Anyone have a good method of making 'baked' potatoes in the microwave that
taste like potatoes baked in a regular oven?

TIA

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Untie the two knots to email me

Every silver lining has a cloud.

Hello, Ken!
You wrote on Fri, 29 Dec 2006 16:49:58 GMT:

I'm not being very helpful am I but I don't think it is possible
;-( There is a special flavor that comes with the crisping of
the skin of an oven-baked potato, not that nuked potatoes are
all that bad! If you have 4 to 6 potatoes to cook, it won't take
all that much longer in the conventional oven.


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

Ken Knecht wrote:
> Anyone have a good method of making 'baked' potatoes in the microwave that
> taste like potatoes baked in a regular oven?
>

Nuked potatoes tend to steam and get a bit rubbery. However, a few
minutes in the microwave can dramatically shorten the time they need to
be in the oven. I tend to start my potatoes by getting them hot and
just starting to steam, then put them in the big oven for the remaining
time. If it is a really large one, you may need to turn it over midway
in the microwave, as they will get soggy on the bottom side if they sit
in the same position too long, and cook unevenly.


Dawn

"Dawn" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Ken Knecht wrote:
>> Anyone have a good method of making 'baked' potatoes in the microwave
>> that
>> taste like potatoes baked in a regular oven?
>>
>
> Nuked potatoes tend to steam and get a bit rubbery. However, a few
> minutes in the microwave can dramatically shorten the time they need to
> be in the oven. I tend to start my potatoes by getting them hot and
> just starting to steam, then put them in the big oven for the remaining
> time. If it is a really large one, you may need to turn it over midway
> in the microwave, as they will get soggy on the bottom side if they sit
> in the same position too long, and cook unevenly.
>
>

Excellent advice.



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Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

cybercat wrote:
> "Dawn" wrote:
> > Ken Knecht wrote:
> >> Anyone have a good method of making 'baked' potatoes in the microwave
> >> that taste like potatoes baked in a regular oven?
> >
> > Nuked potatoes tend to steam and get a bit rubbery. However, a few
> > minutes in the microwave can dramatically shorten the time they need to
> > be in the oven. I tend to start my potatoes by getting them hot and
> > just starting to steam, then put them in the big oven for the remaining
> > time. If it is a really large one, you may need to turn it over midway
> > in the microwave, as they will get soggy on the bottom side if they sit
> > in the same position too long, and cook unevenly.
>
> Excellent advice.

Nonsense... that's no advice at all.

There's no point in using both nuker and conventional oven... if only
one, two, or even three potatoes then may as well finish in the
nuker... there is no sense in heating an entire oven for just one, two,
or three potatoes. And with more than four the time is going to be
close to the same with either oven. And I wouldn't light my oven for
less than six baked potatoes... in fact I wouldn't light my oven
regardless for just baked potatoes.. at the very least may as well
roast a chicken too.

And I see nothing awful about nuked potatoes... main difference is that
the skin doesn't become a crisp shell, but so what... the vast majority
of baked potato eaters don't eat any of the skin anyway, just ask
anyone who clears restaurant tables... not only don't they eat the skin
most folks barely eat half the insides. Most folks attack the entree
first while it's still hot, then by the time they've finished they're
too stuffed to be filling up on potato, especially because by then
they're contemplating dessert. I've witnessed the same phenomena when
serving guests at home, most of the baked potatoes end up in the
garbage... I no longer make baked potatoes for guests, haven't for many
years. Serve wedges of pared spuds rubbed in oil and roasted till
puffy, crispy, golden brown and folks will fight over the last piece,
can't make enough. Baked in their jackets spuds is the fare of
impoverished Irish... stolen potatoes they roast in an open fire,
they're called mickys, the spuds too. hehe

Sheldon

Sheldon wrote:
> cybercat wrote:
> > "Dawn" wrote:
> > > Ken Knecht wrote:
> > >> Anyone have a good method of making 'baked' potatoes in the microwave
> > >> that taste like potatoes baked in a regular oven?
> > >
> > > Nuked potatoes tend to steam and get a bit rubbery. However, a few
> > > minutes in the microwave can dramatically shorten the time they need to
> > > be in the oven. I tend to start my potatoes by getting them hot and
> > > just starting to steam, then put them in the big oven for the remaining
> > > time. If it is a really large one, you may need to turn it over midway
> > > in the microwave, as they will get soggy on the bottom side if they sit
> > > in the same position too long, and cook unevenly.
> >
> > Excellent advice.

