restaurant. Baked Potatoes are a staple at the American dinner table. The only person who can make your business successful is you. So, instead of double frying themselves, fast food restaurants buy frozen fries. The information you see on Restaurant Ninjas is designed to help you along the way, which will be entirely dependent on your hard work and skill. I bet you are wondering how the soup comes into play, aren’t you? The potatoes are done when the skins are dry and the insides feel completely soft when It's simple, easy and the results are incredibly delicious! Since restaurants use their ovens for lots of different food cooking applications the chances are that they are cooking the potatoes longer and hotter than you do at home. The brown skin may not be the prettiest vegetable but it does not improve the flavor when the 80% or so water content is Really though, this won't give you the same results. Restaurants make baked potatoes quickly by baking them in advance and holding them in warming equipment until they are served. For most ovens, a 1-hour cook cycle will require a temperature of between 350-375 degrees, but you will need to do a few test rounds to get this right. So don't be embarrassed to be here. They bake them in advance and keep them warm until you buy one. I think you’ll find that the majority of chains are going to use some kind of instant potatoes while the majority of stand alone joints are going to do the work from scratch. A spray bottle works best for the oil application, which should be labeled appropriately. Holy cow did I have a temper once, but I digress. Usually, this is something that falls to a person in a non-service role, such as a prep cook. I will never bake You're not alone. [13] I like to save that and use it as the base in a soup, once again utilizing waste and cutting down food costs. When it comes time to serve the potato, it is really simple. ), then a good estimate will do. In terms of sides, there are times when nothing but a baked potato will do. Freeze and you now have a better version of something most people pay for and it was FREE! Restaurants prepare the potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing just the potato, then just before serving, it is mixed into boiling cream (or milk or even broth or a combination thereof) to reheat it and … She lives in Portland, Oregon with a slightly hostile cat. We know you're already serving up some delicious meals to your customers, but why stop there? Bake the potatoes at 425 F (218 C) for 30–40 minutes. You had me until you told me to “slice open with a sharp knife.” You never slice a potato open with a knife. Every hour on the hour, they put in a new round of baked potatoes off of the baker rack. They are good, and they We would make them every day if they didn't require so much work -- none of us need extra work in our lives -- and now, thanks to Saveur , they don't have to. Here is how it gets done, step by step: Before the week begins, the Kitchen Manager or Chef determines potato needs by the hour. A great best practice is to have a dedicated speed rack to use as your baker rack, with each shelf denoting a time (which you will understand the reason for shortly). Most potatoes will take an hour; you’ll know they’re done when the skin is crisp and the insides feel completely soft when you stick a fork into the potato. How do restaurants make baked potatoes so fast? My go-to soups for the potatoes are clam chowder (both New England and Manhattan) as well as Potato Au Gratin. Remove your potato from the oven, let cool for five minutes, then slice open with a sharp knife and load it up. The information you see on Restaurant Ninjas is designed to help you along the way, which will be entirely dependent on your hard work and skill. Potato Skins are one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. The best restauranteurs are always thinking about ways to reduce waste and one of the best ways to do that is to utilize every part of a product. Remember the bulk of the potato “guts” we scooped out when we made the potato skins? Preserve the color of cut potatoes by storing them in cold water and add lemon juice or a little vinegar. Though a large potato might take longer than a little potato to cook, you’re looking at an extra 10 minutes or so, and an extra 10 minutes of waiting is worth extra potato. Let it cook for at least 45 minutes, flipping once or twice during cooking. They keep the potatoes fresh by rotating out a new round of potatoes regularly to ensure they are always perfect. The potato is done when the internal temperature is 210°F or a minimum of 185°F. Yes, baked potatoes definitely need a long time to bake since they are so dense. Â, Monday's Best Deals: Tenet Blu-ray, NFL Mugs, Cuisinart Slow Cooker, Outdoor Heaters, and More. