Do you ever feel like you are the last person alive to find out about things? Well imagine my surprise when I was over at Girly Girl’s house yesterday and noticed she had baked potatoes cooking in her crock pot.
Mavis: Are those potatoes?
Girly Girl: Uhhh, yes.
Mavis: You can make baked potatoes in the crock pot?
Girly Girl: Are you serious?
Mavis: Oh.My.Word.
So, in case nobody ever told you {or you didn’t take a Home Economics in high school, or your mother never used a crock pot when you were a kid, here is how to make baked potatoes in a crock pot.
How to Make Baked Potatoes in a Crock Pot
- Turn Crock Pot on.
- Wrap washed potatoes in foil.
- Place wrapped potatoes in crock pot and place lid on top.
- Cook 4 hours on low for small potatoes, or 8 hours on high for giant potatoes.
- Gather the family around the crock pot, remove the lid, and wave your hand in the air to catch all the high fives you will receive.
Seriously, please tell me I am not the last person on earth to find out about this.
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Kim says
I’ve never done this. Nor have I even thought of doing this. It amazes me at how other people find so many uses for an appliance. Love this idea!!
Heather says
Now that is so dang SMART! I had no idea either…I usually just microwave them, but the bottoms get tough and they seem to get tougher when I reheat them later on for another meal, so will give them a whirl this weekend! Thanks for the hot tip…this ranks right up there with the “take a Sharpie to write the number on the bulk food bags and save yourself a penny for the weight of the tie!” Keep them comin’! 🙂
Mavis says
Soft, fluffy bottoms! 🙂
Angela says
Do you ever scoop out the insides of baked potatoes, mash and season them, put the mashed and seasoned insides back into the skins, and then bake until hot for twice-baked potatoes for the second meal?
BethAnne says
We like to do this…double baked potatoes.
michelle says
Nope. Never heard of this. I do prefer the crunchy skins on potatoes baked in the oven, though. Yum!
Angela says
Nope, you are not last because you just told me something (else) I did not know.
Angela says
Okay, Mavis, I’m giving this a try today – potatoes are in the crock pot. 🙂
Angela says
I tried doing this on Friday, and it turned out wonderfully. I will do crock pot baked potatoes again. Thanks for the tip.
Alison says
Not only the this, but – are you ready? How about you just nestle them in there on top of whatever else you’re cooking for supper. Yup, works a charm – if it’s too saucy, just put a small pyrex on top of dinner and toss the ‘taters in there.
Rachele says
Fear not, I had never heard of this either. But now that I have I will sure as shooting being using it!
Margery says
I would have to say that it is my favorite way to do baked potatoes in the summer, great baked potatoes with out ever heating up the house. Plus it leaves more time to play in the garden. And you can skip the wrapping in foil part.
Glenda Sessions says
Nope, no idea you could do that….geez!
Lindsey says
YOu can also crockpot them without foil, put them in the fridge to get cold and then grate them. They make faster hash browns than starting from raw and also can be frozen for later use.
Laura says
Lindsey–now THAT is genius! Will totally be borrowing this idea. Made hash last night and had to improvise as my potatoes in the fridge got moldy (thank you to this dastardly cold I have been fighting all week!).
Love it! Thanks!
Marika Lemay says
I bake potatoes alle the time in my crock pot. I DON’T use foil and they bake really well!
Veronica says
Do you poke them at all? Mine tend to explode in the oven…
Mavis says
Nope. 🙂 Just wash, wrap, and cook.
Mari says
Oh thats wonderful. I did wonder if it would work but never got around to trying it. Yes it is a great idea.
Laurel says
I love doing this on Sunday mornings when I want a quick lunch after church. Pop them in the crockpot, turn it on and then when we get home, it’s lunch time! I had a hard time believing it but decided to give it a try and I love it!
Jules says
Oh! I am so glad for this post and the comments! I had no idea you could do this, and I hate how they come out in the microwave. I am def. going to try this one!
Bea says
Need to feed a crowd for cheap? ….. Wrap a whole sack of those gigantic Costco potatoes in foil and place in your electric roaster pan for about 4-5 hours. My office has a monthly baked potato bar fundraiser (to support our adoptive families at Christmas) that is a money making and comfort food hit. We sell a 1/2 or a whole potatoe and offfer toppings like shredded cheese, onions, sour cream, butter, etc. I had an open house for 25 and we had chili topped potatoes & salad. Yummy.
deb says
Don’t laugh but I just love the skins…s&p and butt. All I need.
Kari says
No way!!!! I thought I was the queen of crockpots. How did I not know this? Most days I have two crockpots going. Maybe yogurt in one, , beans soaking or dinner cooking in the other. Guess I have a new one to add to my repertoire. THANK YOU!!!!?
Ann T. says
Wow, you are the first person to tell me and I did take Home Economics in high school. But then I don’t think we learned about crock pot cooking, should of being my mother used one in the late 70’s. Thanks for the great tip!
Mary Ann says
I didn’t know this, either! And of course, I learn it now when potatoes are no longer on the menu. We’re starting the Paleo diet.
debb says
I have 2 crockpots and one is very old, but I just love it. It finially got a small crack in it and I almost threw it out, but then I discovered I could still cook my potatoes in it! I just use a liner.(I don’t wrap them in foil either) So now my old crock has a new job and I don’t have to throw it away…Yay!!
