Does the Potato in the Sock Work for Colds

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A baked potato is a cheap and tasty treat that will brighten up just about any meal. Though normally prepared in an oven, you can also bake a potato using a microwave, creating the same great dish in a fraction of the time.

Steps

1. 1

   Choose the right type of potato. Russet potatoes - also known as Idaho or baking potatoes - are the best potatoes for baking in the microwave. This is due to their high starch content, which yields extra fluffy baked potatoes. If you don't have Russets, the next best thing are yellow-fleshed potatoes - such as Yukon Gold - which are moderately starchy and yield a creamy, slightly dense baked potato.^[1]

2. 

   2

   Wash the potato. It is important to give your potato a good wash before microwaving, especially if you're planning on eating the skin. Be sure to remove any stubborn dirt. If you have one, a bristled scrubbing brush is great for cleaning potatoes. After washing, pat the potato dry with a clean paper towel^[2] .

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3. 

   3

   Season the potato. Rub a little olive oil into the skin of the potato, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. This gives the potato a little extra flavor and will help to crisp up the skin.

4. 

   4

   Prick the potato with a fork. This allows steam to escape and prevents the potato from exploding in the microwave. You should aim to prick the potato three or four times on each area: top, bottom, and two sides.^[3] Alternatively, you can cut a deep "X" onto the top of the potato, using a knife.

5. 

   5

   Place the potato on a microwavable plate. If you want, you can wrap the potato in some wet paper towel first. This will help to keep the potato moist and prevent it from shrinking, but it will also result in softer skin.

6. 

   6

   Put the plate in the microwave and choose a cooking time. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the potato and the power of the microwave. Most medium to large potatoes will take between 8-12 minutes to cook at full power.^[4]

   • Try putting the potato in for 5 minutes to begin with, then take it out and turn it over so that both sides cook evenly. Place it back in the microwave for another 3-5 minutes, depending on how soft it is already. After that, if it still doesn't feel fully cooked, continue to microwave it in 1 minute bursts, checking after each minute.^[5]
   • If you are cooking multiple potatoes at once, you will need to increase the cooking time by about two-thirds^[6] . For example, if one large potato takes 10 minutes to cook, two large potatoes would take between 16-17 minutes.
   • If you prefer crispy skinned potatoes, you can cook the potatoes in the microwave for 5-6 minutes, then transfer to a baking sheet and bake in an oven^[7] preheated to 400 °F (204 °C) for 20 minutes. This method is great if you want oven-crisp potato skins, in less than half the normal cooking time!^[5]

7. 

   7

   Check if the potato is cooked. You can check if a potato is cooked by sticking a fork in the center; if the fork goes in easily, but the center is still a little firm, the potato is ready. When in doubt, it is best to err on the side of undercooking, as an overcooked potato may burn or explode in the microwave.

8. 

   8

   Let the potato rest for five minutes. This allows the core of the potato to finish cooking using the heat that is trapped in the inner layers. It also helps it to become fluffy on the inside without over-drying on the outside. Wrapping it in aluminum foil after taking it out of the microwave will speed up this process. Just be careful when touching the potato - it will be extremely hot!

   • If you are saving a potato for someone who's running late, wrapping the potato in aluminum foil will keep it warm for a remarkably long time. Just be sure to do this as soon as it comes out of the microwave, to conserve as much heat as possible.

9. 

   9

   Serve the potato. Cut the potato open and garnish it with your favorite toppings. Keep it simple with butter, salt and a little grated cheese, or jazz it up with some sour cream, green onions or chives and some crispy bacon. For a more complete meal, top the potato with a generous helping of chili con carne or some fluffy scrambled eggs.

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Add New Question

• Question

  Can I cook a large potato in the microwave using a brown paper bag?

  

  Yes, that should be an effective method.

• Question

  How long should I cook a sweet potato in the microwave?

  

• Question

  Are microwaved potatoes as nutritious as baked potatoes?

  

  Yes they are, provided you accept that both methods may impact which vitamins, minerals and other nutritious elements are released during the cooking process. Microwaving preserves many water-based nutrients that might be lost during drier baking. However, it is a good idea to use both methods rather than relying solely on one, as that way you can be guaranteed that you get the full range of available nutrients.