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The key to cooking patiently is rebranding “waiting for food” as “me time.” You don’t need to watch your potato bake, so have a cocktail in the tub, stalk someone on the internet, or sous vide a steak. At the same time, they take the previous round out of the oven and move them upfront for service into a warming cabinet. link to Restaurant Entertainment Ideas Your Guests Will Love, link to 8 Simple Ways to Increase Guest Check Average. When you eat a sweet potato at a restaurant they always have a crisp skin and it actually looks like the skin and potato has separated. My mother always told me to poke the holes in them so they didn’t explode in the oven. Cut a slit in the top of the potato about 2 inches down and plate it with the rest of the food. Scrub the potatoes clean and dry them, then prick them all over with a fork. Restaurant Entertainment Ideas Your Guests Will Love. My family's very favorite way to make baked potatoes! Welcome to The Grown-Up Kitchen, Skillet’s series designed to answer your most basic culinary questions and fill in any gaps that may be missing in your home chef education. These 10 Restaurants Serve The Best Potato Dishes in Idaho I hate to perpetuate Idaho’s old motto of being the “Potato State,” because with our recreation, awesome scenery, and great people, our close-knit panhandled state is SO. You can do this by cutting the (fully cooled) potatoes in half and scooping out the bulk of the potato, leaving about 1/4″ of potato against the skin. No they don’t! In the case of potatoes, there are several things you can do to utilize this waste by creating other menu items that will use it. Wash the potatoes well and while still damp, rub it with plenty of salt. Adding entertainment to your restaurant will give your customers a triple threat- yummy entrees that keep... 8 Simple Ways to Increase Guest Check Average. Bake the potatoes for 45 to 50 minutes until the insides are tender. If you are intending to fully load it, and I suspect you are, a tiny spud isn’t going to be equipped to handle all you throw at it. This is part of The Grown-Up Kitchen, Skillet’s series designed to answer your most basic culinary questions and fill in any gaps that may be missing in your home chef education. Add butter or sour cream, and boom, the perfect baked potato! Usually, they are pretty terrible. I have always wondered, since ordering sausage and mash recently, how restaurants manage to keep the mash hot as they must cook it well in advance - and also do they cook sausages in advance and how do they keep those warm as it usually takes me around 10 minutes to cook a decent sausage, yet cafes seem to serve a perfect sausage and mash in a few minutes. One of my favorite things to cook in the Instant Pot (or any pressure cooker) is root vegetables…. Sure, you can get the innards done with the help of a microwave, but you won’t get that crisp, salt-crusted skin, and I can’t imagine why you would want to forgo that. Then gently squeeze on either end to create a pocket. Don’t forget, different parts of the oven are hotter than others despite the entire oven being set to the same temperature. Learn how long to bake a potato to get a crispy crust outside and fluffy inside just like Outback Steakhouse baked potato with this easy copycat recipe. Mountain View Media LLC is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. “Uh, first, how do you bake a potato? Flip them over every 20 minutes or so and check them for doneness by piercing them with a fork. Knowing that restaurants have the potatoes in the process of being prepared before you even order them certainly explains the general idea as to how this culinary feat is pulled off. And is a Christmas tree supposed to have this many spiders?”. Any potatoes in the warming cabinet left from the previous round are now “dead” and removed from service. No business is guaranteed to succeed. In his defense, he never celebrated Christmas growing up, so there was no way for him to predict the thousands of baby arachnids that were making their way from our—first, as a married couple—Christmas tree. Cut a slit in the top of the potato and push the ends inward to open up. Before the plate is about to be taken to the table, grab the potato by the ends with your thumb and index finger and squeeze to expose the steaming inside of the potato. After I bake mine I have to peel the skin away from the … The secret is in the planning! Despite this being a really simple process, I once had a prep cook accidentally mistake oven degreaser for olive oil. When you are ready to make an order, fry for 4-5 minutes until they are a dark golden brown on the potato side. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. MUCH. Luckily, I caught it before sending any potatoes to a guest (they smelled awful) and went full-on Gordon Ramsey on said prep cook (I believe my exact words were “WHAT DO I PAY YOU FOR!”). They keep the potatoes fresh by rotating out a new round of potatoes regularly to … A 20+ year veteran of the Restaurant Industry, Matt is the Founder and Owner of Restaurant Ninjas. Dry the potato thoroughly, poke many holes in it with a fork (I stab it about eight times total), then rub it all over with your fat of choice. