Now we've hit the colder months, darker nights and chilly mornings are creeping in and many of us will be reaching for hearty, warming dishes to see us through winter. When it comes to the ultimate comfort weeknight meal, few hit the spot as well as the classic jacket potato - it's cheap, quick and delicious, plus there's plenty of topping options.
Much like other British classics, the way in which you prepare your baked spud might cause controversy, as everyone has their own favourite way of cooking, slicing and topping them. One foodie has recently argued that the 'best' way to cook baked potatoes is in the air fryer - a new-found staple in many households due to the cost of living crisis - while others prefer to cook it traditionally in the oven.
Aside from the cooking method, have you ever considered that you could be cutting your baked potato all wrong? One woman has shared her seriously strong opinions on how to slice your spud the right way - and it means saying goodbye to the classic 'cross and squeeze' method that most of us lean towards.
Taking to TikTok to reveal to declare that she has found 'the best' way to cut a baked potato, the vegan food-lover, known as @imsalellis on the app, had a few stern words for those who swear by the criss-cross cutting method.
In her video, she walks viewers through how she makes her spuds, and begins by saying: "I've decided that it's time to put an end to this nonsense that is people cutting their potato by putting a cross in it.
"I used to work in SpudULike in the Nineties, so I think this makes me an expert on cutting potatoes," she jibes.
Showing a clip of her pre-cut jacket potato in a bowl, she continues: "None of that cutting a cross and squeezing it cr*p, we'll have none of that in this house".
The foodie then reveals her favourite way to prepare her dish, explaining: "Start by taking your potato that is perfectly cooked, turn it on its side and use a fork because it's hot and cut it along the sides like this".
The footage shows the woman slicing all the way through her golden and crispy spud, revealing a fluffy inside.
"Once we've done that, we're going to open it up. Then I just switch to a normal butter knife and you want to smush up the middle".
Fluffing the potato with her knife and fork, she says: "Smushy smushy smushy, smoosh it all up".
"Get the potato back in, including any bits that fly out. Then add butter," she continues.
After adding lashings of butter, mixing it into the fluffy mixture as well as adding it to the crispy outer skin, the foodie adds: "I don't want to hear any negativity about the amount of butter that I've added on there because life's too short for that negativity.
"You don't need it in your life. Put as much butter as you like on it. Measure it with your heart."
She continues to mix in her generous portion of butter, before adding in some vegan cheese, mixing again, then topping with homemade baked beans and another sprinkle of cheese.
Many people praised her potato making skills, with one commenting: "I’ve always done it like that it makes much more sense".
Another said: "Always do mine this way!".
Other TikTokers were perplexed by the woman calling her Flora spread butter, insisting that it's not the real deal. Nonetheless, plenty of people appreciated the amount of spread she added.
One person wrote: "Butter underneath is such a good idea thank you" while another added "You are the hero this world needs".
Will you be trying this jacket potato hack? Let us know in the comments.
