If there is one dish that feels truly British, it is jacket potatoes with baked beans (baked potato with beans). Both are already very British foods, and I don’t think there is another country on earth where anyone would look at oven-baked potatoes and think of topping them with anything other than canned baked beans.
In any case, it is certainly a simple and inexpensive recipe.
The Baked Beans
As for the baked beans, think of the simplest canned version. Although the English call them baked beans, today they have nothing to do with the original tomato beans slowly baked in the oven.
That is exactly what makes this recipe so simple. After minimal prep, the potatoes just go into the oven, and the topping comes from a can.
The amount is a matter of taste and also depends on the size of the potatoes, but count on about 3.5 oz (100 g) of baked beans per potato.
No Fuss
That’s the recipe: potatoes and canned baked beans. It is worth adding a little grated cheese to the potato and the beans because it makes the dish taste better, but this step can also be left out.
But there is no need to heat the beans, put the finished potatoes back in the oven or under the broiler, or do any other extra step. This is a simple recipe that comes together quickly and that—if you can put the potatoes in the oven 2 hours ahead of time—you can throw together on any evening, either for yourself or for the family.
Tip: For a vegan version, use vegan cheese or simply leave the cheese out of the recipe.
Garnish to taste with a fresh herb, such as parsley or chives.
Enjoy!
Jacket Potatoes with Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 4 large baking potatoes
- 1 tbsp oil or fat
- salt
Instructions
- To make the jacket potatoes, first preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Wash the potatoes well, then dry them.
- Prick each potato with a fork in 5 or 6 places, on all sides.
- Rub the potatoes with oil or fat, and coat them with salt all over. This is what makes their skins delicious and crisp.
- Put the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 2 hours. Turn them over roughly halfway through. For the last 20 minutes, increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Do not forget: the potatoes need to be baked whole, with the skin on.
- Take the potatoes out of the oven. With a sharp knife, cut each one lengthwise, quite deeply. Open up the potato with a knife and fork, then scrape the inside with the fork so the middle has a mashed-potato-like texture. At this point, the potato is very hot. Touch the baking sheet only with oven mitts, and handle the potato only with utensils.
- Add half of the grated cheese to the hot potato, and season with salt.
- Pile the baked beans on top, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Serve hot.