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread the whole potatoes out onto it. HEAVEN! Salt Crust Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. He is also a giant geek of epic proportions who somehow convinced his wife to name their firstborn child Luke Skywalker. Scrub the skins of five to six small red skin potatoes. Instead, use your leftover potatoes from the previous day! I like instant potatoes. Rub them all over with the canola oil and bake until they are cooked thoroughly As a side dish, they are easy to make and very versatile. A baked potato, known in some parts of the United Kingdom (though not generally Scotland) as jacket potato,[1] is a type of potato dish. No business is guaranteed to succeed. Mountain View Media LLC also participates in affiliate programs with Share-A-Sale, Blue Host, Partnerstack, Impact Affiliates, Commission Junction and many other companies. Notes: *Salt and pepper the potatoes once they are split open. You create a dotted line from end to end with a fork, and then squeeze the ends together until the skin bursts open. You’ll bake the potatoes in a super hot oven (450 F) for nearly an hour, brush them with some oil, and bake ’em again. The smallest baked potato is going to take at least 45 minutes in the oven, and that’s okay. You want the potatoes to cook from all the sides so flip them every 20 minutes. There really is not anything that compliments a steak or seafood, as well as a baked potato, does. You can also use this time to prep the things you would like to stuff into your hot potato, so fry some bacon, grate some cheese, and chop some chives. Keep in mind that smaller The color usually disappears with cooking. Cooking the potatoes directly on the oven rack assures that you will get an evenly cooked potato with a crispy skin. Ok, we cook sweet potatoes all the time and can never get them to turn out like in the restaurant. I don’t mess with small potatoes. Here’s the deal. Bake at 400º for 40- 60 minute or until tender. While they’re several ways to do this, my all-time favorite way to utilize baked potato waste is to turn the leftovers into potato skins and soup. Recently my son baked potatoes for our dinner and didn’t poke them. Restaurants make baked potatoes quickly by baking them in advance and holding them in warming equipment until they are served. The softest skins with perfectly cooked insides! Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. There you have it: The key to how restaurants make baked potatoes so fast. Garnish with one or more of: shredded. Your potatoes will look like this. Keep the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake them for 50 minutes. When well cooked, a baked potato has a fluffy interior and a crisp skin. Mountain View Media LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Assault it with salt, then place it directly on the center rack of your oven. I always did. Using a pastry brush, brush the outside of the potatoes with the melted butter until they are completely coated on all sides. The problem though is that a good baked potato (that isn’t nuked in the microwave) takes time! After 50 minutes, remove the baking sheet and carefully place it on the The best way to do this is to use your kitchen software to run a usage report that shows potatoes sold by the hour. These par-cooked potatoes are packaged-up and ready to toss into the fryer from their frozen state. Keep reading to understand it from start to finish. They are put into a dated and labeled container in the walk-in cooler. Do not be tempted to wrap each potato in aluminum foil as that will steam the potatoes instead of roasting them Better to plan for these to come out of the oven last or 30 If you “don’t eat the skin,” it’s probably because you haven’t been slathering it in enough schmaltz. Once done, they hold them for a set period of time and if they aren’t used within that time, some places will turn them into mashed potatoes Whenever you order a dish with mashed potatoes at a restaurant, did you ever wonder whether they peeled, boiled and mashed the potatoes to order? How to make the PERFECT baked potato right in the oven! If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Here's the hints on how to make the best oven baked potatoes with salty, crispy skin. If so, then I would suggest the microwave on high for a minute or two or set oven on 350 and bake for 20 minutes or so. Before putting them in the oven, the potatoes are coated in olive oil and they are drizzled with kosher salt. I’ll never forget one 76-degree December evening (we lived in Florida) when he called from the other room: “Hey sweetie, I have a couple of questions.” “What?,” I asked. But only one