Monica says
I have never heard of this! I cannot wait to try it!
Julie says
Wow and awesome nope never heard of it doing it tomorrow!!!!! What a great idea! I hate microwave anything and oven all those hours for potatoes is a waste of energy and way too hot! But we love baked potatoes!!!!!! Thanks again Mavis you are magnificent!!!!
Theresa says
You are not the last person to know about this – since I am! Thanks for the idea!
Jane says
I have “baked” potatoes on the crockpot without the foil and they turned out good. I also cook potatoes in the crockpot, and chop them for breakfast fried potatoes with onions and eggs.
Grandma PattyB says
Wow. Didn’t know either. I usually nuke them until 3/4 done then put in oven. This is easier!!!
What I learned in Home Economics in high school was how to make creamed celery. Bleh! My mom couldn’t cook either so I had to learn, out of self preservation. And, oh by the way, there were no crock pots in the early 60’s. THAT would have made my life easier!
Kary says
Okay now I am currently the last to know. I don’t even know how I missed this post until now. We have been using the microwave only because it is convenient but can wait to change my ways and use the crockpot. Yay!!!! Thank you for this great tip!
Kary says
Can’t wait!!!!!!
Calla says
Wow! I also want to marry my crock, and now I am the last to know this one! Thanks Mavis, I truly heart you!
Dayna from Seattle says
Hey Mavis, I just stumbled to your blog during my weekly “what will I make this week” internet search process, and am thrilled. So fun to read your stuff! Anyhoo, rest assured you are not the last to know. I’m a devout crock pot user and never thought to do this! However, in my defense, my well-loved 1960s little crock pot recipe book I inherited from my mom tore in half long ago from too much use, so it was probably in 2nd half of the book…. Looking forward to following you and getting more inspiration! (And fun to know you’re in the Seattle area too!)
Mavis Butterfield says
Thanks Dayna! 🙂
Gina says
Mavis,
Just found your blog! What a gold mine! It’s awesome. So glad I found it.
Wanted to share a tip: I work 30 minutes from home and so I often want as much from my crockpot as possible LOL. Sometimes I put meat, sauce/gravy, etc. in the bottom of my crockpot, place a square “barrier” of foil over the meat (just lay it on) and then top with the unwrapped potatoes. If the lid doesn’t fit, I sometimes even just fit foil tightly over my crockpot for a lid. That way I have most of my dinner ready to go. I can make a salad or warm up a vegetable and wa-la! Dinner is served!
Thanks again for the great blog. I can’t get enough!
Martha says
Lately I’ve been putting my potatoes in overnight and then in the morning the boys will either eat them for breakfast or else I shove one in one of their insulated thermoses and send it off to school with a pat of butter and some salt. Other kids are jealous of their hot baked potatoes for lunch! 🙂
Chris says
I’ve done this before as well. I don’t wrap the potatoes and I put my crock pot out on the deck in the summer to remove any possibility of adding heat to my west-facing kitchen! This would be a great way to take baked potatoes to work for a small potluck.
Nancy says
I have been doing that for years except I put a small custard dish in the bottom upside down before I put the potatoes in. It keeps them from sitting in any liquid. Just pierce them like you were baking them in the oven. I have a big Nesco roaster, big crockpot, normal sized crockpot and a mini one. They get used for many things. In the summer I use them as much as possible.
Kelli M. says
Nope, I think this makes ME the last person to find out about this. 🙂 I’m going to do it this weekend and see how it goes!
Maxine says
Just trying too! We have a small crockpot for dips and such that I’ve never used but no heat control. Fingers crossed! Love the other tips too!
Anna Laity says
Are crock pots not the most brilliant thing ever invented? I am currently living in a house that needs the stove replaced..and as that won’t happen until after Christmas I have embraced my SC like never before. It’s amazing what I do in that bad boy! And it’s summer here in Australia but I can cook and not heat up the kitchen, and the results are spectacular. I am about to cook a stuffed meatloaf, and cakes cooked in the slow cooker are AMAZING! I think I’ll try the potato thing this weekend, thanks so much. 🙂
Roberta Cooper says
This is awesome! I just love this website, and no you are not the only one who’s ever heard of this. I just love cooking and enjoy seeing other people enjoy eating what I cooked. GREAT SITE
Carol Strain says
You can bake cakes in them too…..just like Anna Laity in Australia said.
I learned about that in this Facebook group based in Australia https://www.facebook.com/groups/SlowCookerRecipes4Families/
I’m in western Ohio/USA.
Kate says
I had NO IDEA! I have also heard of making meatloaf in the slow cooker. I thought there had to be liquid of some kind. I only ever make soups/stews/beans. I feel like I’m totally under-utilizing this tool. Thanks for the tip!
AyrieJoyce says
My mouth is hanging open! I’ll try it tomorrow. Fantastic!
Sarah says
Well, here it is 2017, and I have never heard this trick, so I might have officially been the last to know lol. Mavis, about how many servings are in the recipes you post in this series. Havent been able to find any info about that in the recipes.
Mavis Butterfield says
Usually 4 people with leftovers for lunch the next day. 🙂