Crockpot Baked Potatoes

I had no idea you could bake potatoes in the crockpot.  When I stumbled onto this recipe, I thought it was such a novel idea that I had to try it this Thanksgiving.  And I loved the results!

This recipe is quite a find.

Over the years, I have discovered much to my disappointment that not all baked potatoes are created equal.  Even when eating out, a good baked potato at one meal doesn't mean you'll get a good one at the next meal.  Which means ordering a baked potato can sometimes be quite the gamble.

By contrast, slow cooking lets the delicious flavor of the potato come out.  In comparison, conventional high-heat baking yields a less-than tasty result according to the Diane Phillips, author of Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever (With More Than 400 Easy-to-Make Recipes).

Sure enough, these were some of the best baked potatoes I have ever eaten.  And the leftovers were equally tasty made into twice-baked potatoes the following day, by placing them back into the slow cooker on HIGH for one hour.

Crockpot Baked Potatoes

Serves 4

4 russet potatoes, scrubbed and washed well

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Using a toothpick, puncture each potato several times.  Drizzle the potatoes with oil and then sprinkle them with the salt and pepper.  Arrange the potatoes into a 4 quart crockpot and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.  Turn the crockpot to WARM and serve.