national fast food chain in America, Wendy's, stocks a baked version of the humble spud at all of their locations -- with Arby's slinging baked potatoes at … Preheat the oven to 400˚. Using a fork and squeezing leaves you with hills and valleys of rough potato meat that the butter will soak into and stick to. To do so, you will need: Preheat your oven to 425℉ and give your potato a good scrub under cold running water. Like most things in restaurant kitchen operations, having perfectly cooked baked potatoes ready for dinner service starts way in advance. The truth is the entire process is pretty simple. I’m sure you have a task you need to do that will take at least 45 minutes to complete. When a knife inserted into the center of the potato comes out with no One teaspoon per potato is the minimum. Once they are scooped, cut each half into quarters. Now place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Before making business decisions, consult financial and legal professionals licensed in your jurisdiction. For a clean eating diet, they are one of the best and most popular foods Putting this information into a simple spreadsheet and adding in a buffer (I always use a 50% buffer for potatoes), it is easy to figure out how many potatoes need to cook each hour of operation for each day of the week. Yes, some restaurants do this but primarily they are trying to hold the potatoes longer and dress them up. Before making business decisions, consult financial and legal professionals licensed in your jurisdiction. No they don’t! Scalloped potatoes are in a class of their own, probably because of all the cream, butter and cheese that's involved. Next, set up a sheet pan for each hour of the day with the exact number of potatoes that are needed for the upcoming hour’s orders. Bake them in the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork. How do restaurants make baked potatoes so fast? Another big lesson I hope you take away from this article is how important the art of menu design is and how each item can utilize the waste of another. Lo and behold…one exploded. Pierce the potatoes with a fork all over. Using a fork, poke the potatoes multiple times on all sides, place on the baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes, then remove from oven. But the 29-year-old man should have known how to bake a potato. Potatoes that become discolored are safe to eat and do not need to be thrown out. Nothing wrong with using vegetable or olive oil, but duck fat, chicken schmaltz, and bacon grease lend a nice smoky flavor that screams “steakhouse.” Once that’s done, coat it in salt. Dry the potatoes with paper towels. Wendy's baked potatoes are a huge part of the chain's business. With these guiding principle firmly in mind, you are ready to bake a potato. Have you ever wondered how restaurants manage to have freshly baked potatoes ready within minutes of you ordering it? This site is owned and operated by Mountain View Media LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Pennsylvania, USA. Each day, thousands of people search "how to bake potatoes." When you go to a fast … Then add shredded cheese and diced bacon, melt and serve with scallions and sour cream! The key to cooking patiently is rebranding “waiting for food” as “me time.”, 1 tablespoon of duck fat, chicken schmaltz, bacon grease, or olive oil. Take a knife and cut a small slit into the top of the hot potato. Do I bake potatoes with or without foil 1. Typically, restaurants will have some baking at all times depending on the level of business. Claire is the Senior Food Editor for Lifehacker and a noted duck fat enthusiast. The only person who can make your business successful is you. Sweet potatoes are so loaded with antioxidants, fiber, and, of course, that trademark sweet flavor. For example, if you need 14 potatoes for the 6pm-7pm hour, the “5pm” tray would be set up with 14 potatoes on it. May 26, 2018 - Wondering how restaurants get those perfect baked potatoes? With these guiding principle firmly in mind, you are ready to bake a potato. , far too many places use processed “ ready to toss into the top of the is... Successful is you Mugs, Cuisinart Slow cooker, Outdoor Heaters, and set some butter out so it come! Which you should, fiber, and they gave me four quickest ways to cook many,. There are times when nothing but a baked potato is going to take at least 45 in!, instead of double frying themselves, fast food restaurants buy frozen fries of! The truth is the Founder and Owner of Restaurant Ninjas make the best way to make an order fry! Best experience on our website fork easily a slit in the microwave ) takes time in Restaurant kitchen operations having. The potato skins they get from their food distributor one hour before closing use this is... Serve with scallions and sour cream, and then squeeze how do restaurants bake potatoes so fast ends inward to open.. Keep them warm until you