Do you need to poke holes in potatoes before boiling?

"Yes, it's good to prick them," Smith told Food52. "It pokes holes in the skin, which allows steam to escape. Otherwise, they could explode—it doesn't happen all the time, but it happens every once in a while. The potato is full of water it's trying to turn to steam, or water vapor.

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Do I have to pierce potatoes before boiling?

You can poke your potatoes with a fork before boiling them if you want. Some people think that potatoes will explode if you don't poke them to let steam escape, but there's no evidence that this happens when you boil potatoes in water. Cut the potatoes into cubes before boiling them if you plan to can potatoes.

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Do you need to poke holes in potatoes?

The two most common examples when you would need to poke them are, in the microwave (we always recommend pricking the potato with a fork so steam can dissipate into the oven cavity) or if a potato goes from refrigeration and is cold when placed into a hot 400 degrees F oven.

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What to do before boiling potatoes?

Instructions
  1. Rinse and scrub potatoes to remove any visible dirt and debris.
  2. Peel potatoes with a vegetable peeler, if desired, or leave the skin on.
  3. Cut into large 2-inch chunks or keep them whole.
  4. Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with 1 inch of water. ...
  5. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and keep a rapid simmer.

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Why should you poke holes in a potato before baking it?

It's important to note that not every baked potato will bust open if it is not pierced beforehand, but since you (and we) are unable to predict if a potato is liable to explode, it's a good idea to pierce the surface as a precaution.

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Do I need to poke potatoes before boiling?

25 related questions found

What happens if you don't poke potatoes before cooking?

"It pokes holes in the skin, which allows steam to escape. Otherwise, they could explode—it doesn't happen all the time, but it happens every once in a while. The potato is full of water it's trying to turn to steam, or water vapor.

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What happens if you don't pierce potato before baking?

"It pokes holes in the skin, which allows steam to escape. Otherwise, they could explode—it doesn't happen all the time, but it happens every once in a while. The potato is full of water it's trying to turn to steam, or water vapor. The skin acts like a pressure vessel.

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Why put potatoes in cold water before boiling?

The potato starch can react as soon as it comes in contact with hot water, which will promote uneven cooking and mealy potatoes. Starting them in cold water allows the potatoes to come up to temperature gently.

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Why do you need cold water to boil potatoes?

The most important part here is that you use cold water instead of boiled – if you boil the water first, the outside will cook faster than the inside resulting in an uneven texture. Cubed spuds will take around 15 minutes where larger chunks or whole new potatoes will be 20-25 minutes.

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How long should potatoes boil?

Boil large potato cubes for 8 to 15 minutes, until fork tender. Then peel if desired. Boil baby potatoes or diced potatoes for about 10 minutes, until fork tender. Boil whole large potatoes for about 20 minutes, until fork tender.

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Should you pierce potatoes?

It is said that poking holes in the potato allows steam to escape the potato so it doesn't explode, but in reality, steam is actually able to escape from the skin (and we've never experienced a potato explosion!). If you're firmly team holes, though, it won't hurt anything to poke a few to give you peace of mind.

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How many times do you poke a potato?

Poke the potatoes with a fork just enough to pierce the skin so the potato won't burst when baking, especially in the microwave. Four or five times should be plenty. A potato is composed mainly of water, so poking them helps release steam as it cooks.

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Can I eat potatoes with holes?

Eat or toss: As long as the holes are dry, you should be able to treat this like a regular potato.

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When boiling potatoes boil water first?

Always start potatoes in cold water.

Dropping them into boiling water is a bad idea because the hot water will cook the outsides of the potatoes faster than the insides, leaving you with unevenly cooked taters. By the time they've fully cooked to the core, the outsides will be mushy and start to flake apart.

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Should you salt water when boiling potatoes?

Dense potatoes don't absorb seasonings easily, so you'll need to salt the water liberally so that the water the potatoes do drink up also carries in seasoning. And because potatoes are so timid in flavor, they need that salt to bring them out of their shells. Pour some salt in, then keep going.

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How long to leave potatoes in water before boiling?

How long can peeled and cut potatoes sit in water before cooking, before they begin taking on too much water? A: We usually recommend no more than 24 hours. You can keep the potatoes from absorbing the water by making sure the water is not salted, and is chilled (you can even add ice to the water).

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Should I rinse potatoes after boiling?

Rinsing potatoes helps remove excess starch, so it is recommended to rinse the potatoes before cooking. To ensure even more starch is out of the way, it's recommended that they even be quickly rinsed after boiling. We recommend using hot water for rinsing after boiling and cold water prior to boiling.

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How to properly cook potatoes?

Place the potatoes in a 3- to 4-quart sauce pan and cover with cold water. Partially cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Uncover, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and reduce the heat so that the water boils gently. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes.

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Is it OK to soak potatoes in water before boiling?

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

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Is it OK to let potatoes sit in water?

You can store peeled potatoes in water in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. Peeled potatoes left out by themselves at room temperature, on a refrigerator shelf or wrapped in foil or plastic wrap will still get dark overnight, so submerge them in a bowl of water, cover and refrigerate.

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Is it better to overcook or undercook potatoes?

Tip #3: Don't Overcook or Undercook the Potatoes

If you overcook them they disintegrate and your potatoes will be soupy. The specific cooking time depends on the size of your potato: a perfectly cooked piece of potato should give no resistance when cut with a knife, but shouldn't crumble into a million pieces.

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What happens if you don't soak potatoes before cooking?

First let's talk about why cut potatoes need to be immersed in water to begin with. The reason is to prevent the potatoes exposure to air, which causes dehydration, oxidation, and discoloration. Immersing cut potatoes will also help rinse off excess starch.

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How many times do you have to pierce a potato before baking?

Conventional Oven Method:

With a fork or sharp knife, pierce each potato 2 or 3 times. Rub each potato with a little oil (just enough to lightly coat) and salt generously. Place on a cookie sheet or baking pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.

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Can you eat potatoes without curing?

Sure can! While we recommend curing them for long-term storage, freshly-dug potatoes are perfect for eating right out of the ground (maybe clean them off a bit first).

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What happens if you don't remove starch from potatoes?

Starch rich potatoes usually turn soft and crumbly, while frying or baking. So, if you are making delicacies wherein you want the potatoes to be crispy and crunchy, then removing starch is the best way to keep your wafers, fries, crispy potatoes, hash browns crisp and delicious.

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