Salt-Baked Potatoes With Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Butter

If you like baked potatoes you will love these potatoes.  These potatoes are flavorful and their flesh is light and fluffy.  As for the skins, they are crisp and delicious.  Not at all tough. 

Oven Ready

The secret according to "America's Test Kitchen" is baking the potatoes on a bed of salt. To add flavor to the spuds rosemary and garlic are baked with the potatoes. To keep the potatoes moist, the baking pan is covered with foil.    Bake the potatoes in a 450 degree oven for 1 1/4 hours then remove them from the oven.

Out-Of-The-Oven

Once removed from the oven, the skins are brushed with some olive oil and they are placed back in the oven.  They are baked uncovered for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and remove any salt that is on the skins.

Brushed With Olive Oil

You can serve these potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary Butter or with toppings of your choice.    I served mine with our favorites of butter, sour cream, chives, and bacon bits.  Best potatoes ever:)


Salt-Baked Potatoes With Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Butter
From America's Test Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
4 russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried
2 sprigs plus 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 whole head garlic, outer papery skin removed and top quarter of head cut off and discarded
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Spread 2 1/2 cups salt in even layer in 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Gently nestle potatoes in salt, broad side down, leaving space between potatoes. Add rosemary sprigs and garlic, cut side up, to baking dish. Cover baking dish with foil and crimp edges to tightly seal. Bake 1 1/4 hours; remove pan from oven. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees.

2. Carefully remove foil from baking dish. Remove garlic and set aside to cool. Brush exposed portion of each potato with 1 teaspoon oil. Return uncovered baking dish to oven and bake until potatoes are tender when pierced with tip of paring knife and skins are glossy, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, once garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze root end until cloves slip out of their skins. Using fork, mash garlic, butter, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (or pinch table salt) and minced rosemary to smooth paste. Remove any clumped salt from potatoes (holding with kitchen towel if necessary), split lengthwise, top with portion of butter, and serve immediately.

Serves 4

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