1. Pick some potatoes that you like the taste of. Whatever you like (large or small), pick ones that you know you like the flavor of.
2. Clean them with bristled brush and water. Potatoes come from the dirt and therefore, you want to get rid of all of the grime on them. During this step, get rid of any bruises and sprouts. Potatoes continue growing if you keep them for a while, so cut those out.
3. Preheat the oven to anywhere from 350 to 400 degrees. The temperature varies and you you can choose the setting best suited for your oven.
4. Using a fork, pierce the potato sporadically around it so that when it cooks, it can steam the entire potato.
5. Dip the potatoes in olive oil and spread it around with your fingers before sprinkling salt on them.
6. Take a four inch nail and push it into the center of the potato. You do this because a nail conducts electricity (its metal) and therefore, will cook the potato faster. (Optional Step)
7. Wrap the potato in tin foil. This results in heat going through the tin foil and then hitting the nail and getting into the potato faster. (Optional Step)
8. Cook for thirty minutes (if you did steps 6 and 7) or an hour if you decided against the two previous steps.
9. Remove the potatoes and allow them to sit for a second.
10. Using a fork, pierce a line across one side of the potato and then, using your fingers, push on each side and this will open the potato.

A great baked potato makes a solid addition to a delicious meal. However, how you go about doing it varies from house to house. Some people don’t use olive oil. Some people add pepper to the salt to make a salt and pepper mixture. In the end, the way you bake a potato is entirely up to you. Want to add something new? Go ahead!