Master of Heat: Samin Nosrat vs. Kenji López-Alt

Master of Heat: Samin Nosrat vs. Kenji López-Alt
Review of the Heat Chapter in Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat on Amazon:
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Kenji López-Alt's the Food Lab Column on Seriouseat.com:
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[@Anand-qb1wp]

"We've been beating them for most of human history so why stop now?" Helen, your advice and delivery is exquisite. Honestly, it's annoying when people pull out their old family recipe from a hundred years ago as if it's the final word on cooking that dish. We don't have the same ingredients. It seems more of an excuse to never understand why the recipe works.

[@aonutsihasnouith]

that line was so vicious.

[@cristrivera]

You are right, I prefer the Kenji approach using thermometer. After I bought my thermapen it changed everything, from steaks to breads. Two game changers in the kitchen: a kitchen scale and a instant thermometer. Thanks Helen👍🏻

[@helenrennie]

Amen to thermapen and a scale :)

[@mnamous9823]

Amen! The instant-read thermometer and kitchen scale are two things that allow my cooking to be infinitely more precise, and therefore better. Another tool that has revolutionized my cooking (at least of some proteins) is an immersion circulator. Absolute game-changing! I wish Helen had discussed sous vide in this video, as it’s the most precise method of cooking a great steak, and it is discussed in The Food Lab. She does have separate videos on the sous vide method, however.

[@Aaron-kj8dv]

I feel like using a thermometer also builds up your intuition. Last time I made a steak I was making it the same way I always do and I noticed it looked more cooked earlier than usual so I used a thermometer and it was just starting to get to medium doneness so I took it off. If I was doing it the same as always I still had like 3 minutes left to cook it but using a thermometer in the past made it so I can recognize when it's finished by look.

[@cdmurray88]

Full disclaimer* I am a line cook With that out of the way, I highly recommend a good digital thermometer. I have enough experience to cook steak/chops/burgers by intuition, but while I was learning that intuition, the thermometer was key. Not all steaks/chops/burgers feel the same at the same temperature, so if you do enough cooking to learn the intuition, start with a thermometer, and feel your product at the same time. It's not really intuition, it's muscle memory. I still use a thermometer for chicken every time. Not so much to make sure it's safe (though very important), but more to make sure not to over cook it.

[@madthumbs1564]

Did you catch that she addressed us as if we're all 'home cooks'? Intuition saves us sometimes, and a thermometer saves us sometimes.

[@dannycrescent3141]

And Sous Vide saves when all others fail.

[@helenrennie]

This is so eye opening! I had no idea that some of my viewers cook for a living. I bet I could learn so much from you guys. I've only worked in a restaurant as s prep cook a few times a week for 1 year. I am totally with Christopher Murray. it's not intuition, it's muscle memory.

[@bushputz]

@@helenrennie I think you'd be surprised to learn how many professional cooks subscribe to your channel. I'm a production cook with about 15 years kitchen experience. A lot of your content doesn't cover new material for me, but I've learned a lot of little tips and techniques from you. Thank You. When I'm cooking, I will throw something in the oven and take note of the time. For most items, I know about how long they take to cook, so I rely on my internal timer, but I always use a thermometer to verify doneness. I am squarely in the thermometer camp. I use one at least 20 times a day. I don't have time to wait 15 seconds for a reading, so I'd be lost without my Thermapen.

[@diane4071]

#realcomment I've been cooking since I was about 13, now am 72, never too old to learn new things and correct what I have been cooking the wrong way. I enjoy your videos, Helen, if I lived in the Boston area, I would take your classes.

[@priayief]

Interesting discussion. I've been cooking steaks for years - mostly BBQ. I've never felt confident using the "intuitive" method. Maybe if I was using a grill that I've used for years (and learned the hot and cold spots) and cooked steaks of commonly similar thickness, could I produce a steak that was perfectly cooked. Several months ago I saw a rather experienced and credible chef using an instant-read thermometer to cook their streak. This got me thinking that I should finally "capitulate" and use a meat thermometer. After some research I found a high-quality, instant-read thermometer and started using it. Finally! Predictability! My stubbornness was motivated by my belief that any worthy chef could cook their meat using an intuitive approach. I didn't want to admit that I was unable to do the same. I know that's silly.

