What is a potato nail?

Also question is, why does a potato cook faster with a nail in it?

The method by which a potato cooks faster withanail, is that the high thermal conductance of thenailmeans that more heat is transferred to the center ofthepotato through the nail, than wouldbetransferred in through normal thermal conductance from thesurfaceto the center.

why sticking a metal fork into a potato while it is in a hot oven will make it cook faster and more evenly? Sticking a metal meat skewer or nail throughapotato shortens the cooking time because thehotmetal radiates heat to the center of thespud.Youcan also cut the baking time in half by splittingrawpotatoes lengthwise and cooking them onabaking sheet, skin side up.

Subsequently, one may also ask, how long do you bake potatoes with nails?

For more than four potatoes, add 15 minutes tothetime. Prick each potato an inch deep on each side threetofour times with a fork to help release steam so thepotatodoesn't explode. For a conventional oven,bake thepotatoes for 60 minutes at 350°F. For aconvectionoven, bake the potatoes for 60minutes at325°F.

Do you have to put holes in potatoes before baking?

For most of us, it's second nature to poke afewholes in the skin of a potato before baking it.Asteamy, potato-ey explosion is not something anybodywantsin their oven at dinner time. According to conventionalwisdom, afew quick jabs to a potato with a fork allows steamtoescape as it cooks.