Why does a potato cook faster with a nail in it?
Why does a potato cook faster with a nail in it? The theory is that heat will be conducted through the metal nail and down through the center of the potato, adding an internal heating boost, which will help the potato cook from the inside out. It works pretty much like the nail remover on the end of a hammer. Does poking holes in potatoes make them cook faster? Many cooks use the tines of a fork to poke holes in raw potatoes before baking them. The holes don't make them cook any faster -- a medium-sized potato takes more...