[@madthumbs1564]

I'd cook chicken on a char-broiler that I prepped 6 hours a day using intuition, then I might help out at the grill for their grilled chicken sandwich (and I'd need a thermometer, but the grill cook wouldn't). Both intuition and thermometers can fail, so having both is good if possible.

[@helenrennie]

Yes, I agree that you often need both. Particularly when dealing with pieces of meat that are uneven or not too thick or too thin. Those are the worst! I try to buy either really thick (and go with a thermometer) or really thin and just sear both sides as quick as possible, but when it's in the middle, there is some 6th sense involved.

[@Flatunello]

I originally saw this video when you first published it. I bought Kenji's book immediately and (I am an engineer by profession, of course. LOL) began studying gastronomic science. Understanding thermal transfer, specific heat, and how fast heat moves from surface to interior for different types of food really gives you an understanding (qualitatively, if not quantitatively) which foods need less oven time relative to pan time. He really keys in on these concepts without getting too technical. Another similar book is the Cooks Illustrated book, The Science of Good Cooking. When you get the reasons for giving up on the old wive's tales (really, old chef's tales) like searing meat keeps in juices, you can free yourself from bad technique and become more creative. I have learned a lot, and boy does my wife love it! So do I, it saved my health and allowed me to lose 90 lbs. over 12 mos. and lose a diagnosis of diabetes!

[@mohamedorayith4626]

Lost diagnosis of diabetes? amazing, god bless you! My father is struggling from it too (type 2), so any advise or tips would be really helpful

[@nikkiwooden7876]

My dad's an engineer with no interest in cooking, but I gave him my copy of 'Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat' before I even finished it because I knew he'd find the scientific explanations and illustrations fascinating, and I was right. I haven't read Kenji's book yet, but sounds like my dad would enjoy it even more.

[@leeannsolice7473]

O Wow. I’ve been a home cook for 30+ years and this explains everything. Lol - As a new/moderately experienced cook, I always felt that my done-ness errors were due to my lack of good timing or poor focus, but this clarifies things! Over 30+ years of making steak, I have developed the “intuition” (which I think is more accurately termed experience) to feel the difference between rare/medium/medium-well etc. But now as I wish I could go back in time to use Kenji’s methods on many of my dishes. We ate a lot of almost raw or shoe-leather meat in the early years! Lol

[@yay-cat]

Ha! I bought both books about 6 months ago. Then I bought another 6 or 8 books on cooking theory. I think I might like food science more than cooking.... But I'm glad I found your KZbin channel - have big plans to practice knife skills this weekend :)

[@helenrennie]

Good luck with your knife skills practice. Let me know if you have any questions once you give it a shot.

[@FoodieFindings]

I love what you're doing in your videos. They're so fantastic from a conceptual and presentation standpoint. I hope someday you get more subscribers than Adam Ragusea and Babish and all those guys.

[@russell28533]

#realcomment I love your channel Helen. You are such a natural in front of the camera and I love your subtle humor too. Please keep up the excellent work.

[@MegaKemper]

I enjoy your clear-headed viewpoints of cooking. I came from a scientific background, and I found Kenji's columns a gamechanger for me in the kitchen. Keep up the great videos.

[@jimmyrrpage]

I absolutely adore the Food Lab book. I have used that book already so many times, for both recipes and techniques. His column, of course, is amazing as well, though. That said... for something like fish, you're right... intuition can work. But for a steak especially, I refuse to rely on it. Now, admittedly, I'm not a professional chef. This sounds counter-intuitive, but I'm honestly afraid that if I were to go the pro route, the stress of working in a kitchen would turn me off cooking... I absolutely adore working with food, but I also have extremely high anxiety... the stress when working at Teavana *almost* turned me off tea, and I had a loose-leaf tea obsession for years before that (I'm slowly working on reigniting that passion, because loose-leaf tea is still delicious). So I'm, at best, an amateur who cooks more for myself than anyone else. So obviously my opinion is going to be filtered through that lense. I simple don't have the skill or experience necessary to trust my own intuition. As a result, I kind of I lean on Kenji's scientific approach to working with food. I know cooking isn't *supposed* to be an exact science like baking, but I wish it was treated that way more often, because I love being able to guarantee consistent results every time I make something I love. Kenji (and Serious Eats in general, honestly) offers me that.

