Larger potatoes may take more time. You want the potato nice and soft. After about 40 minutes, poke the potatoes with a fork to test their progress. When tender, carefully remove the potatoes from the oven, cut lengthwise and serve immediately. Top potatoes with salt and pepper, plus butter, sour cream, chopped chives or other toppings of your choice.
Some people advise baking a potato halfway before poking holes in it.
This keeps the steam inside the potato for a while and may cook it faster. However, you risk the potato's exploding before you prick it. Peeled whole potatoes should be boiled, not baked. Follow steps 2 and 3, then set the potatoes on a paper towel in the microwave and cook on high for approximately 5 minutes per potato. Try inserting clean nails into the potatoes before baking them in a conventional oven to better distribute the heat and cause them to cook faster.