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Although cooking a baked potato may seem straightforward, improper preparation can result in a soggy and tasteless outcome. Before exploring various baked potato cooking techniques and ingredients, I would routinely wrap the potatoes in foil prior to placing them in the oven for over an hour, which consistently produced disappointing results.

When I fancy a speedy baked potato that truly hits the spot, I tend to microwave it for 10 minutes before transferring it to the air fryer for 20 minutes. However, the one element that makes a remarkable difference to both taste and texture is the addition of salt. I ordinarily use standard flaky sea salt, but I've recently stumbled upon Maldon Smoked Sea Salt, which has swiftly become my latest obsession.

I spotted this salt in Sainsbury's, and I've yet to find it in any other supermarket. Not only does it impart a delightful smoky barbecue flavour to the potato, but it also crisps up the skin beautifully.

When baking a potato, the salt draws moisture from the skin. This process helps reduce steam during cooking, resulting in a drier exterior and a crispier finish.

Forming a salt crust on the skin further enhances the flavour, and by using this smoked variety, the potato becomes wonderfully tasty without requiring any elaborate toppings. I simply opted for a generous knob of butter inside.

I used standard baking potatoes on this occasion, as they were the largest variety available in the shop at the time. To prepare the potato, I began by washing it thoroughly before piercing it several times with a fork. Creating holes allows steam to escape, preventing the potato from potentially exploding during cooking.

I then covered the potato in oil and a liberal quantity of the smoked salt all over before placing it into the microwave for 10 minutes.

The microwave technique produces a fluffy interior that the air fryer and oven don't always deliver on their own.

Once softened in the microwave, I moved the potato to the air fryer to cook for an additional 20 minutes at 180C.

When I removed the air fryer tray after the time had elapsed, the potato was extremely crispy. After slicing it open, I added butter, and it tasted remarkable with the smoked salt.