How to Make Baked Potatoes in a Crock Pot
I recently saw an episode of Food Network’s The Kitchen with slow cooker hacks. On this episode (“The Kitchen Reveal” from season 19) Jeff Mauro, AKA The Sandwich King, made baked potatoes in a slow cooker. I have always made baked potatoes in the oven or microwave, but I loved the idea of starting these early in the day, and then just showing up for meal time.
This technique is very simple and worked really well for me. Before I start preparing the potatoes, I tear off enough sheets of foil to wrap each potato with enough extra length to make the foil on one side of the potato bulkier.
Prepping the potatoes
To prepare the potatoes for baking, first wash and dry your baking potatoes. Up to 8 can be baked in my slow cooker, which is a Crock Pot 7-quart oval with manual controls. This is the same slow cooker that I use for homemade spaghetti sauce. Next, prick holes in the potatoes and rub canola oil onto the skins.
Next, wrap each potato in foil. Use a little extra foil to cover each potato so that one side of the foil is thicker. Place the potatoes in the Crock Pot so that the thicker side of the foil is against the surface of the slow cooker.
Baking the potatoes
Bake the potatoes on low for 6-8 hours. Adjust the cooking times based on your results. I would expect that smaller potatoes might lean toward the shorter cook times, and larger potatoes might need a longer baking time. Normally, I take mine out after around 7 hours in the slow cooker. My family prefers nice large potatoes but not the absolute biggest available since they are really filling.
Serving ideas
When the potatoes are ready to serve, unwrap them carefully as they will be very hot. Cut a slit across the top from and end to end, and then push the ends toward the center to open the potato. I serve these with a variety of toppings. Our favorites are butter, cheese, bacon, and green onions, but the possible combinations are endless. I am a huge fan of Pace Picante Sauce, so I often add a bit to the top for extra zip. My family also enjoys having a side salad with baked potatoes, so this is an easy way to add a variety of vegetables to the meal.
What are your favorite ways to enjoy baked potatoes? I would love to know more of your favorite tips, tricks, and topping ideas!