[@gmmeier321]

Interesting video since i just recently became aware of both of your pro’s. Love them both, and you nailed it in your description.

[@geofflusk]

I tried your preferred (Kenji's) steak the other evening, first slowly heating it on a rack in the oven to 95 degrees and then browning it in the frying pan to finish. Disappointed! It is difficult to quantify where the steak fell short because while the doneness was correct the texture and flavour wasn't as "meaty" as when I grill my steaks outside. Taste is a subjective experience and maybe Samin's more subjective criteria for cooking is more satisfying to my senses than Kenji's more exact scientific methods. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy and appreciate the lessons you so generously share on your KZbin channel. Keep up the good work.

[@MARILYNANDERSON88]

The practice of allowing steaks to come to unsafe room temp for uniform cooking was deemed unhealthy and a better practice not proposed until now. This excellent practice of placing the steaks in a safe temp preheated oven until a uniform temperature, then browning is very safe and assures the steaks are a uniform temperature before browning. EXCELLENT!

[@markoschatziathanasiou6754]

Agree. Reverse searing and checking with a thermometer is the best method, takes more time but it is way easier and more foolproof.

[@pscheidt]

#realcomment I use a waterproof, needle-thin thermometer probe (ThermoWorks) in anything that goes in the oven. Set the alarm for just below the correct doneness and walk away. Everything cooks perfectly. Of course, I usually use sous vide for fish, chicken parts and steaks.

[@Rdasboss]

#realcomment my food influences go, Alton brown, then Kenji, and now i'm happy to have you up there. You're great and i love your practical advice. I also have a sub to cooks illustrated, but mainly as a starting point for my recipes. Thanks

[@madthumbs1564]

Ph can affect browning. Some thermometers read at the tip, some have a dimple to indicate where it reads, and some have an area including the tip. People should be aware how to calibrate, and when to calibrate. It's good to have both intuition and a thermometer but intuition takes time. I was confident cooking chicken I prepped on a char-broiler w/o a thermometer 6 hours a day, but when I switched stations to cook for a grill I'd need some adjustment. Oh, and Kenji makes Samin look like an amateur.

[@jojomaniakos_]

Thanks for the insights, Helen. Great video, as always!

[@alienknives4478]

Thank you so much ... I have for years used both methods some times both at the same time ... 😎

[@chemmii]

Kenji...hands down...accurate means of testing is always the best and safest way to insure repeatable results

[@neilmunro6683]

Delia Smith is one of the most influential home cooks and writers in the UK. Similar to Martha Stewart in the USA. I have all her books and cookery courses.

[@comesahorseman]

Samin probably has a point. More & more, I'm learning to judge foods doneness by smell; when it smells really good and it's somewhat close to the recipe cook time, it's likely done....at least for me. Who really got me started cooking? The great Ken Hom!

[@MsJavaWolf]

I was never able to cook good steaks consistently by just touching them. Reverse sear is definitely the best way I have tried so far, might try sous vide at some point, maybe that will be even better.

[@madthumbs1564]

It's a good skill as thermometers aren't always right.

[@mnamous9823]

Sous vide will absolutely revolutionize your steak game. Same beautiful doneness throughout the steak, instead of grey overdone meat with a thin band of juicy medium-rare (for example) in the center. Probably the least precise variable when I cook steaks these days is the seasoning! And you can do cool things like transform a tougher, cheaper cut such as chuck to rival the most tender filet. It’s like alchemy. And there’s way less stress; you have a massive window of time during which your meat will be ready for searing (the final step) but unable to overcook if left for longer.

