Why are a restaurant's vegetables so much better than homemade ones?

[@alwayslookingatself]

There is a famous clip of Anthony Bourdain making "Carrots Vichy", he adds 2 lbs of butter & 1.5 cups of sugar to a pan of chopped carrots. He looks at the camera and says "Now you know why restaurant vegetables taste so good."

[@rdecredico]

They taste like shit.

[@mht5875]

I love roasted carrots and potatoes, with rosemary

[@AllofJudea]

@@mht5875 Thanks

[@colleenhathaway8415]

I miss him.

[@jblps]

Adding sugar to carrots? The dude was a better tour guide than a cook. Sorry but never liked him. RIP though

[@CHEFPKR]

As someone who has worked in a lot of restaurants: seasoned blanching, butter/fat

[@goldfishy]

Do you mean season first, then blanch, then cook with butter and fat? Or do you mean season the water that you blanch in?

[@AliceAmane]

@lm aa I completely agree with you, but I would add a *tiny* amount of sugar to the water. That's a trick my grandma told me, I can't explain what it does but it makes the asparagus somehow even better! 😅 And I put a bit of butter on top of the cooked asparagus, but that's totally optional.

[@AliceAmane]

@lm aa ahh thank you for explaining!

[@kathym6603]

@@goldfishy Sounds like he seasoned the blanching medium.

[@kathym6603]

@lm aa Cook asparagus with the peel. Sounds good and sensible!!

[@abrotherinchrist]

I worked at a high end steak and seafood restaurant and we steamed our brussel sprouts and asparagus about half way before shock cooling with ice. Then we tossed the asparagus on the grill for 2 minutes basting once with some butter, and tossed the sprouts in the deep fryer just before serving. Salted at the end. The sprouts were tossed in balsamic vinegar and topped with parmesan.

[@abrotherinchrist]

Then you probably couldn't work at just about any restaurant that is affordable to eat at and doesn't take all night to get your food. I'm curious, where have you worked that does things differently? The reality is if you want to eat out there are trade-offs. If you wanted to get crispy brussel sprouts at home with the perfect texture you'd still have to steam them them, if you have the extra counter space, air fry them with a spray of fresh, organic oil (or just roast them). The only real difference would be the oil and the lack of the need to to shock cool them because you are roasting and eating them right away. If you have some alternative ways of doing things that won't cause a restaurant to jack their prices up I'd love to hear them.

[@sanjayshiva]

So kill nutrients and make vegetables unhealthy ✅

[@ExiledStardust]

@@abrotherinchrist My brother in Christ, the people who watch this video aren't restaurantiers, they are home cooks looking to improve their home cooking. Relax.

[@abrotherinchrist]

@@ExiledStardust "Why are a restaurant's vegetables so much better than homemade ones?"

[@cour2knee]

steaming and ice bath on the sprouts before deep frying- did you toss on a towel for a long time before frying? I like the idea of par-steam/boiling before doing a pan fry but the chance of sizzle and pop (of my skin 😅) worries me a bit. I guess it’s just putting open side down and letting the water release out?

[@lollsazz]

I remember cooking for my husband's mom, and her being "how does the rice taste so good???", and eating a couple of portions of just rice. I told her I had added salt and a small amount of olive oil, and she got offended, as she doesn't want to eat a lot of salt, and oil is high in calories (but it's healthy though, so IDK why she avoids oil). I explained there wasn't much in there. Usually she cooks without salt and oil, and then eats a whole bag of potato chips in one sitting. No salt craving after the rice though. So, if you have to choose between yummy food and tasteless food followed by junk, consider making your regular food tasty Steamed sweet potatoes are really yummy IMO :)

[@jillnagle3260]

@lollsazz seems like her body needs a certain amount of salt!

[@nazaG_89]

@@jillnagle3260 sodium deficiency

[@kamo7293]

I think she may need to reevaluate a lot there

[@thorneto2742]

My wife has concerns over salt so we don’t even have salt in our house and get the low sodium versions of everything, you get used to it after awhile

[@lollsazz]

@@thorneto2742 But you don't eat a whole bag of potato chips each at the end of the day, do you? That was my main issue with it: she didn't put salt in her food, but then seemed to have a huge craving for it at the end of the day, and if you're compensating THIS much, it's better to put some salt in the food and skip the potato chips, which are unhealthy in several ways. And also, the amount of salt in a whole bag is way too much

[@ElijsDima]

Preconceived notion I started before watching the vid: Butter. It's butter, isn't it?

[@Pppinkerton203]

Also haven’t watched the video yet, but I’m going to guess it’s butter and salt.

[@greyngreyer5]

Buttah

[@streetkid0]

This was my thought as well. I read the caption to my gf and said "I know what it is.."

[@Nirrrina]

I was ahead of the game then. I reheated meatloaf slices by simply frying them up in way too much butter for a friend & myself. Sooo damn good & crispy edges & yummy yummy yummy flavoring. Would not recommend more than once a year. But soooo good.

[@bpa0202]

And salt. Don't forget salt

[@richardn3387]

This reminds me of watching Good Eats with Alton Brown back when it first aired. It's not just a recipe. It's an explanation why it's done that way. Parboiling, soaking in brine, sitting in oil. All really good preparation techniques.

[@tigeraspen]

I still use Alton Brown's recipe for brown rice by baking.

[@amandaslaven4574]

I still use as much of his recipes as possible. His show was the best cooking show they have ever made. Bar none.

[@cantsay2205]

I vaguely remember my old group home having us watch a few videos of his (they would have us watch educational shows since it got us to sit down and shut up lol), and that's probably why I love watching cooking shows over a decade later.

[@maxwellnewsome5903]

I just tried the parboiled technique with potatoes we picked from our garden. Life changing. My wife literally said “dude this is even better then restaurant potatoes.” The time and space tip helped too. Normally I would have roasted in one real full pan but this time I did two. I think that really helped.

[@deadwards90]

Another tip just for potatoes, put a small amount (say half a teaspoon max) of bicarbonate of soda in when par boiling. The outside of the potatoes will go very fluffy, which makes them every crunchier after roasting.

[@Revelwoodie]

"Don't crowd the pan." Yeah, I get that. But that's a harder tip to follow if you're routinely cooking for an entire family, and often guests. To space them out the way he recommends, I'd have to use like 6 to 8 pans, lol. Which leaves no room for anything else in the oven. So if you're a single person or a couple, then by all means do that. For people like me, you just have to embrace the crowded pan, and adjust temps and times accordingly. It takes some experimentation, and it's different for every veg. I've found cutting larger pieces helps, that way they aren't cooked to oblivion by the time they're brown. EDIT: Oh, I almost forgot! If you need veggies to brown faster (like if you have to crowd your pan, lol), use an older, darker sheet pan to roast them. That shiny new sheet pan will reflect to much heat away. Darker the pan, the browner the roast. Save the shiny pan for cookies and biscuits.

[@oliviamartini9700]

Your wife calls you "dude"?

[@maxwellnewsome5903]

@@oliviamartini9700 yea? Are we the weird ones? I mean I know we are lol, but I didn’t know this was weird. 😂😂

[@tourmii]

@@maxwellnewsome5903 me and my husband call each other dude and bro all the time, i think olivia is the weird one 😉

[@gamebuster800]

This is one of the best cooking channels i've ever seen. YT randomly recommended this and I'm hooked. Great visuals, great teaching, good sound, and actual units (grams) instead of arbitrary or weird units.

[@BeesAndSunshine]

I knew most of this, especially the importance of salt and oil, but I NEVER thought of parboiling anything other than potatoes before roasting them but that seems like an amazing idea because it will help the salt work its way deep into the veg and make it so that when you roast you can do an extremely high heat and focus purely on crispiness not needing to worry about overall doneness.

[@mrsean1999]

I microwave vegetables and get great results. I think I used to parboil them ( back when I enjoyed making things more complicated than necessary). But Honestly, cut the veggies, add a little salt, microwave thirty seconds, shake them , microwave another thirty seconds or a minute. Then cook like a par boiled vegetable. Advantage : better browning and less complicated prep

[@mrsean1999]

To clarify: cut the vegetables, put in a sieve, salt and allow to sit a little while to let the salt penetrate, allow excess water to drain off. Microwave briefly to dry surfaces and lightly cook the interiors. Then roast or sauté as desired. Works great with potatoes and carrots

[@tempestive1]

Saves power too.

