# How fast can you cook a potato? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 14, 2014, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241 "2014-12-14T22:18:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/1 "2014-12-14T22:18:24Z")
How long does it take you dopers to cook a potato? Using whatever methods you prefer or type of potato you desire. I’d like to find a faster way but I came to the conclusion long ago that no matter what method I use I should give it an hour. I’ve tried to get them done faster but often got undercooked potatoes. What a tuber fiascooooo! So, if I’m baking, boiling, pot pieing even, I’ll give it an hour. And if a recipe calls for less then an hour I’ll precook them if nothing else. Especially in this Scrooge time of the year where a bit of undercooked potato can result in hauntings. This also applies to yams or sweet potatoes or whatever those orange things I buy are. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/2 "2014-12-14T22:26:13Z")
10 minutes in the microwave ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/3 "2014-12-14T22:41:31Z")
depends on size and if whole, 4 to 10 minutes in a microwave. you could do a pile in a pressure cooker in 20 to 30 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/4 "2014-12-14T22:46:29Z")
I’ve never gotten good results microwaving sweet potatoes. Baking for an hour is best. Or dice them up and boil in a covered pan for 15 minutes. (use a fork to see when they are tender) White potatoes microwave great and take 7 to 10 minutes. I usually boil red potatoes but they are ok microwaved too. They are more moist and flavorful boiled. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/5 "2014-12-14T22:48:54Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#): > > 10 minutes in the microwave I never got good potatoes out of a microwave fast. What kind of potatoes? Do you slice or cube them? Are they in some sort of special dish? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/6 "2014-12-14T22:49:22Z")
An hour? Dice it and boil it in salted water - less that 10 minutes if you don’t happen to have a microwave handy. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/7 "2014-12-14T22:51:46Z")
> [@Aquadementia](#): > > I never got good potatoes out of a microwave fast. > What kind of potatoes? Do you slice or cube them? Are they in some sort of special dish? Wrap them in saran wrap. You can even buy them that way in the produce dept with the cooking instructions on the label. But its much cheaper to wrap them yourself. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/8 "2014-12-14T23:01:44Z")
Microwave for speed. Or cubed/grated and parboiled, then fried. Ten minutes. 15-20 minutes sliced, coated with olive oil and seasoning of choice in a 475 oven. Mostly though I think of potatoes as a slow food - giving them a bit of time allows seasonings and accompanying food to suffuse the spud. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/9 "2014-12-14T23:02:32Z")
> [@Aquadementia](#): > > I never got good potatoes out of a microwave fast. > What kind of potatoes? Do you slice or cube them? Are they in some sort of special dish? Depends. If I feel like having a potato with a meal, just stab it a few times with a fork and I usually put it in one of those microwave containers with a vented lid and maybe a teaspoon of water. Quick scalloped potatoes, slice some spuds, one onion, couple of bacon rashers into a casserole dish or any other microwave safe container, add some butter and olive oil, mix together, season with ground black pepper and some salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with grated tasty cheese and leave covered for 3-4 minutes before eating so the cheese melts. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/10 "2014-12-14T23:03:42Z")
Microwave halfway to get the internal temp up, then toss on the grill to get crispy. 25 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/11 "2014-12-14T23:08:41Z")
I get baking potatoes at the market (both white or sweet potatoes) that come shrink-wrapped ready for microwaving that take about 8 minutes and turn out fine (at least to my liking). I’d imagine you could do the same by wrapping potatoes in saran wrap yourself, although I think you’d have to make them steam-tight somehow. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/12 "2014-12-14T23:19:06Z")
grilled. yummy [![](https://www.grillingcompanion.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/grilled_potatoes_large.jpg) ](https://www.grillingcompanion.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/grilled_potatoes_large.jpg) my mom made these whenever we grilled steaks. aluminum foil, diced potatoes, onion, squirt of lemon juice, salt and pepper. prepare in individual serving packets and put on the grill. They take about 15 mins. Turn them after 7. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/13 "2014-12-14T23:30:42Z")
Wash and scrub the russet. Oven temp at 425 degrees. One hour for a medium size. A little more for a big one. Makes a nice crispy skin. Open and fill with butter. Wow! Takes some planning, but well worth it! ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/14 "2014-12-15T00:20:22Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Microwave halfway to get the internal temp up, then toss on the grill to get crispy. 25 minutes. Yet another reason to love a toaster oven. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/15 "2014-12-15T00:24:04Z")
If you cut it up into halves or quarters or even smaller pieces, it really cuts down on the time. Cut it into halves and the time is also almost cut in half. Cut it into quarters and the time is likewise almost cut into one quarter of the time. When I make fries or fried potatoes, I first boil the potato pieces a little bit. It really cuts down on the time I have to fry it. ---
**Author:** ![turner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@turner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turner)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/16 "2014-12-15T00:27:10Z")
Where do yo live? I’ve found potatoes are a pain in the ass to cook at altitude (6000 ft). At this altitude, I agree–an our any method other than microwave. What I have found that helps microwave potatoes is I microwave them for about 6 minutes so they are mostly cooked, then throw them in the oven for 20-30 minutes. This helps the texture of the potato. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/17 "2014-12-15T00:36:12Z")
Same as the other posters, about an hour or an hour and 15 mins in the oven, but I’ve heard that of some people microwaving if for a few minutes first and then putting it in the over. That way it still has the right taste/consistency but it doesn’t take an entire hour. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/18 "2014-12-16T02:14:50Z")
Get a pressure cooker boiling with the lid off, add spud, clamp on lid for 15 minutes. Mushy tater ensues. I have heard stories of Linotype operators dunking potatoes in the hot type metal (mostly lead) to bake them in a minute or two, but I fear those stories are apocryphal. Has anybody ever tried those big aluminum nails they used to sell? The idea was that if you stuck the nail through the tater, it would conduct heat to the center and halve the baking time. ---
**Author:** ![NotBob13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e19b73/32.png) [@NotBob13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotBob13)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/19 "2014-12-16T03:19:17Z")
I wrap spuds in a paper towel, soak the whole thing in cool water, and microwave for about ten minutes. good for a quick baked tater, not as good as a oven baked one. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241/20 "2014-12-16T14:29:06Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > An hour? > Dice it and boil it in salted water - less that 10 minutes if you don’t happen to have a microwave handy. And after that, fifteen minutes more in a very hot oven. Sprinkle potatoes with whatever seasoning you like, roast them for a bit. That’s thirty minutes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-cook-a-potato/707241.md?page=2)