Re: [Phys-L] physics and potatoes

[Marty Weiss <martweiss@comcast.net>]

There were a couple of cooking sites that said the potato will cook faster with foil but will get more mushy inside.  The same sites from completely different sources also said rubbing with oil will produce crispy skin and a better tasting potato.  It seems the foil holds the heat longer so while the potato is wrapped the potato keeps on cooking.  That's why restaurants do this... but not the best restaurants... foil around a potato is considered gauche in the best eating establishments.   So, yes the heat trapping factor seems to dominate.   Yes, this is not from physics sites but in a way cooking is chemistry and physics, but also an art form.  

On Jan 12, 2015, at 8:44 PM, Anthony Lapinski wrote:

> Okay. Makes sense. However, isn't foil a good conductor, so wouldn't it
> make the potato cool faster? Or does the trapping heat factor dominate?
> Does the foil act more like a Thermos, which has a mirrored inside that
> reflects and minimizes heat loss via radiation?
>
> Phys-L@Phys-L.org writes:
> > Look at cooking sites instead of physics.  Foil holds moisture making
> > more soggy potatoes.... which is what you are looking for.  Foil keeps
> > them warmer longer... again what you are asking;   so the Idaho potato
> > site says rub with some oil, bake unwrapped which gives a crispy skin and
> > a heartier potato, then if you need time before serving then wrap them in
> > foil to keep in the heat.