[@89Ayten]

This is common sense and has been a cooking technique for centuries until people stopped cooking at home in the past couple of generations. This video is introducing the sundial as new technology.

[@GigaDarkness]

@Repent or you will likewise perish. h

[@viggosimonsen]

The blanching of root vegetables before roasting is definitely a good idea. It also helps to prevent them from drying out which can easily happen when roasting in the oven. Thus, they become juicy inside, and crisp on the outside

[@MonkeyJedi99]

I had previously only used parboiling on pork before it goes on the grill. May try it with root vegetables, now.

[@xdamnedtobefreex]

you're 100% wrong. it is good for rinsing the starch from potatoes though.

[@christopherkarr1872]

@Viggo - For root vegetables like carrots, freezing prior to roasting is a much better method than boiling, if seeking moist & fluffy with crisp exterior. I just oil mine and cook fresh, though. When doing roasted carrots I prefer a 600F convection oven. I was using a pizza oven with steam vents open.

[@veritorossi]

Yo can just put a pot with water in the oven and the veggies don't dry out.

[@christopherkarr1872]

@@veritorossi They also don't roast as well. For better browning, do you finish under the broiler?

[@Monkey_and_Horse]

This video style with the different experiments does a lot for me in terms of learning better ways to cook and the reasons behind a certain kitchen method. I also tend to learn a lot from the "blueprint" style videos where you lay out "these are the components that make up this type of dish and how you might play around with them for your own meal"

[@summerangelbaker1827]

I agree!

[@christiankrueger8048]

+1

[@mistersmarteleimon1500]

100%. I feel so much more confident cooking after watching Ethan's videos.

[@criminologystudent1nvestig523]

yes excellently researched, explained and presented, very good

[@ralphnelson-tucker8186]

Thanks for making this so accessible to people. As a chef I get all this but you have made it so easy for the home cook to adopt our practises successfully. Bravo!

[@home17able]

Worried?

[@NewVenari]

Tip on parboiling: throw in a half teaspoon of baking soda to the water. The alkalinity will give you crispier outside layers :)

[@melstarr1864]

I have heard that baking soda destroys some valuable nutrients in veggies, like vitamin C. Have you heard this?

[@MariaPetrescu]

@@melstarr1864 vitamin C is extremely labile, it gets destroyed by heat, light, gets dissolved in water. So the parboiling itself destroys it, regardless of the use of baking soda.

[@melstarr1864]

@@MariaPetrescu Ah, so perhaps vitamin C is destroyed by cooking anyway, but I have read that baking soda can damage other nutrients as well, such as vitamin D and riboflavin. I was taught not to use it when boiling/blanching vegetables because of these types of nutritional impacts.

[@The_Timinator]

Yes indeed, using Baking Soda can turn our Sun into a Black Hole...please use it sparingly.

[@mamasgotmoxy2914]

Yes it does. I did this with roasted potatoes today. Delicious!!!

[@nahblue]

Tip: Don't pour oil on the veg, instead *mix oil & veg in a bowl* to make less oil go a lot further than just pouring would do. (Which you also show in the video, it's just worth mentioning!)

[@iamptm]

Totally agree

[@32fps]

I get what you're saying but if you think Imma dirty one more dish my non-dishwasher-having ass has, you're sorely mistaken XD Plus, you can toss them pretty well on whatever you're cooking them on, people are just lazy and/or busy and already taxed in their day-to-day life.

[@Rhinoch8]

And waste 60% of the oil in the bowl? No thanks.

[@seigeengine]

It entirely depends on what you're using the oil for, but yes, if you just want oiled veggies, mix it, instead of just drizzling on top. You can just do that on the tray though.

[@viktorkongskov5692]

I pour it in a plastic bag with the vegetables and shake it. Distributes it perfectly!

[@morningstar8187]

I always roast my veggies underneath a whole chicken. The chicken fat mixed with the spices drops onto them and makes for the tastiest, most amazing veggies ever.

[@ZombieNibbler]

Definitely going to try this tonight👍 do you have any issues with them being soggy at all?

[@tombakersfield742]

What is your profile picture hell to the naww

[@morningstar8187]

@@ZombieNibbler I have no experience with American chickens. I try to buy the best chickens I can get. They do release some juice while roasting but I find that it helps with the cooking of the veggies, especially things like carrots or potatoes. It’s almost like a basic chicken stock. It’s never so much juice that it doesn’t evaporate or get absorbed during the cooking.

[@tombakersfield742]

@@morningstar8187 problem with American chickens is their packing heat 9 mm or 45 caliber Glock

[@tombakersfield742]

@@helpfulcommenter and you respond to a comment with what your Cappy dusty profile sounds like how you doing ??

[@ilavalolipop]

I'm a roasted veggie addict, and I have to say I'm proud that I've figured out most of this already through trial and error over the years. Its always good to reassess old habits though. :D The final point about "flavor enhancers at the end" is a great one! I have a favorite recipe of brussels sprouts, green beans, and broccoli roasted with garlic powder, gochugaru, and sea salt. As soon as they come out of the oven, sizzling hot, I drizzle on some tamari, then after another minute I add a splash of fresh lemon juice. The veggies soak these up without getting soggy, since the pan is still hot, and wow the flavor is fantastic. :D I often have this as breakfast with a bright-yolked egg. ♥

[@AKumar528]

This video doesn't apply to South Asia

[@med8615]

bro you gotta drop the recipe

[@LadyPisces96]

@@AKumar528 why? I'm South American so I'm legit curious

[@feistyferret13]

I've always struggled with making properly crispy roast potatoes. After watching this, I think my problem has been having the heat too low and the pan too crowded. This makes me optimistic to try again.

[@varez1]

Any results? I'm curious

[@MplsIRR]

You want really crispy potatoes? Do the par boil with salted water and throw in a half-tsp of baking soda. The alkaline water breaks down the surface of the potato. Strain and let them cool a bit so that more moisture evaporates and the surfaces are drier. At that point add the oil and roast. Thank me later.

[@aaronmichelson5510]

Also, add baking soda while parboiling to make them EVEN more crispy.

[@MplsIRR]

Weird replies. Of course the baking soda goes in the water while parboiling - where else would you put it (BLEH)? Salt the water while parboiling - and then salt the potatoes again after. Half the point is to saturate the potato throughout with salt - kinda like brining. Salt at the start, salt in the middle, and finish salt the final dish. Salt to taste obviously - have care - don't give anyone hypertension. Dehydrate? The potatoes are being par-boiled in WATER - not going to dehydrate (do people parboil in their dehydrators? srsly?). Wash? WUT?! XD Don't wash the potatoes after parboiling! The whole point is to break up the surface so that you can roast the high surface area starches. If you use too much alkaline, or you boil too long, and you end up with a mushy potato mess that is on you. If you need to wash you are doing it wrong. PAR BOIL don't boil-to-death. The potatoes should have a fluffy surface but not be complete mush. Google: The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever Recipe Serious Eats. Do that recipe. Not the other crazy advice this comment got.

[@RoastBeefSand]

@@Dap740 wait you just put raw potatoes directly in the oven?

[@ericlanebarnes4266]

I've been surprised how tasty frozen brussels sprouts can be. I microwave them for a minute or two, and then sear them in a very hot cast iron pan with olive oil and Red Boat Salt. Parmesan cheese on top when they are done. Freaking fantastic.

[@cheyennedringman9716]

my grandma does that, no cheese but yes, I AGREE

[@revannoct6571]

I wouldn't recommend heating olive oil, only using it after it's been cooked in something like ghee. Heating olive oil makes it bad for health and taste bad (IMO)...

[@esm1817]

Oho! Thank you! I have tried frozen Brussels sprouts. Tried just steaming. Yuck. Tried roasting, but I must not have done it right. This though...very helpful.