[@ThePatryn0]

I use sous vide occasionally. It is great for that accuracy. I like to cook thicker steaks to about 129, seasoned with salt. I then pull them, pat them dry, then sit them in the fridge for an hour to cool down. When I am ready to cook, I preheat my cast iron, generally to about medium, add some oil, then throw the steak in. While it's cooking on the bottom, I use my searzall on the top. I flip every 30 seconds for about 2 mins, or when I've formed a nice crust. Season with pepper towards the end of the cooking, and/or do a butter baste. Pull, rest for 2 mins, then slice. Sprinkle some finishing salt. It's pretty great.

[@markyoung1566]

I've cooked steaks, usually on the grill (but not always) my entire life and I got pretty good at it. Consistently, I could bring a nice steak to the table at something at or close to the desired doneness. BUT, it took/takes focus and a good deal of experience with differing cuts. The reverse sear is very forgiving, especially if you use a probe thermometer that you can monitor from outside the oven. I wouldn't bother with thinner steaks, but once you go thicker with the meat, if you don't have sous vide, this is the way to go for anyone. The special benefit of reverse sear or sous vide is that when entertaining, you can focus on your guests more instead of stressing about getting your meat right.

[@bookmark8899]

#realcomment CONGRATULATIONS on 75k subscribers. Still remember when I first found your channel at 10k and felt like I stumbled upon such a gem.

[@helenrennie]

Thanks for sticking with my channel and all your support :)

[@GaryLum]

#realcomment I agree, Helen. I prefer to use available technology to make like easier and safer. I love using a wireless meat thermometer so I can monitor the internal temperature and remove the meat from the heat and allow it to rest while seeing what the internal temperature is. It's also why I love sous vide cooking.

[@nealgrey6485]

Altitude, or how far above sea level, is another consideration. When I lived in Fairbanks Alaska, ten to fifteen minutes longer for a stew was all that it needed for the meat to be tender.

[@adf8664]

Fascinating, extremely useful video.

[@ranmac54]

Thank you. Solved my problem.

[@stevekitella4781]

temperature is best... Never wrong!. 125F for beef roast, or steak. once rested the temp will rise to a perfect med / med rare. use a digital probe, never misses!

[@pcnj50a]

Since I don't cook meat, it's theoretical for me, but I always reach for a thermometer when cooking thicker foods in general. Modern digital thermometers are cheap, accurate, and thin enough not to disturb things too much. IR thermometers are great for looking at surface temperatures, but of course, color is the key indicator. A fine but sadly overlooked book on basic principles here is Joseph Carey's "Chef on Fire."

[@taliaasims]

Great points!

[@jackh577]

I use an instant read thermometer ALL the time. Too many people guess, and as a result habitually over cook things. I even used it earlier today for my baked potatoes. Did you now that 212 is the perfect temp for a baked potato?? :)

[@ramkuse7810]

You can open the tiny window by preheating in the oven at 50°C for one or two hours. After prewarming you can sear them.

[@garrettmineo]

#realcomment Tech for steaks! For years I cooked great steaks on my grill using intuition and most of the time they were fine. I then got a thermometer (exactly like yours) and I was better able to control the doneness. Then I graduated to reverse sear and really made some great steaks, but I have now graduated to what I consider the ultimate method. I use sous vide and I can cook a perfect medium rare steak (edge to edge)every time. There are bunches of ways to do this but my favorite is.... Generously salt and pepper both sides of a 1.5 inch choice or prime ribeye or ribeye cap steak. Also use garlic powder on both sides of the steak, don’t worry the final steak won’t taste like garlic. Place steak in bag and either use the water displacement method or vacuum sealer to remove all air from the bag. Place in sous vide water bath at 129-132 degrees F for 2-4 hours (yes, you have a 2 hour window of doneness). Take the steak out of the bag and discard the liquid. Pat the steak dry and re-season with a little salt and pepper....yes it still smells like garlic, but don’t worry. Now sear the steak. The best way I have found to do this is to preheat (the hell out of) a cast iron frying pan for 10 minutes on a very high heat gas burner (preferably outside or under a real good hood) place one steak a time (carefully) and sear each side for 1minute and 15 seconds. While searing you can use a culinary torch to sear the edges a little (don’t get too close to the steak to avoid gassy taste). Depending on how much fat is on the steak you may have a little fire in the pan...no problem. Remove the steak from heat and keep in a slightly warm place while you cook any other steaks. Multiples are no problem because it only takes 2 minutes and thirty seconds to sear each steak. The steak is ready, no need to let it rest. There won’t be any garlic taste, but If you do like garlic and want to kick it up a notch try this....in a small (8oz) blender container place a couple of peeled toes of garlic and a hand full of fresh parsley add about 2 oz of olive oil and 3-4 oz if white vinegar. Blend until smooth. Add a small amount of this to the top of your steak. Enjoy

