J. Kenji López-Alt Answers Cooking Questions From Twitter | Tech Support | WIRED

[@ArmandoJF33]

Wow this guy is very articulate. He should have his own KZbin channel.

[@kjdude8765]

I bet he could write some Award Winning Cook Books too!

[@TorgHIra]

I would watch his videos as if I were Remy on top of Alfredo

[@fictionsoreal]

He does and has been an editor for Eater for forever. If ya were being sarcastic I'm sorry if I misunderstood

[@kjdude8765]

@@fictionsoreal It was sarcasm, but it's tough to get it across with just text.

[@fanboy5272]

He should get a dog as well, and name it Shabu.

[@GeoffCano]

His answers are so quick and concise yet we all know this man could go on for 15 mins with each question all while citing research papers. Look up his egg boiling video. Kenji does not mess around.

[@ezgolf1764]

The ole cherry tomato adage

[@SusanIvanova2257]

@@ezgolf1764 was about to say, each of these 15 minute segments would absolutely contain a tangent either about cherry tomatoes or radially cutting onions

[@patrickhogue1906]

Definitely look up the egg video. I had a parent who was allergic to eggs and didn't learn to cook them until I was married to someone who loves them. It helps a lot.

[@ezgolf1764]

@@SusanIvanova2257 I should so make a copypasta of it, it’s iconic

[@stillTK]

@@ezgolf1764 “it’s cause of the square cubed law”

[@toin9898]

Baking soda for roast potatoes is the ultimate cooking hack. Kenji's roasted potato recipe is absolutely addictive. I have to account for about a 30% loss factor as I snack on them during prep...

[@Ceb773]

For real. I worked at a resto doing weddings and employed Kenji's recipe for the roast 'taters and they *never* ever survived past service. They would be summarily devoured by the front of house staff (and myself) immediately after service

[@maya-mu3ce]

i’ve had to double the yield every time i make this for my family since they fight over it

[@joeyricefried9621]

Agreed. Always come back to it when I have a bunch of potatoes.

[@SquishyMon]

Best roast potatoes I’ve ever had

[@MariaBareiss]

You all have me convinced that I'm making potatoes tonight. I. I gotta go find this video!!!

[@0Enigmatic0]

Kenji is the absolute GOAT, his channel made cooking so much more accessible. Seeing everything without cuts (and not already in small premeasured bowls) is so huge

[@PepperPeaches-n3h]

I never knew he had a channel. Gonna go find it!

[@ipungipung90]

2:16 the way he said that he knows how to butcher a chicken is somehow sooo wholesome, almost like a kid about to retell his/her favourite story ahaha

[@maxturgeon89]

It's so weird to see Kenji cook without the usual POV camera XD

[@MrAledro84]

And late night grilled cheese

[@PepperPeaches-n3h]

I'm going to go find his channel now!

[@vinceb8041]

This guy is awesome, I love how his language is technical, yet to the point and dynamic. Like listening to an extremely articulate scientist/doctor giving a lecture.

[@CW95981]

Well his dad and grandfather lectured and were scientists

[@UnclePhil73]

This is why a good cook impresses me. They have to be half scientist, half artist. You have to know how chemicals and food interact so you know the outcome of the food. But you also just have to know what looks, smells, and tastes good.

[@PepperPeaches-n3h]

I feel that way about baking, too. I love the science of it!

[@alex_and_er_g]

Nice to see Kenji with a camera pointed at him, instead of on top of him! An absolute genius, and forever grateful for his ability to translate cooking into science and back into basic understanding for all in such style - what a treasure

[@eric_welch]

I'm an NB pal and wow did I never know how much being recognized would matter. Thanks :)

[@RainbowJesusChavez]

I was realizing my own identity during the lockdowns at the same time I discovered his content and it made me feel really welcome and seen immediately

[@vermis13]

Holy crap what a great Wired Wednesday. The man, the myth, the legend!