[@Hieroph4nt]

@@revannoct6571 how bad for health

[@Andyatl2002]

@@revannoct6571, well I know that burning olive oil is very easy at high temperatures so is that what you are talking about because that can be fixed by using extra virgin olive oil

[@baba-sm1fm]

Being from Italy I always wonder when I eat at an American restaurant, the food is always overdressed with salads coated with overly sweet dressings, the veggies are oily etc. For many veggies the key is in sauteing them with garlic (not garlic powder), or roasting them with the addition of garlic or onion, this will add flavor, a simple drizzle of extra virgin olive oil a sprinkle of sea salt and some oregano over veggies such as tomatoes, peppers, green beans, but not on all veggies. Less is more.

[@echo-hotel]

Yet world chefs may say different. You have to find the crack that gets them addicted. All this guy is doing is chasing that high. Plus there is a bit of science that is easily replicated. And a man who has had nothing but water all his life will kill for a cup of salted piss.

[@BKME19]

Well said!

[@susiemiller2621]

Olive oil is great to drizzle but burns so not great in cooking. Need to be careful and make sure you do not get the fake merried with crap olive oil as well, here in the states. Do you have to be leary in Italy of the same fraud? Coconut and avocado are better choices for healthy cooking. (higher burn temps) in USA.

[@baba-sm1fm]

@@susiemiller2621 in Italy Olive oil is considered literally a sacred product, not joking, lol!! The laws for its quality controls are extremely strict, giudicial punishment and fines are pretty steep when companies are cought fraudulently manipulating food products in general in Italy, more so for olive oil. In regards to coconut oil having a higher heat resistance, this is a myth that I only hear coming from the United States. Coconut oil starts deteriorating at about 50 ° Celsius circa where olive oil smoking point is at about 180-200°, you will have a much lower smoking point if the oil is not pure. I don't know much about avocado oil, but I do know that Europe has set standards that vary between countries in regards to the cold process for coconut oil, which can't surpass a certain temperature ( yes it gets heated but still called cold process), where in the USA there are no standards for this process and is still called cold regardless of temperature used.

[@theXaint]

@@baba-sm1fm "Coconut oil starts deteriorating at about 50 ° Celsius circa where olive oil smoking point is at about 180-200°" - solid argument, mate! You've just compared deterioration to smoking point, like comparing apples to oranges.

[@potatofries571]

Love how you explained what was going on at the surfaces of the vegetables when you add oil and salt. Truly made me understand why it worked. The experiments were the cherry on top. I rarely cook but as a scientist this video was highly enjoyable from a learning perspective.

[@VFSin]

4:57 I want to point out that while a temperature of 50F converts to 10C, a temperature DIFFERENCE of 50F does not equal to a temperature difference of 10C. Using your measurements in the video, 310F converts to 154.4C and 259F converts to 126.1C. The difference is actually over 28C

[@thomas_b7622]

Good catch! I think the error he made was using the conversion formula C = (F - 32) / 1.8 and directly inserting F = ΔF = 50. Instead, we want to find ΔC = C_2 - C_1 = (F_2 - 32) / 1.8 - (F_1 - 32) / 1.8 = (F_2 - F_1) / 1.8 = ΔF / 1.8, i.e. the offset (-32) drops out.

[@terencesakamoto4416]

Bro I didn’t even catch that

[@kaliprc]

Some people are just bored.

[@qwertt14]

Fahrenheit should never be used ever

[@burkles4456]

Well no one important looked at the C anyway :)

[@mhrgall]

that was 10000% fantastic! I've been a culinary instructor for years, and try to bolster my lectures with McGee, Kenzi et al. People can cook way better when they know how and WHY things happen. ANd how to FIX ''disasters'' so they don't happen again. Much respect from Denmark!!

[@gobbletegook]

Parboiling does work for a lot of veggies! It gets them up to cooking temperature faster than the oven will...because the over is drying them out before they cook. And a teaspoon of salt AND SUGAR gives them flavor and caramelizes them when they hit a HOT pan. Just slightly drain them for a second before, and a light spray of cooking oil helps.

[@doyle7877]

As a chef a lot of great points but I must say, couple of my suggestions, Use unsalted butter usually at toward the end of cooking (butter burns at a lower temp then oil) e.g. part boil your carrots then add them to a hot pan with some oil colour a little and when almost done add a spoon full of butter and foam to finish, maybe some honey with the butter. In the UK the veg that is sold in supermarkets for the most part is as good if not better than what I've gotten from dedicated veg suppliers. Butter makes everything better, like literally almost anything

[@williamwidegren2027]

Sorry, with this method are you still roasting them in the oven and adding butter to that pan towards the end? Or are you cooking them in a frying pan? Really want to try out with butter, thank you for the tip!

[@johnhpalmer6098]

@@williamwidegren2027 Sounds like he's referring to the pan on the stove, not a sheet pan in the oven the way he described it. Not an illegitimate way to do it, but it was not what Ethan was describing. Also, while I love butter, it is not in my estimation the end all, be all for oil used. I often roast with olive oil in the oven, it's tasty, but not quite the same as butter. Now, if I'm to do carrots much like he described, then yes, definitely will use butter there.

[@ottomattix86]

A whole video in on youtube about how salted vs unsalted is almost no different lol adam something or other

[@johnhpalmer6098]

@@ottomattix86 As far as use, that's right, but unsalted butter may taste a bit sweeter, or flatter, salted butter will enhance its flavor some, but what we have for salted butter these days is nothing like it was in earlier times as it was used as a preservative before refrigeration.

[@Fahrenheit2030]

Thanks!!

[@osceolamartindelcampo6471]

I love that when the video starts you get straight to the point. No stupid intro or anything. 10/10

[@nastiacooksplants]

Absolutely love this video style, so educational. Immediately thought of oil. Heard anecdotes of how the kitchen adjusts “messed up” meals by balancing salt / sugar / oil. Makes ordering veggies so tricky, especially when trying to lose some body fat

[@Kavriel]

Eating food cooked at home is generally going to be better for your health and cheaper as well. It does require you to cook and take the time to buy the ingredients, think about what you'll do etc, but it has solid benefits.

[@nastiacooksplants]

@@Kavriel totally. gotta keep chopping😄

[@denisladouceur8789]

You don't have to worry about what you eat if you work out more 😉

[@hiddensecreturl]

@@jdamommio While a ketogenic diet works for some people, it doesn't for everyone. Obviously you're going to get a hundred different opinions here, but generally, balancing your food groups to maintain satiety and keep a caloric deficit of a couple hundred calories a day is the most effective long-term weight loss strategy. Carbs get a bad wrap because often they're prepared (as evidenced in this video) with lots of fat. Fat isn't bad either, none of the macronutrients are bad - but carbs help people feel satisfied after eating. Cutting them from your diet can work for short term weight loss, but in my own experience, isn't effective long-term.

[@denisladouceur8789]

@@jdamommio well that's why I was addressing a comment about body fat, not nutrition :)

[@LilLaurasaurus]

I actually discovered the last tip on accident myself 😅 I was making baked salmon in the oven and had some leftover lemon, so I roasted some asparagus with salt, pepper and oil then squeezed on some lemon at the end. It was the best asparagus I ever had cus it was all crispy and zingy. So now its the only way I make roasted green veggies.

[@uweinhamburg]

I've given it a try today. Parboiled very fresh carrots and a few potatoes both in sticks, used more salt than i normally would plus lots of butter and garlic and put it in the oven at the highest possible heat - result: great tasting veggies which looked ripe for a restaurant! If i should make a guess - the butter did most of the work. Thanks for the time that went into your tests and posting the results 👍🙏

[@mishkaatrawjee1271]

I was waiting for a mention of frozen vegetables. Thinking it would never be mentioned! And it did. You really make our kitchen life easy Ethan!

[@albuseisenhorn3385]

So on that note and this is VERY important - for people who do not live in areas that are at peak growing season all year round. Frozen vegetables are picked at their most ripe stage vs most supermarkets when tend to pick early to avoid spoilage or so they can ship world wide. Same thing with canned veg like say tomatoes which are never picked when ripe (unless you are lucky) so I always go for a can of good whole tomatoes - they are at peak ripeness and have very little processing done to them. We shouldn't fear or disparage canned or frozen food (except when overly processed or from a restaurant that charges top dollar for frozen food, which is usually over processed anyways).

