Russets are the classic choice for baked potatoes because they’re a dry, floury variety, meaning they contain a relatively high amount (20 to 22 percent) of starch. The more starch a potato contains, the more water from inside the potato can be absorbed during baking. As the starch granules swell with water within the spud’s cell walls, they eventually force the cells to separate into clumps that result in the texture we perceive as dry and fluffy.
