It seems everyone is aiming for the perfect jacket potato at the moment, with the TikTok hashtag #SpudTok now attracting more than 117 million views. Here, internet sensation Spudman reveals some hints ‘n’ tips to make your next ‘tater’ greater!
Nothing hits home quite like a perfect jacket potato, does it?
But that deliciously crunchy golden skin coupled with the fluffy, steaming potato inside can sometimes prove elusive. Many say the secret lies in baking the spud at a high temperature after pricking it with a fork so the steam can escape. While some prefer to rub the skin with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt before cooking.
And it seems everyone is aiming for the perfect jacket at the moment, with the TikTok hashtag #SpudTok now attracting more than 117 million views. Back in October, Ben Newman, aka Spudman, rose to fame on the platform with his inspirational potato videos. Now, with more than 3.1 million followers and 60.9 million likes, he is truly a bona fide TikTok phenomenon.
Spurred on by 55k searches each month from Brits looking to make the perfect spud, Ben has shared with Ninja Kitchen exactly how to make the perfect jacket potato at home every time:
Make sure you use the right type of potato
Ben says: “It’s all about the variety of potato as opposed to how you cook it. When buying jacket potatoes, avoid ‘Nadine Potatoes’ – they are a variety stocked by many supermarkets. While they look great and most likely have a high-yielding crop, the cook on them is absolutely awful.”
Use two small potatoes instead of one large one
“Cooking time will depend on the size of the potato. If the potato fits in the palm of your hand, cook for around an hour and a half. Everyone makes the mistake of going for the biggest potato they can find, but it is better to buy a couple of smaller ones and have two. They will cook more evenly and won’t have any hard bits in them.”
Don’t wrap your potato in foil
While many may think you must wrap a spud in tin foil, Spudman says not to, adding. “I never wrap my potatoes in foil at home. You’re less likely to burn them in your home oven as opposed to an industrial potato oven which hits 300-350 degrees.”
Wrapping a potato in foil also traps steam inside the spud, which gives it the texture of being boiled or steamed which is not what you’re after.
‘I prep 1,500 spuds on a weekend’
Ben’s journey to becoming Spudman kind of fell into place after buying his trailer pitch in Tamworth back in 2003. He said: “I took over from the previous owner after he said he was retiring. While it was something I never thought I would do, my dad was a potato merchant and supplied the previous owner for over 20 years before I took it over.
“At the time, I was young and didn’t particularly know what I wanted to do with my life so I thought, “Why not?” I didn’t think I would be doing it all these years later but I am and I absolutely love it!”
How Spudman became a TikTok phenomenon
Spudman set up his TikTok account around four years ago, just as the UK came out of COVID-19. Ben said: “It was the perfect way to shout about the fact we were back at work. In terms of followers, we have had decent steady growth for a good few years and hit around 350,000 followers last October.”
Since then, @spudarmy has gained an additional 2.75 million followers and Ben said things are now ‘crazy’. He commented: “ At the minute, every day is nuts. On average, I prep 1,000 spuds on a weekday and 1,500 at a weekend. Every video I have posted since October has gone viral – it’s like someone turned a switch on and suddenly went mental for spuds.
“People have come from far and wide to try our spuds. Most recently, we have had couples from all over the world including from Australia, America and Canada. When I say to people “Are you on holiday here?” and then reply “No – we’ve come for you!”, that is the biggest compliment I could ever receive.”
How to make the perfect air fryer jacket potato
With jacket potatoes being more popular than ever, Ninja Kitchen has revealed its own air fryer jacket potato recipe.
Ingredients
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2 x 225g Maris Piper or King Edward Potatoes, washed and poked all over with a fork
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2 tsp veg oil
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1 tbsp coarse salt, such as Maldon
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Salt & pepper to taste
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Butter
Step-by-Step Guide
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Massage the oil all over the potatoes.
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Roll the potatoes in the coarse salt.This is what makes the skin really crispy.
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Place the potatoes in the basket and select the air fry function to 200c.
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Set the timer for 45 minutes.
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Check that it is cooked all the way through then remove from the basket and cut a slit down the centre so the skin remains crisp.
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Season with salt and pepper, add a dollop of butter and your favourite toppings!
View Ninja’s full recipe here.