[@mishkaatrawjee1271]

@@albuseisenhorn3385 great advice! Good to know

[@dana102083]

@@albuseisenhorn3385 the biggest problem for canned food is the plastic lining in the cans. agree with you

[@fabe61]

Good video Ethan, but there’s one oversight here I feel given your focus on roasting. The tray matters! A dull, well-used tray will get hotter quicker than a shiny new tray. A thicker tray will retain heat better than a thin one and won’t cool down too much when you add a bunch of frozen vegetables to it, for instance. Quality matters a lot too, and is largely a function of thickness and materials: a good quality trey wont warp at 240C° and this really matters if you want your vegetables to have an even flat surface to brown on. The amount of surface area making contact with a baking sheet will decrease significantly for a lot of the vegetables if the tray warps, and oil will run away from the vegetables and into the corners, where any veggies will get pretty greasy - worst of both worlds. Buy good trays and they’ll serve you for years.

[@evenhauge5579]

This 100%. I got a new Nordic Ware half sheet pan that's made from aluminium and it transfers heat so much more efficient compared to my old sheet pans. Eventually it's all going to be nordic ware.

[@theouthousepoet]

100%

[@twatmunro]

So what are some good pans you can buy in the UK? I have one -- I believe a Mermaid? -- that's infinitely better than my others, but given that we buy everything online these days, it's hard to know where to start.

[@anullhandle]

@@twatmunro Don't know what is available there but the important part is to season them well on both sides. If it looks clean it's not seasoned enough. The standard generic ones from a restaurant supply store work fine. Most will accept walkins without having an account. Save a new squeaky clean one for stuff you don't want to brown as much on the bottom.

[@johnhpalmer6098]

Totally agree. A case in point, about a week ago, I made a pasta dish using chicken thighs and browned them in my stainless steel saute pan and they didn't brown up nearly as well, nor as fast as they did in my well seasoned carbon steel pan a few weeks earlier with I made a sandwich from a long gone restaurant I used to patronize in Seattle and did the same thing with the thighs, sauteed them in the carbon steel and they browned nicely and came to temp, I think they were taken off at 180F at the time. Agree on the sheet pans, the half sheets are fine for most households, and I would also recommend a Qtr sheet for smaller tasks, and for spreading out small amounts of something to cool quickly or to flash freeze something before bagging for longer term freezer storage.

[@Food-Journeys]

I love you that you teach us HOW to cook and not necessarily WHAT to cook. Such a helpful video!

[@whatisahandle221]

Yep! The “how” and “why” tips give more tools to use in more situations!

[@hypotheticaltapeworm]

​@@whatisahandle221and who could forget the when where and who(m)

[@MarkVO]

In Italy, where I live, there is also an issue of quality. Fruit/veg suppliers will supply their best produce to restaurants first, then markets, then grocery stores. If you want the best veg here you need to be someone who serves food (hotel, restaurant, etc), thus allowing you to talk vendors into giving you their best supply. We managed to get bell peppers by claiming to be a restaurant (we serve food to people but as an Airbnb experience) and they were far better than anything we had been able to find in a supermarket. However, supermarket vegetables can still be excellent. Restaurant supplies are more reliable. Update: A word on reliability I should state - we've recently been supplied with some awful peppers. Very bitter.

[@james8989]

shit if thats true grocery stores are stocking unsellable produce since my produce supplier has fucking without fail gave us rotting potatoes and brown lettuce with juice the same color juice all over the boxes

[@SkyWKing]

Air fryers make a HUGE difference for roasting veggies. That extra convection really does the job for browning and crisping. But the biggest improvement is time: cook time is about 1/3-1/2 depending on the type so you can get veggies ready in 10 minutes instead of waiting half an hour. Another tip is using oil sprayer so you get more coverage but with less oil. It saves about 50-70% percent. Not making your hands greasy is an extra bonus.

[@JustMe-gs9xi]

i always seeing people getting rid of air fryers.

[@valterkaugust8511]

I will never fry in air.

[@november132]

Air fryers are amazing. I very rarely use my oven now.

[@flyingtanks9313]

I hate air fryers lol, such a gimmick and a scam

[@captainross4706]

No the biggest different is fat

[@discipleoftheLordJesusChrist]

as a home cook I really appreciate the time and effort that you put in, to share these incites. this video encouraged me to use my air fryer more often, instead of going out to eat as frequently as I have been. thanks!

[@NomadaProductions]

I'm lucky I grew up in Spain. We make everything with olive oil, salt and garlic and that alone will yield amazing taste in any vegetables. Amazing video, I love the scientific approach to it, really helps me understand what's happening inside the oven / pan. New sub

[@spinakker14]

You might the most scientific chef on KZbin because you explain the methods, you cite sources, you make experiments. And that's why I love your channel the most

[@Baughbe]

Having spent over a decade in the restaurant business including a few really high-scale places there is a very important point not much covered here. One: They get better vegetables than you do. It's coordinated with local farms or as local a source as is possible. Warehoused veggies are a last resort that some chefs will rather close the restaurant than use those. And they compete with each other with the supply source and delivery drivers. Bribes DO happen to get first choices and preferential stock. As a prep chef I stood at the dock door as the manager slipped the driver some 'extra' so we got our choice of what was on the truck.

[@FreeApophis]

Sure, and there is a mouse helping a chef in Paris.

[@Eltigre-ne1ip]

he did mention that they get better vegetables

[@MichaelLaFrance1]

He literally said in the video that reason #1 was that they get better vegetables.

[@bilibubule]

he said that in the first minute of the video

[@09BiGDylan]

Thanks for letting us know Restaurants, like any other business, are susceptible to corruption. No free markets over here.

[@manuelviellieber4763]

Ethan, you’re videos are magnificent. Explaining from the ground up why we should do certain things while cooking is extremely helpful. I always learn something new

[@davidt140]

I discovered par boiling this past summer, and it has just radically changed the quality of my roasted veggies. Definitely a bit of an added pain but certainly worth it. Great video!

[@mungiuri]

So I watched your video last night and today I said - let's try some of this. I did parboiling, added salt and then mixed the vegetables with butter, some salt and other spices ... and it really, really worked! I am loving the result! I will try with other veggies next time.

[@fischersfritz468]

I did the same thing but I had an opposite effect. I really really really really prefer it without any salt

[@KFrost-fx7dt]

I'm pretty proud of my vegetable cooking skills. I can make anything at home, and cheaper, and often better than a restaurant. And so can anybody! Great video. It shows that technique is more important than fancy equipment.

[@medievalfarmerstudio4762]

You have restored my faith in humanity.... this video is proof that we slowly decline as a species...

[@eac-ox2ly]

@@medievalfarmerstudio4762 Dude, what? Why?

[@LinkEX]

@@eac-ox2ly Presumably because by and large we can't cook shit anymore, and instead rely on restaurants or processed foods to get meals that are deemed tasty.

[@LinkEX]

@@eac-ox2ly Putting it like that might be a bit dramatic, but much of what used to be common knowledge to grandma is lost today because we're more busy consuming media than preparing food.

[@KFrost-fx7dt]

@Karl with a K They taste delicious.

[@deusexaethera]

Tip for applying oil to vegetables with lots of crevices: Immerse in oil, then strain for a few minutes and reuse the oil that drips off. Then add salt and spices, then roast. Tip for cooking broccoli for stir-fry: Steam for 2 minutes (whereas normal steaming time is 5-6 minutes), and the broccoli will finish cooking in the stir-fry.

[@YourMajesty143]

Nah just use an oil spray or one of those oil dispensers that have a brush attachment.

[@deusexaethera]

@@YourMajesty143 : The spray approach fills the air with oil mist (not the best thing if you have a gas stove -- or lungs, for that matter), and it leaves a lot of dry spots in the depths of the crevices.

[@beeriswhatimake]

Im such a dunce in the kitchen. This really broke things down and explained it in a way that made total sense! Took the worry out of it! Great job!

[@ben_the_cat_guy]

Speaking as a chef the main things are (that can be applied to the home): -salt -fat/oil -curing, pickling, brining -heat -not overcooking -seasoning -convection Things like steam ovens in commercial kitchens help a ton too with texture, but are rare in the home. Also a side note, this is how it was explained to me years ago. A good chef knows how much burn veg to make it taste the best without getting it sent back.