[@leapintothewild]

🤩 I've been a huge fan since his Serious Eats days! First nerdy cook I ever knew who openly tested almost every possible method and ingredient, shared all the steps and results with lots of text and photos, fully explained the WHY of it all, and then the resulting perfect recipe. I've collected SO MANY of his recipes over the years in my huge 3-ring binder of favorites.

[@tao3878]

It always amazes me how much nuance to cooking he understands not only the food sciences but technique to use the food sciences in your favor

[@grambottle033]

Kenji's the reason I'm a good cook today, and I actually knew most of the answers he gave here, which feels really good. Corn starch on rice for frying was definitely a new one!

[@BuzzLiteBeer]

Kenji assumed the person asking about radiative heat transfer isn't confusing it with nuclear radiation.

[@kjdude8765]

Closest thing would be cooking in the Microwave.

[@ureehueurv]

I mean at his point that probably looks incredibly obvious

[@colina1330]

I have that exact whetstone. I can now die a happy man. Also, that "baking soda potato" trick is the only way I make roasted potatoes since I learned about it. Total game changer.

[@nimzipow]

Kenji is the kind of chef I’ve been searching for my entire life! His scientific approach speaks to me, so glad I’ve found his channel!

[@wolfingitdown2047]

Man I love hearing this man talk about food.

[@devonmcintyre9476]

He's a great teacher/writer. I felt that everything was so edited though, like he didn't catch a breath

[@williamvouk2911]

I love how many of these questions I was able to answer myself, and it’s because Kenji himself has taught me this info in his other content!

[@JoonOhMars]

The “me!” at 2:17 is the cutest thing that makes Kenji so unique

[@kluaoha]

2:07 Ah yes, they are called "steamed hams", very popular in Albany, New York.

[@mmustafamalik84]

This man literally thought a whole gernation how to cook and that before been the whole youtube stuff an absolute gem and Titan of the industry

[@justinrill2483]

Kenji is the best

[@aboutaljon]

When cooking fried rice, it is best to use a day-old rice or at least what's left overnight for asian household. Fried rice, I believe, was invented to better consume the day old rice since it is hard so somewhat, it's a way of reheating while adding more flavor. In the Ph, we do also cook garlic rice as well. Mince the garlic, let it brown, add rice, and add salt to taste.

[@wavys2543]

I love this guy for sure, most straightforwardly knowledgeable celebrity chef out there

[@waugsqueke]

I worked at a meat packing plant once. On the cuts of beef line, the would run the beef in the trays through a spray of water and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) before it was sealed over in nitrogen. This kept the beef nice and red looking.

[@anilachar323]

I saw a German TV (DTV) program on the same thing, about using some Nitrogen compound to keep the sausage meat red and photogenic. There was some hue and cry about that, and the fact that this Nitrogen compound was getting into the consumers' gut. Seems that normal mince meat is brownish in color, but Advertising demands that it look a 'healthy pink'.

[@lianparsons-thomason2575]

Kenji is just the best! He’s so smart and savvy, I could listen to him talk about food forever.

[@WhoWantsCake98]

The "how much water for rice" question was very true. I prefer Basmati rice and it requires significantly more water than plain white rice to get its elongated shape (at least in the rice cooker that I'm using). i have to use nearly 50% more water than standard rice to get it to cook properly.

[@OrdinaryEXP]

Speaking of baking soda, it also keeps leafy vegetables green during blanching. When leafy green is cooked in water, organic acids in plant cells leaches into water and turns chlorophyll into a yellow compound called pheophytin; this reaction could be prevented by neutralising leached acid with baking soda.

[@oOOoOphidian]

I know it's just a small thing but hearing him intro like that unabashedly is really great.

[@emmashot5036]

I've never seen someone describe sausage with so much passion- makes me wanna go fry some lol

[@anilachar323]

Bring this man on, at least once a year! And our questions will still keep coming !

