I just adore Hassleback Potatoes. Alas, I haven’t been making them at home so much lately. My tired old hands find it hard to cut them ALMOST all the way through in consistent-thickness slices…
However… The Hasslebacking method revealed in the video above makes it impossible for your elegant, accordion-style potatoes to fail!
So simple, it’s profound…
The most challenging part of making Hassleback Potatoes is cutting the spuds without severing the ‘spine’ of the vegetable. A close second is cutting consistent, thin slices which will all cook evenly, at the same rate.
But as the video demonstrates, cutting perfect Hasslebacks is almost a no-brainer when you use the wooden chopsticks method. !
Why I didn’t think of this myself, I’ll never fathom. It’s one of those things that’s so obvious, you can’t see it. Right at the end of your nose, but you’ve been gazing off, across the other side of the room.
As a result…
… Of my prior frustration with Hasslebacks, I haven’t done a comprehensive post on them before. Let’s remedy that today!
What are they, really?
Hasslebacks are, in reality, baked potatoes. So you’ll want to use type of potato that you’d normally employ in that application. I’ve always preferred Russets. But Yukon Golds are particularly prized by Hassle-back aficionados because they hold together so well, even after being baked twice – in the case of stuffed examples.
Obviously, long, oval potatoes work best for Hasslebacking. You can even make elegant minis from fingerling spuds!
Tips and hacks…
Given that they’re baked, Hassleback lovers also recommend washing your spuds well before slicing and cooking – but not peeling them. The skins, when basted with butter or oil, and properly baked at a high temperature, are considered a special treat. Once again, Yukon Golds are preferred by those who know, because they’re so much easier to wash…
It’s important to fan out your Hasslebacks for their stint in the oven. Butter or oil should be brushed on all surfaces – especially the cut faces. And be sure to baste the potatoes several times during baking, brushing with more butter or oil, to help them acquire a rich ‘baked’ flavour through-and-through.
DO sprinkle a suitable amount of salt on your spuds after buttering/oiling them. You’ll need to add less salt if using salted butter.
You can infuse your basting oil or melted butter with garlic and rosemary (the classic potato herb) to add depth and umami to your spuds.
Some folks prefer thicker slices in their Hasslebacks; others want them paper thin. It’s entirely your choice! But if you want thicker slices, remember, they’ll take longer to cook. I recommend you not exceed 3 mm to ensure you achieve the crispy finish Hasslebacks are famous for.
My take
What a joy to discover this wonderful Hassleback hack! I’ve now officially elevated Hasslebacks to the top tier of my baked-potato technique hierarchy, alongside beautiful, classic British Jacket Potatoes!
~ Maggie J.