Tips for Potatoes

[jms0310]

This is kind of a silly question but I really would like any tips from experienced cooks. I love potatoes but cooking different dishes (or even baked potatoes) in the oven after work just takes so much time. Is there any way to cut this time down? I'm even open to crock pot ideas because I've never attempted cooking potatoes in that way and not sure if it works. It just seems like I waste so much time waiting for the boiling or baking of these for my meals. Thanks.
Jessica

[Jazzmatazz49]

This will cut down the time for baking potatoes in the oven: Put your potatoes in the microwave for about a minute, long enough to get them hot all the way through. Then wrap in foil and bake in your oven. I'm not sure how long it takes since we're trying to lower some of our carb intake and prefer to use sweet potatoes most of the time. But when I did baked white potatoes, this is how I did it.

[blazedog]

Potatoes are one of those dishes that takes time to cook -- on the other hand, if you don't need to eat immediately, nothing is easier than tossing a potato in the oven.

It's not the greatest method, but potatoes nuked in the microwave are adequate when I need something fast. Sweet potatoes nuked in the microwave are perfect probably because they have a higher moisture content than white potatoes.

If you are preparing more complicated potato dishes. why not prep and cook the potatoes ahead of time and finish on the weekend.

There is a reason thread on fast meals and I do think that most people who work do not attempt to prep and cook complicated and/or time consuming meals after work unless a gun is held to their head:)

[newcook]

They cook faster when cut into smaller pieces.

[lorilei]

Originally posted by newcook
They cook faster when cut into smaller pieces.

Taking this a bit further -- she makes a good point. Roasting potatoes is one of my favorite ways to serve them (or to use them in recipes, for that matter). A good chop (1 inch-or-so dice), a wash of oil and 15-20 minutes in a hot (425ish) oven will give you lovely, crisped, brown potatoes -- perfect for eating just the way that they are, or for tossing into casseroles or stovetop "hash". For an even better treat, toss the hot roasted potatoes with a bit of garlic and some nice balsamic vinegar. They soak the flavors right up and make an amazing side dish.

[Curleytop]

Most micros have a setting for potatoes. I usually pierce them with a fork (and I use russet potatoes) put on a papertowel, and nuck for the correct setting. THEN I put the potatoes in the real oven turned to 400° and let them dry out for maybe 5 minutes or more. Works for me, I do the same with yams!

[vbak]

I nuke for 2 min.[pierce first] then in a hot oven 400 for about 20 minutes.

Vicky

[cab321]

I've heard of people doing baked potatoes in the crock pot - skins on and pierced, cook on low 8 hours. But I've never done it myself.

[Chelle D]

I've done potatoes in the crockpot many times for a nice big baked potato to come home to.