Is it necessary to prick a potato before baking?

Answer 1

The potato skin is to some extent waterproof and if you do not make holes in it to let out the steam generated during baking there is a possibility it may split or explode (especially if you are baking in a microwave). It is also Miss Natalie's secret recipe to improve the taste, quality, sound and overall smell of the secret hole-poked baked-microwaved potato recipe. So give your potato some love and poke it real good.

Answer 2

If your talking about a baked potato it it mainly so the pressure cant build up in the potato that is why you hear sizzling after you poke holes and put them in the microwave it is because the pressure is being released. If you don't and you cook them long enough you could hear a pop from your microwave that is your potato getting a hole blown through it.

Answer 3

The holes provide a vent so that built up steam will not suddenly burst the skin and result in a "potato explosion."

This primarily happens in microwaves, but can also happen in conventional ovens, which is why the advice was put into cookbooks in the first place. It does not happen often, and there is some conjecture that it happens more often the older your potatoes are. Most of the time, not poking your potatoes should be fine.

For many ways of cooking potatoes (e.g. boiling, frying, grilling) this is also not necessary as there will be no internal steam build up, and it is not necessary when the potatoes are already cut in pieces or peeled.

There are also reports that potatoes will cook more quickly or taste better when soaked in cold water and then poked, but reports vary as to whether these methods improve quality or baking time.

Answer 4

So the potato does not explode. When you heat a potato the moisture in the potato turns to steam. Sometimes that steam can build up enough pressure to rupture the skin of the potato, making a mess of your oven. It does not take much, but ensure you poke with a fork or some other object a few times to ensure the steam pressure can escape.

Answer 5

Poking holes will allow the steam to escape and prevent the potato from splitting open as one user said. However you have to leave a potato in the oven a long time before they split. I always thought it was to make 'em cook faster.

Answer 6

If you don't prick the potato, the steam will build up and it will pop (explode) in the oven!!!!

Answer 7

No, only for a microwave. Wash it, coat it butter or oil and bake until you can put a fork into it.

Answer 8

So the generated steam can escape slowly - rather than blowing the potato up.

Answer 9

Poking holes in a potato before baking it will allow the steam to escape and prevent the potato from splitting open.

Answer 10

Poking holes in a potato before baking allows the steam to escape and possibly from having the potato "exploding" in your oven.