[@albuseisenhorn3385]

To add to this list: -Use Acids (lemon, vinegar, wine etc) -know when to use a Dry or a Wet Brine, dry brine is great for browning wet is great for infusing extra flavours. Think wet for cooking pastrami/chashu vs dry for seared peppered chicken fillet/roast chicken

[@donotlike4anonymus594]

Well i mean about steam ovens... There are options such as ninja foodi's multicoocker... It's reasonably good and reasonably priced.. (not to mention extremly versitile)...

[@ben_the_cat_guy]

@@donotlike4anonymus594 yeah there’s really only three companies making home steam ovens only one of which can be built in. Hence why I said it’s rare in the home

[@ben_the_cat_guy]

@@albuseisenhorn3385 yeah I included brining and curing in my list and I’d say that acids are part of seasoning.

[@donotlike4anonymus594]

@@ben_the_cat_guy well i mean sure.. idk about the industry but as i said it's reltivly available... A good ninja instant pot will do the job... Also it's common to just add a bit of ice into a normal oven or duch oven...

[@ssvis2]

You nailed it on every count. Heat, time, salt, fat. Seriously, listen to everything he has to say and apply it. If you start with good veggies, they barely need anything to taste good with proper technique. Add extras like seasoning and sauces and you're 90% of the way to high-end restaurant results. Add the 4 lbs of butter and you get the last 10%.

[@royalredus]

Haha! I like your last tip :)

[@albuseisenhorn3385]

and Acid, a squeeze of lemon, lime, wine can transform your cooking. Salt deepens and Acid brightens flavours

[@ssvis2]

@@albuseisenhorn3385 Yep. To balance a dish ask if it has enough salt, sweet, fat, acid, and umami.

[@yashicat5950]

I wonder how these apply to a steam oven

[@eneal2056]

Absolutely on point! I eat roasted vegetables all the time and still learned so much to improve what I already loved eating. Thank you so much for this tutorial.

[@Hyrppa95]

@Repent or you will likewise perish. Hail satan

[@Manvir.]

@@Hyrppa95 hail satan!

[@oystergirl99]

My kid would not eat vegetables. Then I started to roast them and now she LOVES them. The crispier and browner the better.

[@RiskGrave]

Love these kinds of videos! Don’t be shy mixing these in with the recipes. Ethan’s one of the best food channels in my book.

[@SylviaRustyFae]

On that last part of tip three; for those without a convection oven, still treat your oven as if it is such. Put the veggies on the topmost rack, same as for broilin them; as the hot air will rise and create a cycle of replacin cold air and thus do a tiny bit of the same effect a convection oven has. You can actually use this tip in general when cookin, if you want somethin to have minimal airflow, either the middle or bottom are likely your best bet; the bottom tho can mean you burn the bottom of whatevs you cookin, so id say just above bottom is best to avoid airflow and keep a consistent high heat. But for veggies, def go at the top instd and finish with the broiler too cuz thats the best way to brown up anythin honestly. Heck, i brown the tops of bread loaves under the broiler.

[@grindfi]

Pro tip! When making pasta, boil your veggies in a strainer in the same pot. The water is already salted, it will help season more properly, and its les dishes

[@JB-if7pm]

Pro tip when boiling water, use water.

[@TheShizzlemop]

@@JB-if7pm pro tip when, use.

[@DemstarAus]

Les dishes 🥖🚬⚜🇨🇵

[@JishinimaTidehoshi]

Pro tip! Serve those veggies to your gluten intolerant friends 🤣🤣🤣

[@DTDSasquatch]

Joke's on you... my pasta water is not salted.

[@lotusw2824]

I love the idea of boiling them before roasting I will definately try this thank you!!!

[@nutmalone5527]

We always do that in my household, surprised to see that people just straight up roast veggies without boiling them first

[@TheCuriousOrbs]

Semi-boiling cut spuds is definitely a step I will never NOT do when roasting. The oil coating creates a sealed casing which allows the extra moisture inside to steam them up to perfection. Reply

[@chamillionrose]

I prefer a nice steam but will boil if I feel too lazy lol.

[@awalton9024]

Par boiling brings out sugars and starches which encourages better browning and more flavor (Aka. the Maillard Reaction).

[@WhichDoctor1]

I love how most of these roasting tips are things I learned from my mum helping her make Christmas dinners back in the 90s ^-^. The adding acid at the end is something I've only just learned about recently, and the tips on salt were really useful cause I grew up thinking salt was the enemy and still unlearning those habbits. That yoghurt dipping source is something I'll definitely have to try too!

[@D71219ONE]

I have a personal story about adding sweet and acidic additions at the end of roasting. I don’t usually think my food is fantastic, but I do tend to think my Brussels sprouts are the best I’ve ever had. I cook bacon in the oven, toss the Brussels sprouts in the bacon grease once the bacon is finished. Then I roast with salt, pepper, and a little MSG. Sometimes I’ll add thyme too. Then I toss with the bacon bits that I cooked earlier. (Clearly a lot of fat, but I only make it on a heavy workout days, lol) Four years ago I went to a restaurant that had roasted Brussels sprouts, and they tossed it with balsamic vinegar and honey at the end. I wasn’t sure how it felt about it when I first tried it, but by the end of the side dish, I couldn’t get enough. I still crave that to this day. I still prefer my personal recipe, but something about that unique flavor on occasion still gets me.

[@punkbunnymama]

Bacon/bacon fat is the best addition you can make to brussels. I make them similarly but in the skillet with some sliced leek as well. Brilliant.

[@D71219ONE]

@@punkbunnymama Oddly enough, I’m allergic to onions and leaks, but take those out and I’m good! 😅

[@D71219ONE]

@@DazedSpy2 You’re welcome!

[@mtngrl88]

My favorite ever recipe is roasted brussel sprouts with bits of fried bacon and toasted pecans throughout. I then toss in balsamic glaze to finish it off.

[@Thorrnn]

I really like your style of video, quick, to the point, but also enough ancillary details to keep it really interesting and encouraging. Thanks! I can't wait to try this.

[@anthonylombardo1261]

try this what?

[@elbee1771]

We actually started cooking in veggie broth and I basically almost always use simply salt, pepper, and garlic powder if you want. Occasionally I will throw in some smoked paprika for certain things. I also like to use a little honey and balsamic vinegar on my brussel sprouts minus the veggie broth. Sooo good.

[@QuestForTheGrail]

11:42 That's a... curiously shaped carrot there, Ethan. Great video as always. I have started parboiling my potatoes before I roast them, and the change in flavor + texture has been unreal. They always come out properly seasoned, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside -- amazing. Not always as evenly browned as I'd like, but it's still a world of difference compared to roasting raw tatties.

[@Kayume]

For me, the best tip was to leave vegetables in longer. I primarily cook from frozen vegetables, and have always had problems getting a decent roast rather than something that's got a bit of browning on the outside, but is still pretty mushy overall. Turns out, the 25-30 minutes I've been using just isn't long enough!

[@Doddsy91]

What I love to do on potato dishes especially, Fry garlic/ herbs of choice in an oil just to infuse the oil, then use that oil in the oven to roast with the Veggies after making sure you have seperated the herbs/spices so they dont burn in the oven, and afterwards mix them back in.

[@endlesummer_]

yesss

[@babitasingh330]

Almost 1 mil!! Your channel has absolutely blown up and it is well deserved seeing the work you have been put in. It has been a rewarding experiencing seeing the growth throughout the journey and the spectacular content that came out of it.

[@yanava]

I would like to point out that restaurant food is better typically at the United States - where the culture seems to be (I'm not a native) to eat a fine meal at a restaurant and just get by with what you have at home. Other countries like Italy and Greece have quite the opposite - a lot of the families have traditions around cooking and use the tips presented in the video to have great experience at home. Dining out for people with that mindset is usually around social encounters and a famous dish that would be too much work to do at home. Getting in touch with other cultures that value cooking as an experience - with the success of social media - have opened up the doors to good cooking in your household - so people in cultures that usually value dining out more than eating at home are now discovering a new life in the kitchen. The success of channels like this proves my point as now more people that never cared about cooking are realizing great food can be accessible.