[@discgolfwes]

J. Kenji is the best

[@Sam_YT_Handles_Blow]

Seeing Kenji in Wired vid was completely unexpected but undoubtedly a pleasant surprise. Really enjoyed it, as well as the advice about soda in pasta. Now i only wonder about how much soda to add to the pasta to see improvement but not overdo it

[@redfullmoon]

That's actually a trick Japanese expats use when they have no access to good ramen noodles, they boil spaghetti noodles with baking soda. There might be some pointers on Google.

[@legochickenguy4938]

The role of myoglobin is to store oxygen that muscles can use btw. That's why muscles that are used for long periods of time are more red (i.e. why duck and goose meat is red, because they fly for long distances, while chicken meat isn't, because they just flap their wings for a few seconds).

[@susieusmaximus5330]

So for chickens (and turkeys), their legs and thighs are the muscles they use most, and are thus the "dark meat". Thanks, now I finally understand that!

[@legochickenguy4938]

@@susieusmaximus5330 precisely

[@Beaneabean]

Lmao I love how Im in med school and I have no idea what myogiblin is.

[@halfling_barista]

Yet another reminder why we love this person. Thank you!

[@cinemaocd1752]

Kenji's former employer, Cooks Illustrated, ironically recommends stir frying in a large non-stick frying pan. I feel like he made the right choice going off on his own. I love his youtube channel.

[@terrypogue]

Love his clear explanations. Ive been cooking for 80 years and kenji teaches me Everytime I watch his videos.

[@LikeBOOMCA]

I love how he used his own cookbooks as a laptop stand haha

[@tamarap.2443]

i swear kenji is a cooking wizard, love his channel and i love all his videos

[@--sql]

There is so much love for Kenji on the internet. Not only is he an absolute master chef, his fans are so wholesome and positive.

[@donaldbotsai5799]

quick, easy, direct. its what i love about kenji he simplifies, not confuses

[@patti6194]

When I was a kid, I always chose the back when we had fried chicken, and the oysters were definitely the highlight!

[@oliverjamesspicer]

Casual masterclass on anything we might care to ask him. Amazing 👏

[@arjunramachandran4141]

KZbin's food God is finally getting the recognition he deserves and everyone's all here for it!! :D Got his book out, finally collabed with Andrew Rae (Babish), and now this...can't wait for what's next. :) Brilliant stuff Kenji.

[@williamwells434]

The very first words out of his mouth already had me happy

[@lilrobbie2k]

Kenji is so great - his "Food Lab" book is the most interesting cookbook you will ever read

[@daoyang223]

I know this guy. I went to high school with his older brothef J Kenji Lopez Main

[@megabigblur]

In case anybody's still confused about the radiation thing, infrared radiation is what you get if you go past the red end of the rainbow, it's emitted by hot objects like the heater in your oven or ceramic room heaters. If you go even further past that, you get microwaves and radio. I think the original question was confused because she thought "radiation" only meant the dangerous kinds. Ultraviolet radiation is kind of self explanatory, it's what you get if you go past the purple end of the rainbow. A little bit past visible violet is harmless ultraviolet like in blacklights, but further past that is higher energy ultraviolet that gives you sunburn and skin cancer. Past that is X rays and gamma rays which are even more dangerous. Nuclear radiation also includes high energy subatomic particles which can also kill you. (why cancer radiotherapy requires highly trained doctors so they just hit the cancer and not the rest of you)

[@leparraindufromage366]

People do tend to confound the word 'radiation' with only harmful radiation types like nuclear radiation. Doesn't help that vernacular describes cooking food in a microwave oven as 'nuking' even though it's an entirely different physical process

[@leo_dr8198]

This guy is a cooking scientist! So impressed with his level of knowledge 😮

[@m_anne7860]

Every minute of this video is a gem! I’ve learned a lot and you explain the “WHYs” so well ✊🏼 You’re awesome!

[@margaretehahn4678]

I can just feel he has his life together

[@rubenvargas3047]

Kenji is the defintely the best on the KZbin cooking scene, everything is so well explained and he knows how to bring his knowledge to a level the majority would be able to understand.

[@rickwrites2612]

He has such a look of delight when he smiles

[@teriyakitaki]

Beautifully done. Continuously one of my favorite food authorities.

