Are They Worth The "Hassle"? My Review of Hasselback Potatoes!

No doubt, you've seen glamorous shots of beautifully fanned out baked potatoes, prepped in the style of what's known as "Hasselback Potatoes". They look like a delicious, crispy baked potato with endless options for toppings. But is this really the best way to make a baked potato, and is it worth the hassle of prepping those taters? Home Ericanomics wanted to find out!

Let me start by saying I am a huge fan of baked potatoes! I love a crispy, salty skin and soft and creamy insides. Honestly, I've not met a potato that I didn't love. I've been lured in by many Hasselback potato recipe posts and have been turned off at the prep required. However, I wanted to take it to the test kitchen to see what all the fuss is about. 

In the test kitchen, I made just ONE potato and I chose a decent sized baking potato. I scrubbed it well and put it on the cutting board in between two butter knives. The advice in most recipes is that it prevents you from cutting into the potato too far. You'll want a sharp knife and if you make a mistake, you can always stick a skewer or toothpick in the end to keep the potato together! I learned today that you really do need to cut quite a ways through, and that can be tricky!

You can't really fan out the potato well when it's still raw, but you're going to want to butter or oil it well in between as many slices as you can before baking. I made up a mixture of butter, garlic salt, parsley and pepper. I baked it in a pan with foil (for easier cleanup) on 450 degrees for 50 minutes. The high temperature and time it takes to cook was also sort of a turnoff (especially since I am a fan of the air fryer these days and it's rapid cooking!).

About 10 minutes before it was done, I pulled the tater out of the oven, fanned it a bit more and used up the remainder of the butter mixture to get even further in the slices. It really turned out beautiful! I put a dollop of sour cream on top, since that's my favorite topping for baked potatoes.

So what's the verdict? If you're looking to wow your guests with a unique presentation and don't mind the prep, go for it! The potato tasted delicious and was very tender. It can be frustrating to make the cuts and get the ingredients in the slices and it does take quite a long time to cook on a very high heat. Honestly, I'd prefer to dig into a foil wrapped potato and put on the same toppings! There's just something about scooping all the potato-y goodness out! If you're cooking for a crowd, the traditional baked potato wrapped in foil is probably the best bet. Again, this can be a flashy presentation for a dinner for two or small party if you're willing to put in the time and knife skills!

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