Air-Fried Jacket Potatoes: Quick, Easy, And Delicious

Air fryers are a convenient and energy-efficient way to make jacket potatoes, with a cooking time of around 40-50 minutes. The process is simple: first, scrub the potatoes and pat them dry. Then, prick them with a fork and rub them with oil and seasoning. Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket and cook at 200C/400F for 40-50 minutes, or until a fork can be easily inserted. For an extra crispy skin, it is recommended to not wrap the potatoes in foil.

How to prepare your potatoes for the air fryer

Preparing your potatoes for the air fryer is simple and requires minimal effort. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you achieve the perfect jacket potatoes:

Firstly, select your potatoes. For air fryer jacket potatoes, it is best to choose large, floury potatoes such as Maris Piper, King Edward, or Russet. These potatoes are ideal for achieving a fluffy texture inside while becoming crispy on the outside.

Once you have chosen your potatoes, give them a good scrub. Wash the potatoes and remove any dirt, as you will want to eat the crispy skin later. After washing, dry the potatoes with a kitchen towel or paper towels.

Next, prick the potatoes several times with a fork or a skewer. This step is important as it allows steam to escape during the cooking process and prevents the potatoes from bursting open. You can also poke some holes in the potatoes to ensure even cooking throughout.

Then, it's time to add some flavour. Drizzle your chosen oil over the potatoes and rub it into the skins. You can use extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or any other neutral high smoke-point oil. Make sure the potatoes are well-coated. This step not only adds flavour but also helps to crisp up the skins.

After coating the potatoes in oil, it's time to season them. Sprinkle salt and pepper generously over the potatoes. You can also add other seasonings like garlic powder, dried parsley, or any other spices you prefer. Use your hands to ensure the seasonings are evenly distributed and adhered to the potato skins.

Finally, place the potatoes in the air fryer basket. Make sure to leave some space between the potatoes to allow for proper air circulation. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the potatoes in batches to avoid overcrowding.

Now, your potatoes are ready for the air fryer! Follow the cooking instructions provided by your air fryer, adjusting the temperature and time as needed. Remember to flip the potatoes halfway through the cooking process to ensure an even crisp on the skin.

By following these steps, you will have perfectly prepared potatoes for your air fryer, resulting in delicious jacket potatoes with crispy skins and fluffy insides. Enjoy!

The best oils to use for crispy skin

To make jacket potatoes in an air fryer, you'll want to use oil to help the seasonings stick to the potatoes and get them crispy. The amount of oil used in an air fryer is significantly less than that used in a normal oven or deep fryer, but it's still important to use some to get the best texture and colour.

When choosing an oil, you can opt for a cooking spray, like avocado oil spray, or a drizzle of oil, like avocado, canola, olive, or coconut oil. The best oil for achieving crispy skin is one with a high smoke point, such as avocado or canola oil.

If you're looking for a simple, classic option, go for extra-virgin olive oil. It will help your potatoes brown and soften as they cook. For a slightly different flavour, you could try using avocado oil, which has a high smoke point and will help you achieve a nice golden colour. If you want to experiment with different oils, canola oil is another good option with a high smoke point.

Remember, you only need a little bit of oil—about a tablespoon should be enough to get your potatoes crispy and golden.

Air fryer temperature and cooking time

The temperature and cooking time for jacket potatoes in an air fryer will depend on the type and size of potato you are using, as well as the model of your air fryer.

Most recipes recommend cooking your jacket potatoes at 200 °C/400 °F for 40-50 minutes. However, some recipes suggest cooking at a slightly lower temperature of 180-190 °C/375-400 °F, and others suggest a higher temperature of 220 °C/425 °F.

Cooking times can vary from 30 minutes up to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the potato and the power of the air fryer. It is important to keep an eye on your potatoes to ensure they do not burn. Many recipes recommend checking your potatoes after 20-25 minutes, and then again after another 20 minutes, to ensure they are cooking evenly and do not burn.

If you are cooking multiple potatoes, it is important to ensure there is enough space around each potato for the air to circulate. This will help ensure even cooking and crispiness.

How to get fluffy potato insides

To get fluffy potato insides when making jacket potatoes in an air fryer, you should use a potato with a high starch content, such as a russet potato. Other suitable potatoes include Maris Piper, King Edward, or sweet potatoes.

First, scrub the potatoes and pat them dry. Then, prick them with a fork several times, so that steam can escape while they cook. Next, drizzle the potatoes with oil—extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or another neutral high smoke-point oil are good options—and rub it into the skins. You can also add salt and pepper, which will help the skins crisp up.

Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket and cook at 200C/400F for 40-50 minutes, or until a sharp knife or fork can easily pierce the potatoes. You may want to turn the potatoes over halfway through to ensure an even crisp on the skin.

Once cooked, carefully slice each potato in half lengthways and use a fork to fluff up the insides.

Topping ideas for your jacket potatoes

Now that you've cooked your jacket potatoes in the air fryer, it's time to load them up with toppings! Here are some ideas to get you started:

Classic toppings

If you're a traditionalist, you can't go wrong with the classic combination of butter and cheese. For an extra kick, add some black pepper, or even some red Leicester or blue cheese to the mix.

Chilli and spice

For those who like it hot, try chilli con carne, sour cream and grated cheddar, or chilli, butter, cheese and baked beans. For a spicier option, go for tuna, lime juice, red onion and green chillies, or chicken tikka with mayo and grated cheese.

Meaty options

Meat lovers might want to try chicken and bacon mayo, or poached chicken with crispy bacon. For something a little different, how about haggis and butter, or haggis, cheddar, onion and jalapeno?

Fishy fillings

If you fancy something fishy, you could try tuna, mayo and sweetcorn, or prawns in prawn cocktail sauce. For a more luxurious option, go for smoked trout with horseradish and mascarpone, or salt-baked potatoes with prawns, jalapeño and coriander butter.

Vegetarian delights

Veggie options include mushroom jackets, or for a protein boost, try vegan chickpea curry jackets. For something a little different, how about baked ginger and spinach sweet potato, or jacket potatoes with whipped feta and sumac?

Creative combos

If you're feeling creative, you could try coleslaw, butter and cheese, cottage cheese and a side salad, or even leftover stew, chilli or bolognese.

Sweet treats

For a sweet twist, you could try baked sweet potatoes with pine nuts, tahini and pesto, or sweet potato jackets with guacamole and kidney beans.

So, there you have it! Plenty of ideas to get you started on your jacket potato journey. Get creative, and enjoy your spuds!

Frequently asked questions