How many times do you pierce a potato before cooking it in the microwave?!


Question: How many times do you pierce a potato before cooking it in the microwave!?
I always poke a fork into the center of one side of the potato two times but my sister stabs the heck out of hers with a fork, all over the entire potato!. I've never seen anyone else do it this way and wondered which is the correct way!. Does one or the other make the potato bake more thoroughly or faster!? Please help!Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
It doesn't matter, really- as long as you put more than 2 and less than 200 holes, your potato wil cook quickly and evenly!. The holes help heat get in, but mostly they keep the moisture in the potato from exploding it as it expands (water expands in heat)!. Www@FoodAQ@Com

I pierce mine once on each side (do potatoes actually have sides!?), or for a total of 4 times!.

However, my neighbor uses something called a "potato bag" (never heard of one and just learned of it last weekend, so will be investigating into that myself), wherein all you do is wash the tater, place it in the bag, and zap!. She also raves at how fluffy the potatoes come out!.

Personally, I've always preferred the taste of an oven potato, and rarely put them in the microwave!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

I generally live dangerously and don't poke my potatoes at all!.!.!.!.only had one blow up in the last 25 years or so!.

The idea of poking the potato is to release the steam if the skin is too intact!. It's been my experience that potatoes almost ALWAYS have a few flaws, even if I can't see them, and that's enough to vent the steam without exploding the potato!.

Poking it once should be sufficient if you don't want to play the odds!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

With a fork I go once at either end and once on each of the flattest sides!. First I wash and scrub thoroughly with a scrubee and then dry completely!. I then give it a rub with olive oil and sprinkle with freshly cracked pepper and kosher salt and a little garlic powder!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

lol!.!. your sister is a potato abuser!!.!. shame on her!.!. where are the vegetable rights groups!?
You know!.!. ive never thought about it, till you asked this question, so I had to go to the kitchen today and I'll have a potato!.!. I think I just grab it up and stab it a couple of times at best!.!.!. I dont really think about it!.!.!. Www@FoodAQ@Com

I use a butcher knife and make 1 slit length wise and wrap it in plastic wrap and cook it for 8-9 minutes and it is perfect every time!.
also TASTY !. the reason for poking is to prevent EXPLOSION from steam and pressure build up in the spud!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

I allso stab mine about 4 times and no it does'nt make the potato bake any better, what realy helps in the bakeing is when you put the potato in some aluminim foil and wrap it uo for 5 minutes or so!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

the dreaded microwaved potato!.!.!. bleh

once in center through and through with a knife
Best baked potato requires the oven time!. The dreaded microwaved baked potato requires lack of taste buds!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

i tend to poke the heck out of mine as well,so i would have to agree with your sister, but there is probably no wrong way to poke a potato Www@FoodAQ@Com

4 times!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

i do it three times on each side!. I dont think there is a 'correct' way!. it just allows the heat to penetrate a bit fasterWww@FoodAQ@Com

I slash mine with a knife lengthwise!. Go about 1/4 inch deep!.Www@FoodAQ@Com





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