[@thelauraby]

Just adding to the love for Kenji here. A treasure 💝

[@nd6274]

please more of this guy!

[@jayteet.8204]

The "not opening" the pot while cooking rice is something my grandma always reminds us to do. She says that when it comes to rice, you should never rush it. Always be patient and you will be rewarded with the best rice everytime you cook it.

[@Longhiter333]

the guy is a national treasure at this point

[@buffster948]

Just bought a proper wok and this video has really helped me understand how to use it properly. Thank you! Amazing and articulate.

[@alisaishere]

I hope you know he's an award winning cookbook author and just released a book about woks and wok cooking.

[@buffster948]

@@alisaishere I didn't know that! Brilliant. Thank you for that. :D

[@unkindguy88]

"our bodies are hardwired to like foods that are nutrient dense" - uncle roger is right! MSG king of flavor!

[@brianng8350]

Amazing wealth of information and very articulate without being boring.

[@rutentoot]

Awesome, ,Kenji is the man! He and Alton Brown are my heroes, need more of this content

[@sleekslayerz]

So much information in one video. Thoroughly enjoyed it didn’t know the guy up until now. He should do more videos on techniques and skills. Thank you and Wired.

[@colina1330]

His KZbin channel is full of useful cooking tips. Check it out.

[@Goodzz]

I love these support videos. Kenji is the man.

[@treet2888]

Kenji, upload more on your channel please. More midnight cooking.

[@PeaceMastah]

Kenji: Some people like steamed burgers. Don’t give me steamed burgers. Mr. Skinner: 😮

[@alisaishere]

Those are steamed hams, not steamed burgers. HUGE difference Superintendent Chalmers.

[@Bl1ndarknes]

This dude's so smart I freakin love watching anything he does because I'm always listening and learning (or at least learning momentarily and attempting to remember)

[@MIG106]

So weird seeing him these days without a GoPro on his forehead! Kenji, this was an excellent segment - should do something similar semi-regularly :)

[@nicholascase371]

My first thought when the video began is that he should have done the interview with his GoPro and just be looking in a mirror

[@LeBeautiful]

The wok is just a flex, and has more style too.

[@hassangroof]

14:12 in the Middle East we use baking soda now to make modern and quick date cakes, since the date paste has to be thin and added into the cake,and it used to take a while in the old days but with baking soda that process is much faster

[@gaussmanv2]

The effect of salt concentration is modified by when the salt was added. salt that has had a chance to distribute through a piece of food is going to present much differently than putting salt on at the end. what's good about salting early and letting it redistribute, is that you're less likely to over salt things. excess salt is rejected along with excess moisture. these things also help with getting a crispy crust.

[@justinrill2483]

cool dude. been to his beer + brats place in San Mateo many times, one of my favorite spots in the area

[@fab9db]

I can't believe they had Kenji saying "chow oyinbo nyash" lmfaoooooo - I will never recover ☠

[@SlimeSolo]

dawg i was like they not gon catch that lol

[@moimeself1088]

What a great video! Answered questions I never knew I needed answers to! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👌🏾

[@KelilaBennet]

Guys, gals, and non binary pals is PERFECTION. I love it. Also I loved how thorough and informative all the answers were. I've got a new chef to follow!

[@trogdor20X6]

get ready to go down the deep, deep rabbit hole of Kenji's content

[@austin5801]

You’ve got a lot of content of his to go through. He’s one of the most knowledgeable chefs out there. Even his simple recipes like “scrambled eggs” has a lot of depth in the video.

[@bja009]

LOOK AT MEEEEEE

[@matt1fat]

Just wanted to clarify that when Kenji says the rice should be dry before frying, the rice has been cooked first…I know this is common sense, but I’ve seen the video on Kay’s Cooking channel of her “fried rice” and apparently it’s not always clear. Don’t be like Kay, cook your rice.

[@catwiesel_81]

all the ancestors crying. she made him put his leg down!

