Discussion Board

Hello,
How do I cook a sweet potato in the micro?
And what about reg. potatoes?...just on a plate or a bowl, etc?
Thanks,
Gwen

Yes u can cook sweet potatoes in the microwave.....I cook my potatoes(both sweet and white) on a paper towel..just make sure to either poke them with a knife or fork before cooking, so they don't explode....How long it takes..depends on the size of the potato.

This is how I make mine -
Scrub outside and poke with a knife in a few places on each side so it doesn't explode.
Cook on one side, turn and cook the other. (For a good-size sweet or regular potato, I microwave for 3 min. on one side, 2 on the other)
Peel and discard skin.
I mash sweet potatoes with a little vanilla, but I'm sure others will give you good ideas for flavoring.

As others have said, it's easy! I put in for a few min. less than I think they'll take and check them at that point. Usually they need another min or 2.

Like others said but I eat the skin, just another example of being odd. Except for the ends of a sweet tater as they are tough as can be.

I never poke holes in mine and they've not exploded yet (maybe I've just been lucky!). I don't use a paper towel, just a plate. I cut off each end before cooking because they're not very nice to eat. A bit of practice and you will have a good idea of how long each one needs to cook just by looking at its size. I stab mine with a knife after cooking to make sure it's done, then quarter it and let it cool enough to eat. I don't peel mine either, because it's easier to eat as finger food with the peel still on.

Terri,
I think cutting off the ends has the same effect as poking holes. Any steam that builds up inside is released. I don't use a paper towel, either, just pop them on a plate.

On a side note, my rat terrier is mad for sweet potatoes, and when I make them, I have to share a little with him, too.

Thanks everyone. I'll be cooking my first sweet tater in the micro tomorrow.
Gwen

Me, too! Wouldn't miss it.

Nettie

So do I! I wouldn't toss a tater skin for anything!

I never poke mine, and never cut off the ends. Cutting off the ends sounds like a good idea though, because I always cut them off after they are cooked anyway. But its easy to do when the potato is soft. I don't poke and cut here at work because all we have are plastic utensils, and they don't do much on a raw sweet potato!

I have never had one explode, and I eat one pretty much every day at work, as my afternoon snack...skin and all. Oddly enough, as I type this I am waiting for today's sweet potato to finish it's 7 minutes in the microwave...

I use the wet paper towel method.

#1. Scrub potato vigorously with potato brush & veggie wash
#2. poke it with a knife or fork
#3. wrap with a paper towel and run under water so its lightly damp (not soaked)
#4. depending on the size/quantity of the potatoes adjust the time. My small microwave takes 6mins for one average potato, but it also has a potato button that performs some magic trick to know when to stop.

I stopped using my regular oven for potatoes because they come out so good this way.

I do same method as healthyvegan, above, but omit the poking of holes. Usual time is 4 mns per side for total of 8 mins. Perfect every time.

I always microwave sweet potatoes. It's so much faster than baking them in the oven. I poke holes in mine too, because I'm too lazy to clean the microwave if they explode.

Wait - I eat the skin on other potatoes - but you eat the skin on sweet potatoes too?