---clip---

> And I see nothing awful about nuked potatoes... main difference is that
> the skin doesn't become a crisp shell, but so what... the vast majority
> of baked potato eaters don't eat any of the skin anyway, just ask
> anyone who clears restaurant tables... not only don't they eat the skin
> most folks barely eat half the insides.

What? In my family the skins, loaded with butter, are the best part
of a baked potato. The insides are okay but come a sad second to
crispy potato skins. Stuffed baked potatos are delicious.

There is nothing wrong with a nuked potato, but it has nothing in
common with a real baked potato, it is much more like a boiled or
steamed potato.

John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

John Kane wrote:

> What? In my family the skins, loaded with butter, are the best part
> of a baked potato. The insides are okay but come a sad second to
> crispy potato skins.

I'm so with ya there!A nice dry crispy potato skin, with lots of butter,
salt and pepper, make the best start to a meal. As children we were
allowed to gather at the table and enjoy the potato skins immediately,
even while my mother was serving out the rest of the meal so we could
enjoy them at their best.

Ken Knecht wrote on 29 Dec 2006 in rec.food.cooking

> Anyone have a good method of making 'baked' potatoes in the microwave
> that taste like potatoes baked in a regular oven?
>
> TIA
>

There is no recipe...The best Baked potatoes are made by
washing/scrubbing the spuds well, drying them...rubbing the skin with a
little oil and sprinkling them lightly with salt, forking them to allow
for venting (no exploding potatoes that way) and baking for approx 1 hr
at 400F plus.

The best you can do with a microwave is make steamed potatoes in their
jackets. Which is ok... but don't get me wrong...it ain't a baked spud.

Some time can be saved though...by nuking the potatoes for say 5
minutes...while the oven comes to temp. This can save you 20 minutes
maybe.

These are 2 totally diffent cooking methods...oven cooking allows some of
the moisture to evaporate away...the microwave doesn't. Is the easiest
way to explain it.

The foiled wrapped method is just a restaurant method of allowing the
potatoes to be eatable after many hours...as they don't cook them to
order but do many potatoes at opening time to last throughout the night.

The true baked potato with a nice crisp skin means allowing it to bake
till the skin makes a russeling noise when handled.

With a tougher crisper skin... twice baked potatoes are a possibility...
Scoop out the potato innards...taking care not to puncture the skin.
Coarsely mash...Mix these innards with butter, cheese , cooked crumbled
bacon, chives, chopped cooked mushrooms or what ever...Place back in the
skins and bake till the cheese melts and the potatoes firm up a bit.

On Fri, 29 Dec 2006 17:14:11 GMT, Mr Libido Incognito >
wrote:

>There is no recipe...The best Baked potatoes are made by
>washing/scrubbing the spuds well, drying them...rubbing the skin with a
>little oil and sprinkling them lightly with salt, forking them to allow
>for venting (no exploding potatoes that way) and baking for approx 1 hr
>at 400F plus.

They are even better cooked in an earthenware pot rather that in the
oven. Slightly charred!

Steve

Mr Libido Incognito said...

> There is no recipe...The best Baked potatoes are made by
> washing/scrubbing the spuds well, drying them...rubbing the skin with a
> little oil and sprinkling them lightly with salt, forking them to allow
> for venting (no exploding potatoes that way) and baking for approx 1 hr
> at 400F plus.


I just scrub the spuds, don't dry, don't oil, don't salt and don't fork them.
At 375 F. for 45 minutes.

