It’s common to stir, slice, or toss ingredients in the kitchen, but it’s not often that cooks get to smash something against a countertop — unless you’re in Martha Stewart’s kitchen on baked potato night. Stewart likes to smash her baked potatoes after they come out of the oven, and this crazy technique actually has a ton of benefits.

Smashing your baked potatoes is an easy way to fluff up the inside and create a soft mouthfeel before you add any other ingredients. More than that, smashing the potatoes is just plain fun, and the best way to finish preparing a big batch of spuds in record time before you bring them to the dinner table, already fluffy and broken open.

To smash potatoes the Martha way, use russets or Yukon golds, prick a few holes in the top, brush with olive oil for a crispy exterior, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake at 400 degrees F for about an hour before smashing them on your counter, but not so hard that they explode, and make sure to protect your hands from the heat.