# How to Peel a potato in 5 seconds.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-peel-a-potato-in-5-seconds/618301>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 9, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-peel-a-potato-in-5-seconds/618301 "2012-04-09T21:15:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**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:** [April 9, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-peel-a-potato-in-5-seconds/618301/1 "2012-04-09T21:15:06Z")

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Tried this today for lunch and it works. Mashed it with a fork and added butter, salt and pepper. yum!

It would be a huge time saver for making potato salad.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RV_3xpnUnHQ/hqdefault.jpg "Speed-Peel A Potato") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV_3xpnUnHQ)

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**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-peel-a-potato-in-5-seconds/618301/2 "2012-04-09T22:16:06Z")

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Neat if it works. I would prefer my potatoes unpeeled but then who am I to …

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**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:** [April 9, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-peel-a-potato-in-5-seconds/618301/3 "2012-04-09T22:49:55Z")

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\*\*But there is a big catch. \*\* 😃

This trick works.

But, it takes longer to boil a whole potato.

Anyone making mashed potatoes or potato salad would chop them up. They boil and cook faster if they are chopped first.

I guess you could dunk the chopped pieces in ice water to peel. But it would be a hassle.

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**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-peel-a-potato-in-5-seconds/618301/4 "2012-04-09T23:09:39Z")

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I’m really happy that I constantly keep a pot of 114 degree water laying around, and a bowl of ice water to boot!

Seriously, I am almost certain that I could peel 10 or more potatoes using a standard peeler before that water got to the necessary temperature.

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**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:** [April 10, 2012, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-peel-a-potato-in-5-seconds/618301/5 "2012-04-10T00:05:22Z")

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That’s what confused me.

I’m assuming that you boil the potato to cook it and then twist off the skin.

It would be crazy to stick the potato in boiling water to only remove the skin.

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**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-peel-a-potato-in-5-seconds/618301/6 "2012-04-10T02:02:59Z")

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Not practical but neat.