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Anyone ever have a baked potato explode? (kbin.social)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml
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Idle question. I've always heard that you need to prick the skins before baking a potato. The potential consequence for failure to do so is a catastrophic potato explosion.

Has anyone had this happen to them?

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[โ€“] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

I was under the impression it only really happens in the microwave. The oven heats it slower so it might get a crack to let the steam out, but a microwave is so quick it can get a small portion that seems to "explode" enough to get a bit of potato on the inside of the microwave.

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  • [โ€“] 2 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    It's not just that. Ovens cook with heat originating outside of the food, so the skin cooks(and cracks) before the inside gets hot enough to detonate. Microwaves on the other hand cook by exciting water molecules inside the food, and since the inside of the potato has way more moisture than the skin, it heats up much faster than the skin does.

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