An hour and 10 minutes in, just after I'd grated the cheese and put the beans on to warm, and I hear a loud thud from the oven… And yes, they were pricked.

by Buddy-Matt

32 comments
  1. I always spike them with a fork. Granted, I cook them in the microwave for 10 mins before putting them in the oven but I assume it’s the same principle.

  2. *Your other half walks in*
    “have you seen my novelty WW2 hand grenade shaped like a spud?”

  3. LOL! I’ve done that.

    The amazing thing is that the potato just disappears … they’re mostly water and, when they explode, they turn into dust.

  4. Did you edit this, or is no one reading the part where you say you *did* prick them with a fork before you put them in? Also, concerning that they can still do that even if you prick them like you’re supposed to!

  5. I don’t think a fork gets deep enough. I always stab mine right through the middle with a sharp knife.

  6. I stopped pricking them cos it bent my fork’s tines, but I also lightly oil the skins before baking, I wonder if that’s somehow saved me from any splosions?

  7. Stab them with a fork, and I put a metal skewer through the middle too. Helps ensure the centre is fully cooked.

  8. Other than self detonated potato you have a lovely clean oven.

    Echoing others, you need to run your potato through.

  9. Never had this happen, but I oil them, salt them, prick them with a fork (which you’ve said you did) and then wrap them in foil on a baking tray.

  10. For a second I thought the potato explosion had blown the glass clean off the oven!

  11. I was told to make a quarter inch deep cross cut before sticking them in the oven, I guess this is the reason why, need that steam to escape.

  12. spike them, even one stab with a knife is enough. You should always do this cooking things that still have skins, especially if microwaving too.

  13. Yep that’s why you prick them all over with a fork. Personally I like to make deep stabs with sharp knife, then roll them in a blend of melted butter, soya suace, pepper, herbs, sweet paprika, a bit of lime juice and garlic. The deep cuts stop them exploding but also help to get all that flavour inside the spud aswell as on the skin.

  14. Do people actually put their potatoes in the oven like this? There’s something called foil that not only keeps things like this from making a mess, it also cuts down the cooking time.

  15. That’s an hour and 10 in? What temp was this at? I’d get your oven checked pal. They are pale as fuck for 70 minutes in the oven.

  16. I always cook them like a kebab, with a metal skewer through the middle. It prevents explosions and helps cook the middle a bit quicker.

  17. Professional potato muncher here, Ive never had this problem before. Maybe stabbing with a fork isnt enough to release the pressure inside the hot spud? Ive always sliced about an inch deep along the potato two or three times instead.

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