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Question

Baking 30-40 Potatoes for a Large Group

We are having an event where we will be serving baked potatoes.  I will be cooking 30-40 medium to large Idaho potatoes in our oven.  We have two ovens - one with two racks, the other with one.  I typically wash the potatoes, poke them a few times, and place them right on the rack at about 400°F for 60 minutes.  Considering the number of potatoes and their size I have a few questions below:  (Answers are in red) What temperature do you suggest I use to cook them?

Answer

  1. What temperature do you suggest I use to cook them? 
    • 400°F (potatoes are done when internal temp reaches 210°F).
  2. Will it help cooking times to use both ovens - 3 racks?  Spacing of potatoes?
    • Yes, use both ovens.  Poke the potatoes a few times and then place them directly on the rack.
  3. What should I expect as far as cooking time?
    • 1 hour for the larger sizes, I would plan on 1 hour 15 minutes max.
  4. We will be in the mountains. Will the higher altitude affect the cooking time?
    • The altitude should not affect the baking time of potatoes.

Here are some additional links that may be helpful in baking a large amount of potatoes at once:

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