• Question

  Can I cook more than one potato at the same time?

  

  Yes, but as it states above, you have to increase the cooking time by two thirds.

• Question

  Can I cut the potato in half so that it cooks faster?

  

  This is not recommended, as the inside of the potato will cook unevenly, leaving the two halves of the potato soft. If you were to do this, you might want to consider microwaving it for a shorter amount of time so you don't overcook the potato.

• Question

  Why should I turn the potatoes over?

  

  Sometimes microwaves don't heat the underside of a food properly. Plus, the underside might be soggy if you don't, turning it over will distribute the moisture better.

• Question

  Can I bake 12 potatoes in the microwave?

  

  At the same time, that's too many. Separately, yes.

• Question

  I have 8 baking potatoes, each weighing 200 gr, to cook in my Panasonic 1000 watt Combination Microwave oven. How much time will this require?

  

  17 minutes per pair. Don't cook more than 2 at a time. So, 68 minutes total. It would be easier to put all 8 in the oven for an hour.

• Question

  How much does a medium potato weigh?

  

  In general, a medium or average uncooked potato would weigh around 375 gm (13.25 oz). It is recommended that you buy potatoes in different sizes and weigh them to get an idea of the weight range, as this will help you to eyeball the potato sizes when shopping in future. Also test various sizes to see which work best in your microwave, then stick to the sizes that cook well and efficiently for your oven.

• Question

  Why would you eat this?

  

  Potatoes have vitamins C and B6, manganese and many other things your body needs. Also, they are really low in calories. They're also quite delicious if garnished with butter, salt, pepper, sour cream, cheese, broccoli, chives and/or bacon bits. If you're asking why someone would eat one made in the microwave rather than a conventional oven, it's because one may not have time to do it in the oven, living in a place that doesn't have one, or simply doesn't want to heat up the house in warm weather by using it.

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VideoRead Video Transcript

• If you are in a rush, you can cut open the potato immediately after the microwave stops, add your toppings (or not), and then do the final cooking in the microwave by microwaving another 30 to 60 seconds.

• Try plain brown paper if you don't have parchment paper.

• Some microwaves have a "baked potato" button; use that when in doubt.

• Wrap the potato in plastic wrap. This way they don't dry out.

• Try using parchment paper to wrap the potato, which can be saved and re-used.

• Make a hole on the potato with a toothpick to know if it's ready to eat.

• Before cutting your fully cooked potato open...make a fist and punch down on it. Turn it sideways and punch down again. Make a small slit in the top. Grab both ends of the potato with your fingers (slit side up) and push down and in. Pushing the ..now softened potato up and out of slit.

• Try bacon grease as the coating for the potatoes. The bacon grease will keep the potato skins soft and give it a different flavor.

• Lengthen the time when using microwaves with less power. An 800 Watt microwave requires 1.5 times the microwaving time.

• Using a rotating carousel for microwaving is the best way to get the potato evenly cooked all around. If you don't have a rotating carousel, pause your microwave twice during the microwaving time, and manually turn the potato a half turn each time. To decide when to turn the potato, divide the cooking time into 3 fairly equal units.

• You can "boil" potatoes for mashing more or less the same way. Use thin-skinned potatoes and be extra careful not to dry them out. Plastic wrap or simply cooking several in a plastic bag helps.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

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• The plate will be rather hot from the microwave, so use a towel or oven mitt to take it out.

• Do not wrap the potato in metal foil while it is inside the microwave; this could cause sparking that damages the interior surface of your microwave.

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About This Article

Article Summary X

To bake a potato in the microwave, start by rinsing it off and patting it dry with a paper towel. If you want to season the potato, brush olive oil over it and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Next, pierce the potato with a fork a few times on each side. Place the potato on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave it for around 10 minutes, flipping it over halfway through. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the potato and the power of the microwave. Medium to large potatoes will take between 8-12 minutes per potato on full power. To learn how to tell if your potato is finished baking, scroll down!

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Does the Potato in the Sock Work for Colds

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Bake-a-Potato-in-the-Microwave

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