[@ossskate5549]

I've just been discovering this myself. My mother was always a good cook. I grew up eating amazing food. Since I moved out I began to lose weight because I couldn't stomach microwave food, and couldn't afford to eat out. By chance I learned a new way to cook scrambled eggs (the low and slow method). It was my eureka moment. I realized that cooking had great depth, and great food is attainable for me. I've been experimenting with cooking pastas and steaks recently. It's all been very exciting and eye opening. And I have the appetite for eating again!! I fully agree with you comment man, I think people are beginning to find out that cooking fucking rocks

[@TartempionLampion]

I often find the food i cook for myself better than the one i get in restaurants... and i'm not even a cook! (But tbh i cannot afford expensive restaurant ls...)

[@KianaDocherty]

So excited to watch this! I've been LOOKING for exactly this video. Thank you!

[@jerseylife8701]

It’s salt and butter lol

[@aseeker2269]

Good to see you here!

[@blazingstar9638]

Hey sis …looking forward to seeing this in ur video 😉

[@aseeker2269]

@Karl with a K Hey Karl, could you explain that to me or direct me to where I can read about it? You're one of few people I've heard say the same thing recently.

[@aseeker2269]

@Karl with a K Thank you for your response Karl. Have another question though: Since you eat so few vegetables and carbohydrates, would it be right to assume that you eat a wide variety of meat? Perhaps organs and various animals as well? Do you also consume meat raw on occasion? What about seafood? How much seafood do you consume in comparison to land animals? Sorry that was more than one question!

[@rvboondocker2559]

I have been cooking for more than 40 years and I think this video is fantastic! No wonder you are going to have 2 million subscribers soon, and I added my name to that list! Thank you very much!😊

[@adizzmal]

I’ll give the brussel steps a shot. There has always been something missing when pan frying and I could never pinpoint it. Good vid!

[@TheeBurgerDude]

Have you tried a cast iron? I always cut them in half, lay them flat side down and cook on high heat in some oil, garlic salt and pepper, and they are pretty dang good.

[@marcialitt4431]

I've generally done brussel sprouts as roasted, but now I'm wanting to try frozen brussel sprouts roasted because that would be a game changer. otherwise I end up buying brussel sprouts and then having to race to use them before they eventually go bad in my fridge

[@eternalfizzer]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have been trying to roast vegetables on and off for years and now I finally know where I've been going wrong - basically everywhere. Lessons learned, good sir.

[@kathym6603]

GREAT video. I didn't know why I was slobbering roasted veggies with oil when others drizzled it on. And the seasoning information is welcome.

[@rcorridoni2435]

This is one of your best videos, and hits on all the major elements that make your channel great. Food science, useful experiments, simple, digestible information, immediate dopamine release from the delivery of all this in a way that makes an instant improvement on my ability to cook, just for having watched. I will take these videos for days, please

[@catsupcups]

I agree, this video format is phenomenal!

[@FutureCommentary1]

Crispiest potatoes I've ever had were from a Chef John's recipe. Potatoes boiled with a pinch of baking soda. Tossed with oil, salt, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Finished roasting in the oven.

[@franciscocoria5771]

The baking soda helps with the crispness

[@childofthe60s100]

GARLIC???????? WHY on earth spoil the flavour of potatoes with garlic???? There NOW seems to be a British obsession with garlic. It's as unnecessary as SALTED caramel.

[@FutureCommentary1]

@@childofthe60s100 A TINY bit. Powder form. But yeah maybe I'm not the biggest fan of the taste of potatoes. Like I wouldn't eat an unflavored boiled potato.

[@Edigor100]

@@childofthe60s100have you considered that many people just like the flavor of garlic?

[@Schemilix]

A tip I picked up is shake the shit out of the potatoes in the pan before roasting. You get lots of little crispy bits that way.

[@geniej2378]

Really excellent tips! My favourite is to leave enough room around the veggies for hot air to get around each piece. That's meant crisped up roast vegetables and shorted cooking times!

[@leocolossi]

Hey Ethan! I love that you mentioned parboiling as a way to better cook root vegetables. For almost a year now I've been vegetarian, and the main way to replicate the homemade hotdogs that my mom used to make when I was little was to parboil sliced carrots (~3mm thickness) with a generous amount of salt, then toss it with spicy paprika, turmeric and black pepper, shove it on the air fryer, then finish by adding it to the tomato sauce. It loses it's crispness on the sauce so it feels like hotdog, while also keeping the incredible mildly sweet roasted carrot flavor.

[@ebigarella]

Thanks for sharing you're vegetarian!

[@leocolossi]

@@ebigarella no problem!

[@philipprohn2707]

A German chef once taught me that cooking is about 4 S's: Säure - Acid Schärfe - heat, spicyness Süße - Sweetness Salz - Salt In a well seasoned dish all of these 4 are represented. Never forgot that.

[@nillamichieli5678]

... und smaltz.

[@dannhagstrom586]

I appreciate all the science and the “why” of ingredients and processes. Great video; you obviously did your homework.

[@saratakkoush6109]

There's also a real difference in quality of ingredients!!! Whenever you make a salad with the exact same ingredients its not the same because they have specific vendors or farmers.. with better quality produce. We had a nanny once who taught us how to better buy lettuce for better flavor! Even at the farmer's market they're not all created equal.

[@ThatLadKev]

That's one of the first things he said

[@BuzzingGoober]

That's the biggest difference for sure. You can do all the things in this video but if it's terrible quality, it won't matter.

[@PbFoot]

thats not entirely true when it comes to produce. you can get the same quality ingredients at farmers markets as restaurants do, unless the chef grows their own produce. of course there is certain specialty produce that isnt available to the average consumer, because of various reasons, but thats a variety issue and not quality. as a matter of fact, some restaurants can be successful because they are able to transform cheaper, lower quality ingredients into something extraordinary.

[@Darmachakra]

Great explanation of the use of salt and oil :) But 240°C (450-475F) for 30-45min in most ovens with convection completely burns everything. Also I don't know any recipe that requires so much heat for such a long time. Normally you end with "for 2-5 min go to 250°C/480F for the crust". Anyone else has this experience or is it only my oven?

[@raykoNerD]

I was also really surprised by this. When I do 400F for 25 minutes my veggies (e.g. potato wedges, broccoli and cauliflower stems, asparagus, etc) are crisp with good browning. Any longer and they start to turn completely black...sometimes I even lower to 375F if I know I'm gonna be away from the oven for over 30 minutes. 450-475F for 40 minutes sounds like chicken thighs to me...

[@Pulapaws]

@@raykoNerD everybody oven different unless you have those expensive oven use in restaurants that beyond on point when it comes to heat even adjusting for height you on and humidity. People don’t have ovens like that and some people oven cook a good 20 degrees over what it says it cooking. You see with I am talking about if you pay a good oven temperature measurement and place it in your oven. Also some people oven cook beyond the temperature they set don’t use your oven temperature for the real temperature of your oven it usually always off unless again you got those super expensive ovens used in restaurants. I surprise he didn’t explain this in the video, you have to adjust your cooking time are just get your oven at the right temperature using a exterior measurement device.

[@dawildehoers5306]

30-45 minutes at 450 Fahrenheit works if you boiled the veggies beforehand. That’s how you make crispy potatoes with soft fluffy interiors.

[@billyfrickleman3212]

Love your content Ethan! I have had really good veggie results in my air fryer. Usually toss the veggies in olive oil, salt pepper, cook at 400 (or highest temp) for 10-15 minutes. Less oil goes a long way in the air fryer.

[@rudexuan]

This video really elevated my vegetable cooking skills to the next level. Went from simply stir-frying or steaming to trying out parboiling and oven heating. Kudos!

[@jazzy_taste]

You are absolutely right! We need a little oil to wrap the vegetables and keep the spices on it, not to bathe the vegetables in oil and say that we lead a healthy life because we eat a lot of vegetables. Very helpful tips!

[@Dehangus]

Not right, oil is very good as long as it's high quality! It will help you feel full, and olive oil is full of omega 3s. If you use vegetable oil... well don't. They're full of omega 6 fatty acids.