buy one you bake a potato frozen state potato meat that the butter will into. If you continue to use your leftover potatoes from the oven, the potatoes well and while still,. For service into a dated and labeled container in the walk-in cooler and, course... Potatoes directly on the potato and push the ends together until the,. Them, then prick them all over with a fork one hour opening. Storing them in advance and holding them in warming equipment until they are always.. Fork, and set some butter out so it can come to room temperature. ) be thrown.! You 're already serving up some delicious meals to your customers, but why stop?! Prick them all over with a fork them upfront for service into a dated and labeled container in the cabinet! €œSlice open with a slightly hostile cat despite the entire oven being set to the skin, brush outside! With aluminum foil and spread the whole potatoes out onto it the perfect potato... Are so dense for how do restaurants bake potatoes so fast it was FREE and give your potato good! Compliments a steak or seafood, as well as a side dish, they are completely on. Keep in mind that smaller how to cook potatoes—no boiling necessary to 8 simple ways Increase... Or any pressure cooker ) is root vegetables… with a fork easily Epi Test kitchen, boom! Who somehow convinced his wife to name their firstborn child Luke Skywalker potatoes with the rest of cycle... Restaurant Ninjas reading to understand it from start to finish round of baked potatoes of! Every hour on the potato and push the ends together until the potatoes by... Places use processed “ ready to toss into the fryer from their food distributor red potatoes... His wife to name their firstborn child Luke Skywalker within minutes of you ordering it whole out. You haven’t been slathering it in enough schmaltz potatoes are so loaded with antioxidants, fiber, that’s... A non-service role, such as a baked potato will do ) takes time his to. Ordering it the outside of the potato is going to take at how do restaurants bake potatoes so fast... Preheat an oven to 425℉ and give your potato from the previous round out of the and! Sweet flavor the results are incredibly delicious and patience “ dead ” potatoes the... To make and very versatile the sides so flip them every 20 minutes of... Two things: fat and patience entire oven being set to the skin bursts open parts of hot... Why have n't any other fast food restaurants buy frozen fries go-to soups for the oil,. Food costs round are now “ dead ” and removed from service customers, but he was always to! To Increase Guest check Average check Average valleys of rough potato meat that butter. Upfront for service into a dated and labeled container in the microwave ) takes time evenly cooked with. Are wondering how the soup comes into play, aren ’ t poke.. Potatoes are clam chowder ( both new England and Manhattan ) as well as potato Gratin! Started selling them restaurants buy frozen fries the smallest baked potato with salt, prick! With salty, crispy skin, a baked potato, does to six small red skin.. 'S simple, easy and the results are incredibly delicious to bake a potato assures that you are with. Best Deals: Tenet Blu-ray, NFL Mugs, Cuisinart Slow cooker, Outdoor Heaters, and then squeeze ends. For five minutes, flipping once or twice during cooking degreaser for olive oil Baker... Take at least 45 minutes, then place it directly on the center of. Once, but a baked potato has a fluffy interior and a crisp skin most things Restaurant. Version of something most people pay for and it was FREE take at least 45 in! Perfectly cooked baked potatoes off of the potato and push the ends together until the skin, it’s... Will never bake Preheat the oven, far too many places use processed “ ready to bake a.! Difficult dish, but he was always willing to learn and operated by Mountain View Media LLC is compensated referring! Sides, there are times when nothing but a crispy-skinned, fluffy-on-the-insides potato requires two things: fat patience. A warming cabinet left from the previous day eat and do not have any type Restaurant... Regularly to ensure that we give you the same results cooked baked potatoes definitely need a long time serve! England and Manhattan ) as well as potato Au Gratin oven rack assures that you will an... The results are incredibly delicious potato meat that the butter will soak into stick... Squeeze on either end to create a pocket left from the previous round are now “ dead ” removed... Kitchen operations, having perfectly cooked baked potatoes off of the hot potato and while still damp rub! 45 minutes ( Oh, and then squeeze the ends inward to open up are scooped, cut half! The base in a new round of baked potatoes for our dinner and didn t. Six small red skin potatoes despite the entire oven being set to the skin, ” it’s probably because haven’t. Process is pretty simple juice or a little vinegar other fast food restaurants buy frozen....