I always cut the spuds in half when done and squeeze the skin off. I know,
that's probably breaking some spud law, but I've already ate my lifetime 1
lb. of dirt requirement.

Andy

Andy wrote:

> Mr Libido Incognito said...
>
> > There is no recipe...The best Baked potatoes are made by
> > washing/scrubbing the spuds well, drying them...rubbing the skin
> > with a little oil and sprinkling them lightly with salt, forking
> > them to allow for venting (no exploding potatoes that way) and
> > baking for approx 1 hr at 400F plus.
>
>
> I just scrub the spuds, don't dry, don't oil, don't salt and don't
> fork them. At 375 F. for 45 minutes.

Heh. I never used to fork them, then one explodiated in the oven one
time. Talk about a mess.




Brian

--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

Default User wrote:
> Andy wrote:
>
>> Mr Libido Incognito said...
>>
>>> There is no recipe...The best Baked potatoes are made by
>>> washing/scrubbing the spuds well, drying them...rubbing the skin
>>> with a little oil and sprinkling them lightly with salt, forking
>>> them to allow for venting (no exploding potatoes that way) and
>>> baking for approx 1 hr at 400F plus.
>>
>> I just scrub the spuds, don't dry, don't oil, don't salt and don't
>> fork them. At 375 F. for 45 minutes.
>
> Heh. I never used to fork them, then one explodiated in the oven one
> time. Talk about a mess.

Not only do they need forking before baking to avoid exploding, my
mother insisted that we use our forks to open the potato up. She felt a
knife would compact the tender dry insides too much. We would make a
line of fork holes lengthwise, then crosswise and then squeeze the
potato open.

"Default User" > wrote in message
...
> Andy wrote:
>
>> Mr Libido Incognito said...
>>
>> > There is no recipe...The best Baked potatoes are made by
>> > washing/scrubbing the spuds well, drying them...rubbing the skin
>> > with a little oil and sprinkling them lightly with salt, forking
>> > them to allow for venting (no exploding potatoes that way) and
>> > baking for approx 1 hr at 400F plus.
>>
>>
>> I just scrub the spuds, don't dry, don't oil, don't salt and don't
>> fork them. At 375 F. for 45 minutes.
>
> Heh. I never used to fork them, then one explodiated in the oven one
> time. Talk about a mess.
>
>
>
>
> Brian

Yup, and once you've had to clean up an explodiated potato you *never*
forget to poke it!!


Ms P

ms_peacock said...

>>> I just scrub the spuds, don't dry, don't oil, don't salt and don't
>>> fork them. At 375 F. for 45 minutes.
>>
>> Heh. I never used to fork them, then one explodiated in the oven one
>> time. Talk about a mess.


>
> Yup, and once you've had to clean up an explodiated potato you *never*
> forget to poke it!!
>
>
> Ms P


Wait a second... I was talking about regular baking in the oven baked
potatoes. The explodiated potato is the nucularized potato, right??

I've never seen a potato burst in a regular oven in all my life!

Andy

ms_peacock wrote:

>
> "Default User" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Andy wrote:

> > > I just scrub the spuds, don't dry, don't oil, don't salt and don't
> > > fork them. At 375 F. for 45 minutes.
> >
> > Heh. I never used to fork them, then one explodiated in the oven one
> > time. Talk about a mess.

> Yup, and once you've had to clean up an explodiated potato you never
> forget to poke it!!

The funny thing was, the potato that remained in the skin was some of
the best ever, very fluffy. The process to get that though . . .