[@mathsinger]

My broken leg has kept me pretty inactive. I've been binge watching Christopher Kimball's Milk Street videos. I'm intrigued by his methods of bringing varied, intense flavors into his foods and his explorations of diverse cultures. I don’t think it's for everyone, though. I keep thinking of Georgia O'Keefe's in-laws who objected strenuously when she tried to introduce onions into their New England boiled dinners.

[@angelararara6350]

Thank you for these great insights.

[@pkuchnicki]

We like the same cooks, but I am not sure of one area (done by many different cooks) at Cooks Illustrated. What stands out to me is their articles on trying to create the "best" version of something. It is not just the effort to do so that is informative, but WHY something failed and what was done to fix it. I have learned far more about cooking (not just following recipes) from reading those articles than from any other source. Thermoworks (blog.thermoworks.com) also has some very fine, in depth articles on a lesser number of topics. And of course you have to mention Harold Mcgee, Alton Brown, etc.

[@dagda825]

Chef John from food wishes did a steak using sous vide. He grilled the steak first and then finished it in a bath. I have had good success with this method. Alex French Guy Cooking used a drink cooler for his sous vide bath and that works well as the cooler will also keep hot water hot for several hours.

[@neutraloptions]

Since you asked these are some people/resources I find really good. I like Heston Blumenthal’s material as I find that he explains things very clearly (for me anyway), I really enjoy his videos. I think Dave Arnold is brilliant a lot of amazing material in his cooking issues blog (though it is hard to search). I like Nathan Myrhvolds books for reference and his modernist cuisine website also. If you want to know about hydrocolloids then Khymos blog is amazing (imho), Stefan Gourmet blog is great for sous vide and other modernist things, I like the chefsteps website (Chris Young etc), and serious eats (Kenji).And finally if you want to know about sous vide and food safety then Douglas Baldwin (and as a bonus on his site you can also learn about non linear waves).

[@helenrennie]

I love Dave Arnold too! I feel like he is one of those writers more people should know about.

[@neutraloptions]

Helen Rennie I totally agree for me Dave Arnold is a like a (hidden) treasure that more people should know about - he is such a great original thinker. I have his Searzall (great for quick finishing) and his Spinzall which is really good as a home centrifuge (though the bottom seal leaks - silicone grease helps a lot). I have made some amazingly concentrated herb flavoured oils with it (though to be honest I don’t quite know what to do with them - doh!)

[@mnamous9823]

And the granddaddy of all those guys, Harold McGee!

[@neutraloptions]

m Namous Absolutely agree I just forgot to mention him... ooops..... He is like the foundation...

[@Fishster]

I used Baldwin’s tables when I first started sous videing, Maybe because he approaches from a food safety perspective some of his temperatures/times seem a little high/long.

[@MrQuagmire26]

#realcomment Well, I also prefer Kenji. When it comes to cooking, I have a strong love for Indian cuisine and Madhur Jaffrey is an amazing lady who taught me so much in her books. Rustic, homestyle and great quality recipes.

[@helenrennie]

I just started playing around with Indian cuisine after an inspiring trip to London. which Madhur Jaffrey dishes do you think I should try?

[@MrQuagmire26]

​@@helenrennie Sorry, the post is going to be long. Well, I started with her tikka masala and her Korma chicken with almonds. Indian food is fairly complex. It took me a good while to get the hang of it as every single step is crucial. How long to cook the onions, when to add ginger/garlic, using the freshest spices, don't burn aromatics, don't burn spices and contrary to many people's beliefs. There's no need to use large quantities of spices, too much of any spice or too many spices. The flavours of the spices will be intensified when infused in clarified butter or oil. When it comes to UK indian food. Much of it is not really authentic per se as it's BIR (british indian restaurant food). For example Tikka masala originated in Glasgow. Truth to be told, many of the Indians who came to UK did not want to be cooks/chefs, so they hired staff from Bangladesh. So much of the dishes are really "anglo-banglo-Indian-ish" cuisine.