[@jazzy_taste]

By that logic, I should drink one bottle of oil a day because there are omega 3 and 6.

[@Dehangus]

@@jazzy_taste Clearly you just want to act stupid, so I'll put it in simple terms for you. Refined oils, omega 6, bad. EVOO, Omega 3, good.

[@sailingsinbad7899]

@@Dehangus oil has a lot of calories in it. There is nothing wrong with using oil, because as you said there are a lot of benefits of having oil in our food for both health and taste. But abusing oil is a sure way to eat way too many calories. As said in the video, use enough oil to coat your veggies, not to deep fry them. Moderation is key

[@Dehangus]

@@sailingsinbad7899 Eating too many calories WHILE eating high fat foods is almost impossible. Fat will make you feel so full you will not want to eat anymore. Carbs you can basically eat unlimited amounts and your body will not tell you to stop until its too late. So really don't worry about it, even deep frying can be fine using Avocado oil.

[@Kingfisher1215]

I enjoyed this immensely Ethan. And it confirmed a lot of what I’ve observed. I learned a lot. I’m sure any grandma watching this would say “duh, of course, I learned this from my grandma 50 years ago”. Ok, she might not say duh.

[@YuckyRory]

This illuminated many of the previous seasoning and roasting quirks I've been experiencing lately, thanks a ton! Super insightful. I'm hungry now.

[@JenniferMathew-gh2vf]

Chicken broth is very oily, and makes a nice base for brining vegetables. I like the tip of adding flavor after the roasting. If it's done while the vegetables are still warm, they soak up the flavor better than a cold basting. Thank you!

[@msskye5]

Re: frozen veggies (not leafy ones), I discovered that if you quickly thaw them with running water and put them through a salad spinner to remove the excess water, you can treat them like fresh veggies that are almost cooked. If you want them to be like steamed and still firm, toss them pre-thawed on medium-high heat in a skillet and turn/swirl/shake them for a few minutes, take off heat, then add ghee or olive oil or butter and salt and serve immediately. If you want roasted, coat pre-thawed veg in oil and salt and put in high heat oven like in the video, but for a much reduced time and keep an eye on them, and they will taste like they were fresh. Pre-thawed is perfect for stir-fry in a wok. Using from frozen always has too much water in it, especially broccoli (especially in the last yr as they seem to be as much ice as vegetable now...). I love fresh baby green peas cooked until hot, and pre-thawed just before cooking makes them just like as if I had picked and steamed them. I do this with green beans also. I've tried for yrs to make the frozen ones work, and they have always disappointed, but recently due to the frozen broccoli having such an absurd amount of water in it, I decided to thaw it to find out how much broccoli was actually there (it was 1/3rd less :/ Expensive water...), and prepare as usual but shorter time, and they were the best. Just as good as fresh when roasted. Different than fresh if steamed, of course, but still very light and not soggy or chewy. I don't cook veg from frozen anymore, unless I'm just adding to a stew.

[@cameronkabinoff9654]

Unfortunately, thanks to COVID - frozen veggies tend to be too much ice these days. Now that the stores are back to normal hours, they're getting back to normal, but when stores had shortened hours and lower staff, frozen veg tended to defrost while waiting to be put in the frozen cases, then would re-freeze once stocked, which essentially turns frozen veggies into a big block of ice. Also, freezing causes a little damage to the cell walls (which is why their texture is a bit different, and water will leach out of the vegetables - what you do keeps the texture as close as possible to fresh - btw, with frozen peas, if you're adding them TO something, add them right before you take whatever it is off the heat. I use frozen peas in risotto. You just want them warmed through, and not cooked. They come out vibrant green and have that texture where they pop in your mouth (like fresh peas do). Peas are amazing when fresh or frozen, and absolutely horrible when canned (or overcooked).

[@msskye5]

@@cameronkabinoff9654 Yes, I agree about the peas! The frozen blocks of berries were one of my least favourite grocery artifacts of the recent and ongoing situation, followed closely by ice blocks of peas and beans. Not to mention literal flies in the fresh produce section, everything still being sold at full prices+1.... Thanks for your reply, Cameron :)

[@catbat06]

As a vegetarian I always appreciate the occasions when you have a video that doesn't have meat as an integral element, but this is an absolute killer, thanks Ethan

[@aximila123]

Grew up pesketarian, and man. People really underestimate just how crazy well cooked veggies taste. Roasted veg especially slept on

[@andrew_koala2974]

Ethan us a hebrew name and is to be correctly pronounced phonetically Two syllabes ET ( as in GET _ and HAN Thus it is ET HAN not e-Than

[@robertkat]

I can't afford vegetables so now I only eat meat, just like the old days before land was cultivated. Eskimos and native Indians never ate vegetables. Unfortunately the vegetables you get from El Centro and California are sprayed with fungicide and pesticides. The worst ones are strawberries, spinach, lettuce.

[@YourMajesty143]

@@robertkat - There's no way meat is cheaper than vegetables. Meat is a luxury food that's so costly that it has to be subsidized by our government - and even with the subsidies, it's still expensive. Eggs and dairy have also climbed up in price. Unless you're talking about organic vegetables, which is unfair bc I doubt you're buying organic grass-fed meat (which is even more expensive than regular meat). Keep in mind that the animals you eat are fed grains that have been sprayed with fungicides and pesticides. They're also fed fish pellets that are filled with mercury and plastic. Even better is all the hormones, pharmaceutical drugs, and dietary supplements like B12 and omegas that they need since they're not eating grass. Your argument is contradicting the health claims you're insinuating. In fact, carcasses get so much rigor mortis, that they have to be hung for 3 days to accumulate bacterial slime to tenderize them. The slime is scraped off and tumors are removed. Ask any butcher how often they cut out tumors, you'd be surprised. In those 3 days, the meat has turned gray, so it needs to be pumped with carbon dioxide to make it red again. That's right, you're not eating fresh flesh. BTW the meat you eat is farmed, whereas Eskimos hunt whales and seals. They don't buy meat (bred in confinement) from a convenience store. They butcher their own food. So have Native Americans, who DID eat plant foods. Where did you think pilgrims learned how to harvest and farm vegetables from? How do you think they learned Thanksgiving side dishes like corn on the cob, succotash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, squash, beans, greens, and wild berry pudding? Have you never seen the Native's vegetable-filled Cornucopia Basket called "The Horn of Plenty"? It's a famous symbol of Thanksgiving, every first grader had to color it in during the fall school semester. You can't be that naive. Please tell me you're pulling our leg 😕

[@joblogos2367]

@@robertkat No one cares what the Eskimos ate, Robert.

[@davidjohnson5635]

Hey I want to say Tom Scott sent me your way with his weekly newsletter! I just tried your trick with some Brussels Sprouts and tater tots and they turned out so much more yummy! Tossing them in olive oil and salt really made a difference. To upscale the brussel sprouts I recommend wrapping them in bacon too! Very yummy.

[@cameronkabinoff9654]

instead of that, use a little bacon grease as your fat, or don't even bother with the bacon grease. pour a little balsamic reduction over the reoasted vegetables when they're done. that's pretty amazing.

[@emhooaryou698]

I LOVE this style of video. Other favorites include that noodle blueprint, the big salad video, the deli sub video, etc. Comprehensive guides on how to make and customize a TYPE of food, rather than a specific dish, are beyond helpful. Tons of fun thanks to the creativity they encourage, too!

[@gabi.a]

I'm legit obssesed with rosted veggies, and I'm happy to say I already use most of these tips :)

[@endlesummer_]

salt is literally life

[@briangardner7664]

As a Southern cook this is exactly how it's done, don't get veggie and healthy confused

[@voidroad]

veggies and healthy IN RESTAURANTS confused* veggies themselves are obviously healthy if you boil them at home

[@MNeathway]

@@voidroad roasting is healthier than boiling!

[@voidroad]

@@MNeathway not when you roast with oil

[@MNeathway]

@@voidroad Oil isn’t inherently unhealthy, and you can roast at home with a lot less than the restaurants use. Boiling leeches the vitamins from veg into the water

[@TheBeanHome]

I never wanted brussel sprouts as much s I do now.. those are huge and look so good.

