Jacket potatoes will be moist and crispy in under an hour if you follow 3 simple steps

Perfect jacket potatoes can be surprisingly hard to nail when you want super crisp skin, yet you're short on time, with most spuds taking over an hour in the oven. Still, the hallmark of a great jacket is that contrast of crunchy jacket and fluffy centre, and it's worth the effort. Potato brand Nanna Tate's resident chef, Stuart, said: "Jacket potatoes are wonderfully simple to cook, but they shine when you give them a little time.

"If you're short on time, speed things up by swapping one large baking potato for two smaller ones; they cook faster and still deliver that perfect fluffy centre." The Nanna Tate chef suggests giving each potato a good wash and dry, then rubbing the skin with a little oil to help lock in moisture before baking. He explained: "Oven baking gives the best texture and flavour, but if you're short on time, we've got a few top tips to help speed things up."

Microwave the raw potatoes to give them a head start in the cooking process. Begin by piercing the skin a few times to prevent it from splitting during cooking.

Then, place it in the microwave and cook for approximately four to five minutes. Remember to turn it halfway through to ensure even heating.

This method effectively kickstarts the cooking process from the inside out, helping it cook more evenly and quickly.

When you're ready, cook the spuds, Stuart suggests using a skewer. He said: "Push a metal skewer through the middle of each potato to help conduct heat straight to the centre, cutting down oven time."

If you don't want to turn on the big oven to cook a few spuds, Stuart notes that "the air fryer is a fantastic alternative appliance to consider, especially when you want to finish cooking or crisp up the skin of your food after microwaving".

It helps achieve that desirable crispy texture and golden-brown finish that many dishes require, making it a versatile tool in your kitchen.

Crispy jacket potatoes recipe

Ingredients

• 1kg Nanna Tate Potatoes (use the large ones from the pack)
• One tsp olive oil
• Pinch of sea salt

Optional filling:

• 120g smoked mackerel fillets or flakes
• 100g frozen peas
• 30g fresh mint, chopped
• 2 tbsp malt vinegar
• Butter (for mashing)
• Sea salt & black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Drizzle potatoes with olive oil and sea salt, then air fry at 180C for 45 minutes. Let cool slightly, cut in half, and scoop most of the potato into a bowl (keep the skins intact!).

2. Simmer peas in water until tender. Mash with chopped mint, salt, and pepper, or blend for a smoother purée.

3. Mash the scooped-out potato with butter and season to taste. Flake in the smoked mackerel, add malt vinegar, and mix everything together.

4. Spoon the pea mash into each skin, then top with the smoked mackerel mash mix.

5. Return the loaded skins to the air fryer and cook for five to seven minutes until golden on top and slightly crispy.