[@a2rhombus2]

Already smiling 10 seconds in, love this guy

[@noorkhabbaz]

love the integration of science principles behind various cooking techniques

[@ohboi9578]

There isn’t a single food-related youtuber who hasn’t mentioned Kenji

[@jasminvomwalde7497]

I love his nail colors 😍

[@ellas8129]

💜✨omfg that opening!

[@PepperPeaches-n3h]

Great video, great guy! I love to cook and still learned a lot. Thank you!

[@BeantownMrs]

Ah so that's where the chicken oysters are! I always have read descriptions, but I'm a visual learner so this was very helpful!

[@bonos]

---my top cooking writer/chef since his Serious Eats days, glad he is still sharing his knowledge

[@vincentrecto8794]

I'm convinced this man invented cooking

[@nickm.5931]

K. Lenji Jopez Walt is a smart cookerman. My family has followed his wise advice for GENERATIONS... Thank you, Jimmy. We love us some good food.

[@MartinDeHill]

Yassss Kenjiiiiiiiiii!! I've been promised your books for my birthday :D

[@bluefoz]

Kenji the Legend! Please bring him back again and again and again

[@mouaragon2774]

Can we get a part 2 soon? This was really useful. Maybe some advice about preparing soy meat

[@andreic8498]

This is a smart guy yet so modest

[@JonathanKayne]

I'm a simple man. I see a video with Kenji Lopez-Alt and I click

[@jorellelouis1551]

I LOVE THE INCLUSIVITY

[@nancyb3488]

Kenji is an excellent science communicator!

[@rantsandfaves]

Hearing J Kenji Lopez-Alt say Oyinbo Nyash has made my day! 😂😂😂

[@GrahamCrannell]

for anybody struggling to butcher a whole chicken, it's going to take several attempts before you get it quick and effective like Kenji

[@Cadychan]

I actually Favourite'd this vid so I can look at it for reference. I'm not too good at butchering a whole chicken... Yet.

[@apetogetherstrong6600]

btw a good pair of kitchen scissors can used for butcher a whole chicken, not the prettiest, quickest or effective but it works

[@GrahamCrannell]

@@apetogetherstrong6600 - definitely 👍 especially for removing the backbone. spatchcocking is super easy with a good set of shears

[@susieusmaximus5330]

Yeah, but it's not hard, really, it just takes a little practice.

[@alisaishere]

@@susieusmaximus5330 This is exactly it! In culinary school, they would just plop three or four chickens a day on your station during the meat/butchery class. After the second day, it's pretty much ingrained in you and the rest is just perfecting the skill so you get an A+ when you do it for exams. Granted, I wouldn't recommend that many chickens at a time, unless you have a vacuum sealer and are prepared to freeze them.

[@drumsR4girls]

Loved the walk-through on butchering a whole chicken! I think that will help me struggle less during Thanksgiving dinner... haha

[@randomuser5237]

His last tip about rice cooking is what I've been using for a long time after much trial and error. Irrespective of the opinions of many other youtube channels and self-appointed authorities on rice cooking, you don't actually need a rice cooker to get perfect rice.

[@kjdude8765]

Sure, you don't need it but it's easier and much more fool proof.

[@susieusmaximus5330]

Speaking as someone didn't use a rice cooker for 40 years but recently had one given to me, no, you don't need them, but man, are they easier. I use it all the time now.

[@DevideNull]

If you only use a fixed source of rice, that's fine. If you need to process different rice, the rice cooker allows you to obtain relatively perfect results without precise adjustments.

[@itsthebrod]

And you don't need a car to travel a long distance. But boy is it easier with one.

[@YourMajesty143]

It gets even better when you realize you can cook other grains, oats, beans, yogurt, meats, and even cake in it! Rice cookers aren't just for rice, they're incredible at retaining the perfect amount of moisture and distributing heat evenly throughout.

[@BIGDaddy504]

For the wok, show the hack where you can take off the center piece flame diffuser to get the biggest flame while woking

[@RexGalilae]

Never clicked faster on a WIRED vid