[@ematise]

I experimented with fresh vegetables, and I found out that instead of parboiling in water it was easier to put them in the microwave for a few minutes with a little water in a covered container (not airtight) to heat and steam them from inside and start the cooking faster, before putting them in the oven or air fryer. I don't like to fill a pot of water and wait for the water to heat.

[@AJ213Probably]

I might try this with some sweet potatos. Boiling takes too long

[@Augnos]

This is exactly the kind of video I needed to see. I didn’t know frozen vegetables just needed a lot more time to become delicious!

[@newguy3588]

Why are you buying frozen veggies at all?

[@Arcticstar0]

@@newguy3588 Frozen vegetables retain most of their nutrition and don’t go off, which means you are less likely to have food waste but still get some decent nutrition. They can also be less time consuming to prepare since you don’t need to cut everything up. Sometimes I just microwave some for some low effort steamed veggies.

[@newguy3588]

@@Arcticstar0 Then buy fresh veggies and freeze them

[@pranaviyer1055]

@@newguy3588 Typically way more expensive. Not to mention that's less fresh. Also frozen veggies usually come pre-cut

[@roberthatcher2163]

I love your rational scientific approach to cooking. And quickies like this is great in times of ever growing to-do lists. Thank You

[@TheLifeOfChob]

I was a chef for 5 years and most of the time I don’t learn anything. But the tip for frozen broccoli is bang on. Never thought about trying that before 👌👌

[@ericfaulk2204]

For the salt, it's worth mentioning that different kinds of salt have different properties when it comes to their ability to adhere to food. Learning the appropriate time to use table salt vs. kosher salt vs. sea salt can make a considerable difference in the effective delivery of salt to the vegetable.

[@Mindyobusiness89]

Sea salt is the best

[@ericfaulk2204]

@@Mindyobusiness89 Why would that be the case?

[@Tigerodoes]

A killer method for great root vegetables is to dice them into forkable pieces, steam them in minimal water to al dente. Pour the broth to a container, add butter/oil and fry them, then pour in the broth and stir for a nice glaze keeping all the flavours in. Works every time! Very important to never lose flavour when boiling veggies.

[@Miller053]

I've found boiling green veg in salted water (peas, broccoli etc) toughens up the skin in an unpleasant way. I've stuck to adding salt to root vegetables only, and it's worked out fine.

[@dadfadasfsa]

Do you roast your green veggies? Most will just blanch green veggies in salt water and then finish them in the oven, doing so usually doesn't result in toughened skin. Personally, I will only cook peas by boiling them and if I do I don't salt I just use salted butter afterwards.

[@TinoMeerbusch]

Boiling green vegetables in salted water always results in a loss of color (example: spinach turns dark green/black). If you want green veggies, boil them in unsalted water and salt them afterwards.

[@lolilollolilol7773]

I prefer to precook them in a pressure cooker rather than in water.

[@TheLearningFilter]

So well done. Simple, clear, and entertaining presentation. Great info. Wonderful tips. Seems like a very accessible technique for a home chef. Thanks for sharing the knowledge.

[@johnnychopsocky]

When I got my air fryer, I initially thought it was for frozen nuggets or other finger food. And then I discovered what magic could happen with some halved Brussels Sprouts, some sprayed avocado oil, and a salty seasoning (Everything Bagel Seasoning, people. It's glorious on roasted veggies). My air fryer is now nearly exclusively a roasted veggie (and the occasional gyosa) delivery device .

[@jasonreed7522]

This explains the 1 recepie that makes me like cooked veggies (I'm a weirdo who prefers things like carrots and broccoli raw and crunchy). My mom puts oil, carrots, broccoli, (sometimes brussel sprouts) in an aluminum foil boat with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and places it on the grill. The end result is super good and sorta sweet. By your logic the reasons are: Swimming in oil, but thats the geometry of the foil. Salted to bring out seasons. Cooked hot and long. (Usually its a side for steak or hamburgers so its staying on the grill until the main dish is ready)

[@Scott-tq7ko]

I've much more often found restaurant food too salty rather than not salted enough.

[@lijohnyoutube101]

Exactly a large amount of restaurant food is so so so salty sometimes to the point of gagging. The absolute worse is many places put salt in cookies, ruins the entire taste. Keep salt out of cookies it makes them super nasty!

[@pippa3150]

Oh I disagree! I live in Mexico now and they don't seem to put salt in their desserts. All I taste is the fat!

[@kinglionex4888]

@@lijohnyoutube101 your palate just seems to not like salt, the reason restaurant food tastes so salty to you is because the average palate, aka the vast majority of costumers, enjoy salty food. I looove salty food but don’t enjoy things that are too sweet, cake frosting for instance, but most people will devour cake frosting by the bucket full.

[@TheCuriousOrbs]

We're all different and all percieve saltiness and sweetness differently.

[@OOOOOOOKKKKKKK69]

@@lijohnyoutube101 There's salt in pretty much every single baking dish and ice cream ;-)

[@ChristianJoachim]

Question: Will roasted vegetables be seasoned by just throwing a sprig of rosemary on the sheet pan like you did with the carrots? I always thought you'd have to tear or cut up any herbs and toss the vegetables in them. If this works, why does it? Is it due to volatile oils from the herbs becoming airborne within the oven and coating the vegetables this way?

[@LPFan33]

I want to know this too. I see so often pictures where the sprigs are placed like that, but I always image its just bullshit to get a nice looking picture, can't imagine it imparts much flavour on the surrounding food..

[@divx1001]

Actually rosemary gets bitter when you cook it at high temperatures or for long periods of time. That's why it's always better not to tear it because it could tarnish the taste of the finished dish. Rosemary is fine in sprigs and you remove them after cooking, so you don't have to bite on a bitter herb. Also, rosemary is very strong in flavour to the point that it can easily ruin flavour of meats and some milder vegetables, so it's a better idea to not impart as much rosemary flavour by trying to mix it into your dish. Usually thyme is fine to rip up and throw in the dish but with herbs you gotta be a bit careful because they burn really easily.

[@RAGEAlanBun]

I’d be interested to see specific data on how much more unhealthy it is to cook vegetables the way they do in restaurants. They may use a lot of oil but at the same time you’re not eating all that oil, although more oil will undoubtedly be getting absorbed into the food. Would be very interested to see specifics to see if you can cook these dishes and specifically be able to say “this restaurant quality dish has X% more fat than these healthier home versions.” Similar point with salt. I absolutely love broccoli where you par-boil quickly in salted water, put in the oven with a bit of salt and oil and bake it on high to get it nice and crispy. However I always worry I’m eating and using too much salt, but it’s hard to tell exactly how much of the salt I’m adding to the water actually gets into the final product I’m eating and how much is fine without being too salty or unhealthy.

[@kaelwd]

Fat isn't unhealthy, eating too many calories is.

[@RAGEAlanBun]

@@kaelwd I wouldn’t fully agree with that. Yes fat is an essential part of your diet, and yes a calorie deficit or surplus is what causes you to lose or gain weight respectively, but fat still contains calories. 1Tbsp of olive oil is about 120 Kcal, so if you’re using and eating more oil, then you may be eating less food which contains more beneficial micronutrients for your body. Some saturated fats are also undoubtedly unhealthy in that they can increase cholesterol and heart problems. For example you could make a 600 Kcal meal with chicken, veg and a dipping sauce, or you could eat 600 Kcal of salt and oil alone. I’m pretty sure would try to convince you that they are both equally as healthy. What I’m really trying to understand is exactly how much oil you consume when you deep fry something compared to grilling it with a light bit of oil on it? If I use 1 litre of oil to deep fry a batch of chips, compared to cooking them in the oven with a tsp of oil rubbed over them, I’m obviously not eating that full 1 litre of oil, but it’s hard to know exactly how much of that oil used for frying is entering the finished product. Are you still consuming 1tsp of oil, 1Tbsp or more? That’s where I think the uncertainty lies. The same with salt. If I parboil broccoli in heavily seasoned water, what is the rate of osmosis for the salt actually being absorbed into the food. It might seem pedantic but it’s about trying to find that right balance between making nice tasting but still reasonably healthy food.

[@ArisenMind]

@@RAGEAlanBun Brilliantly stated