Can anyone from the restaurant industry tell me, do I have to poke holes before baking a potato? Will it actually explode?

If that's true, is there any better way to do it rather than stabbing it with a fork or knife? Some potatoes it's easy, but harder potatoes like sweet potatoes, I swear I get like 1/4 of an inch into it and that's it.

How many holes should I poke into a potato til it's good to bake?

Thanks spud friends!

hit or miss really is the best ive heard it.

some people have had issues, i personally dont poke any holes and have never had an issue

microwave is the only thing that can splode a tater afaik

shouldn't matter with oven though.

motorsports taking over culinary yall!

This post was edited by Subwoofer on Nov 1 2016 11:08am

1. No it won't explode.
2. I don't recommend poking holes. The dry air from the oven will penetrate the inner flesh, making it dry out (unless that's what you're aiming for, for example to be used in mash).

Haven't worked in a restaurant in over 20 years (and yes we baked potatoes on-site). We didn't poke them then, but I do at home now. All they way around, and then I brush on a mixture of olive oil, garlic salt and black pepper - wrapped in foil, they're divine.

I own my own catering business. We've done baked potatoes for large events and never poke holes in them.

i sometimes do, sometimes dont. never have in the micro tho.

havent particularly noticed any difference althoguh i havent been testing...

We never poke holes in ours. Baked at 350 on high fan blow for an hour.

Only time I poke holes in them is in the mic.