I tried Alton Brown's 3-ingredient recipe for baked potatoes, and I already know how I'd make it even better

I've tested many of Brown's recipes before. They often turn out delicious, but they usually involve a lot of time and steps — he's pretty scientific in his approach to cooking and baking.

I figured he'd have a lengthy method for nailing the perfect baked potato. And since I'm always looking to try out new recipes, I turned to the cooking pro for ideas.

As it turns out, Brown has a pretty simple and straightforward approach to the classic side.

Brown specifies the use of a large russet potato, stating in the recipe, "If it looks like Mr. Potato Head, you've got the right one."

I found a sizable potato at the grocery store and started by washing it with a stiff-bristled brush and cold water.

Next I patted it dry with a clean towel and pierced the potato all over (about 12 times) with a fork, making sure the holes were fairly deep.

I used to always make my potatoes in foil until I learned I could achieve a crispy skin by rubbing the potato with oil and salt instead.

Brown's recipe uses this method as well. I poured some canola oil over my potato and used my freshly washed hands to rub it in and wipe off the excess, so I was left with a thin layer.

Next up, I sprinkled kosher salt over the potato, rotating it as I went so that all sides were covered.

This method called for putting the oiled potato directly on the oven rack and setting a baking sheet below to catch any drips.

Brown specified the oven racks should be placed in the top and bottom thirds of the oven, so I followed those instructions and placed my potato on the top rack with a small baking sheet centered on the bottom rack directly beneath it.

I didn't notice any drippings on the sheet, so it seemed my potato didn't leak much oil.

The recipe said to bake the potato for one hour, or "until skin feels crisp but flesh beneath feels soft."

The skin looked and felt crisp when I checked at the one-hour mark, and the salt on some parts of the potato was even browning. The interior also felt pretty soft, so I assumed it was ready.

Brown's method involved perforating the cooked potato with a fork in a straight line from end to end. Then, because the potato was still incredibly hot, I used tongs to squeeze each end.

It was strangely fun and relaxing to watch the potato slowly bust open from one end to the other, like fabric seams ripping apart.

I dressed my potato simply with just butter, sea salt, and pepper.

But Brown suggested variations of toppings, including sour cream, scallions, or cheddar, all of which would be delicious on this simple potato.

While eating, I noticed that parts of the potato were really soft, while others were slightly underdone, so it probably should've baked longer.

The recipe also didn't say to turn the potato during the baking process, but that may have helped it cook more evenly.

The parts of the potato that were done had a great soft and fluffy texture.

I loved the salty flavor of the skin, but it was still slightly flaky rather than crispy. Longer in the oven may have also helped it crisp up more.

This baked potato was very easy to make.

Next time I'll need to make some adjustments though, like rotating the spud halfway through the cooking time and leaving it in longer.

But I plan to use this unfussy method again in the future — especially the perforation steps to opening the potato in a neat, presentable way.