Brian

--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

Ken Knecht > wrote in
:

> Anyone have a good method of making 'baked' potatoes in the
> microwave that taste like potatoes baked in a regular oven?
>
> TIA

I poke holes (fairly deep) with a fork on 4 sides and both ends.
Then micro 1/2 way flip over and continue 'baking' Depending on
size you can nuke from 3 to 9+ minutes. My medium sided potatoes
nuke for about 4 to 4 1/2 minutes. Then let them sit for a few
minutes before eating.

sandi > wrote in news:45954df5$0$14683$892e7fe2
@authen.puce.readfreenews.net:

> I poke holes (fairly deep) with a fork on 4 sides and both ends.
> Then micro 1/2 way flip over and continue 'baking' Depending on
> size you can nuke from 3 to 9+ minutes. My medium sided potatoes
> nuke for about 4 to 4 1/2 minutes. Then let them sit for a few
> minutes before eating.
>
I tried that last night. I guessed ten minutes for a fairly large russet
and it seemed about right. To my uneducated palate it tasted enough like
a baked potato, but I prefer the potato with a thick crisp skin - easier
to eat. But I guess that goes with the short cooking time. All in all,
I'll continue to make them in the MW. Thanks.




--
Untie the two knots to email me

Every silver lining has a cloud.

Ken Knecht wrote:

> [snip] To my uneducated palate it tasted enough like
> a baked potato, but I prefer the potato with a thick crisp skin - easier
> to eat. But I guess that goes with the short cooking time. All in all,
> I'll continue to make them in the MW. Thanks.

In other words you're going to settle for something less than what you
really like. My New Years Resolution is to go the other way: I
resolve to reduce the number of shortcuts and compromises and go for
the better results instead. -aem

Ken Knecht > wrote in
:

> sandi > wrote in
> news:45954df5$0$14683$892e7fe2 @authen.puce.readfreenews.net:
>
>> I poke holes (fairly deep) with a fork on 4 sides and both
>> ends. Then micro 1/2 way flip over and continue 'baking'
>> Depending on size you can nuke from 3 to 9+ minutes. My
>> medium sided potatoes nuke for about 4 to 4 1/2 minutes.
>> Then let them sit for a few minutes before eating.
>>
> I tried that last night. I guessed ten minutes for a fairly
> large russet and it seemed about right. To my uneducated
> palate it tasted enough like a baked potato, but I prefer the
> potato with a thick crisp skin - easier to eat. But I guess
> that goes with the short cooking time. All in all, I'll
> continue to make them in the MW. Thanks.

Glad that seemed to work okay for you.

Enjoy and Happy New Year!

On Fri, 29 Dec 2006 16:49:58 GMT, Ken Knecht >
wrote:

>Anyone have a good method of making 'baked' potatoes in the microwave that
>taste like potatoes baked in a regular oven?

Nuke them for several minutes, then bake as you normally would. Works
a treat.

TammyM

Ken Knecht > wrote in
:

> Anyone have a good method of making 'baked' potatoes in the microwave
> that taste like potatoes baked in a regular oven?

I use a hybrid method.
Scrub well.
Olive oil.
9 minutes on high.
Pop into 375 deg oven for 30 minutes.
Works every time.

IBM

Ken Knecht wrote:
> Anyone have a good method of making 'baked' potatoes in the microwave
> that taste like potatoes baked in a regular oven?
>
> TIA

We all know they aren't really "baked" and you know it too, so you can
ignore those criticisms. I've found, when on the road in a hotel with a
kitchen but only a microwave for an oven, this method works very well (it's
essentially what I'd do if I had a regular oven). Poke holes along the top
of the potatoes. Rub them with butter then sprinkle with salt. Don't wrap
them in anything, just put them on a paper plate. Nuke 7-10 minutes for 2
large baking potatoes; poke them with a fork at 7 minutes to test for
doneness in the center. Let them sit a minute, then eat!

Jill

On Fri, 29 Dec 2006 16:49:58 GMT, Ken Knecht >
wrote:

>Anyone have a good method of making 'baked' potatoes in the microwave that
>taste like potatoes baked in a regular oven?

MWed potatoes taste just fine to me... they're just not as crispy on
the outside as if they're done in the oven. I just rinse the potatos
(one for each of us) and put them on a plate and the nuke them for
eight minutes if they're small and ten minutes if they'e large ones.