To Peel Potatoes In A Flash, Simply Grab A Fork

To cross a bridge sometimes you have to pay a toll. This is true in the culinary world, too. But when it comes to cooking, the other side of the bridge is usually loaded with rewards. These might be creamy mashed potatoes smothered in rich, piping-hot gravy, or a comforting bowl of silky potato soup topped with shredded cheddar, crisp bacon, and thinly-sliced green onions. In the case of these two dream destinations, the toll is the same — peeling potatoes.

Potato peeling is no one's favorite chore — that's why there are so many ways to avoid it, like using dehydrated mashed potato flakes and pre-made frozen mashed potatoes. There are clever hacks to peel your potatoes faster and plenty of kitchen gizmos like automatic electric potato peelers to help you face the task. 

And with good reason — peeling potatoes gums up the works, slowing down the whole cooking process. Not only is it time-consuming but it comes with its own set of hazards, like the whole extra-sharp peeler thing, where the hand holding the potato inevitably gets in the way and you end up with a nicked knuckle. But there is one simple trick that will allow you to minimize the toll and reach your end goal — stick a fork in it.

Want to hack your potato peeling time and watch your knuckle nicks disappear? Just fork your potatoes. To employ this clever trick, all you have to do is insert a fork into one end of the potato, allowing you to easily hold your potato with the handle of the fork, keeping the potato in place and your hand out of the way while you peel it. Once the fork is inserted in one end of the potato, you can just use your potato peeler as you normally would, peeling away any unwanted potato skin. 

Not only does this technique eliminate the need for a cut-resistant glove, which can be unhygienic, but it also allows you to peel the potato faster and without any tedious finger fumbling to slow you down. Once you've peeled all the sides, simply remove the fork, finish off the end that the fork was in, and you're good to go — next potato. While this technique works best with larger potatoes, the same principle applies to smaller ones but with one small change. Just downsize your fork to a metal-pronged appetizer, cocktail, or baby's fork so all the tines fit in the potato while also not obliterating it.

There's no doubt that peeling potatoes is certainly worth the effort (homemade fries, anyone?) but this four-pronged technique makes it all a little quicker and easier, kind of like an E-ZPass at the toll booth.