Yahoo News Spudman's 'secret' to soft and crispy jacket potatoes and it's not cooking time
A jacket potato vendor from Tamworth, Staffordshire, has become an overnight TikTok star, with people flocking from across the globe and queuing for hours to sample his delicious potatoes. Ben Newman, also known as Spudman, has captured the hearts of foodies on the internet with his mouth-watering videos showcasing perfectly cooked jacket potatoes served to eager customers.
The British staple, often enjoyed with a generous helping of beans and cheese, is now gaining international fame thanks to Ben's viral clips. For those who'd rather not queue for ages (potentially in typical British drizzle) to taste one of Spudman's famed crispy-skinned potatoes, there's good news.
The-39-year-old father of nine has taken to TikTok to reveal his 'secret' to achieving that perfect combination of fluffy inside and crunchy outside, right from your own kitchen. Dispelling myths about cooking times, Ben insists it's the choice of potato that makes all the difference.
READ MORE: I gave up Diet Coke for a month and it transformed my body and my life
Responding to a query on his TikTok account, "how do you get the potatoes soft on the inside? How long are they cooked for?" Ben generously shared: "So you want me to give away my trade secrets? Well, go on then."
He explained to his 3.5 million followers on @spudarmy that it's less about the cooking method and more about the potato variety, revealing that he uses a type called Melody in his jacket potato van, reports the Mirror.
He said: "These are beautiful for baking. Not every potato is equal. Not every potato should be used for the same thing."
When it comes to cooking them, the Spudman van has huge industrial ovens that are a whopping 300C-350C, which is why they "wrap everything in tin foil". In order to get a crispy skin at home, Ben said: "At home, you don't need to. Your oven gets to 200C- 220C, so leaving them out of the foil at home will give you a nice, crispy skin."
Ben's third tip is to "be patient and wait until they're ready". He added: "You can tell they're ready by giving them a little squeeze. If you can feel like you could squeeze the entire thing, they're ready. It's got to have that give to it."