[@jamesr6497]

Between intuition and technology... I think I am going with Kenji and modern kitchen technology. Its just a no brainer for me. Digital thermometers are a cooks GPS guide; letting us know where we are temperature wise and how long the journey in the oven we have to go. It is our headlights through the tunnel. Why turn down tools that make us more effective in the kitchen, prepare better meals that are properly cooked? Many people have worked hard in the food industry and devoted their lives to give us these gifts of modern kitchen technology. Why shouldn't we take advantage of it? I appreciate every tool that makes me a better cook. Like you mentioned yourself, do we really want to go backwards in time... large clumsy maps in our cars that are difficult to read and take our eyes from the road... or hands free GPS. How about when you get a tooth ache, do you want to go visit the blacksmith... like they did in Medieval times? Some traditions have their place,.. but many of them should be shelved in history books. The idea of history is not only to show us what happened in the past; but also to learn and move boldly ahead into the future.

[@networkn]

#realcomment I just ordered Food Lab from Amazon. I am excited for it's arrival.

[@ruthless4645]

Better yet, for perfect steak doneness try Sous Vide, then finish on a Cast Iron fry pan, or better yet a screaming hot BBQ to get the outside sear.

[@rrice999]

I need to find the definitive, easy to read temperature chart for modern tastes in all kinds of meat.

[@hypnolobster]

The poke test is sort of okay but it's really eye-opening to repeatedly test a steak as it goes from 130 to 140 degrees. It happens *so* fast and with completely variable softness, particularly how often you flip and poke on a very hot cooking method.

[@spodvoll]

Let's put it another way: relying entirely on tuition risks unintended results. In contrast, there is no downside to using instant-read thermometers.

[@tom2207]

#realcomment Hi Helen. I'm new to your videos, but very much enjoy them! I used to cook meats (and some vegetables) by "feel". Then, one evening, I ate the best steak I've ever had at Chops in Atlanta. After asking the chef, I discovered the Mallard reaction, followed by "finishing" in a slow oven. Without a thermometer (he didn't need one!), I seared the steak over extremely hot lump charcoal and finished in the oven, mimicking what the chef did. It was very good, but I could not be "sure" of the results. Then, I discovered Sous Vide, and for the last 5 years, or so, almost everything I cook (including some vegetables) is Sous Vide. To standardize texture, I vary the cooking time. For example, 1 hour for choice/prime steak, 4 hours for chicken, 72 hours for short ribs. Then, I apply searing that achieves the Mallard reaction. It's REPEATABLE, excellent taste/texture that "unveils" the true quality of the meat, and is very convenient for me. I've even built a low temperature, Sous Vide style, "smoker" for baby backs (the best I've ever eaten). Flavor profiles are next, and that's why I'm watching your videos. Thank you!

[@vilhelmhammershoi3871]

At what temperature, in the reverse searing, do you switch from oven to pan?

[@helenrennie]

It depends on the thickness. For steaks that are 1 - 1.5 inches thick, I go up to 95F in the oven. For 1.5-2.5 inch steaks, 105F, and thicker than 2.5, 115F. The thickness is measured when the meat is raw. it does shrink some in the oven.

[@vilhelmhammershoi3871]

@@helenrennie Thank you! Very helpful and thorough.

[@JeannetteShoreland]

I have waited a bit to chime in on this topic because I was interested to see if a consensus of opinion emerged; well, it did! Modern technological cooking apparatuses rule. Hypothetically, if you were preparing food on a camping trip in a remote location without your trusty digital thermometer, only an open fire as your heat source, and wild game and fish as your food source; what would you do? In my kitchen I, too, cook with the aids mentioned by other reviewers, but I have also eaten fresh-caught fish prepared on a wooden stick over an open fire, whole lamb spit-roasted over an open fire, and bread baked in an outdoor earth oven. I will concede that being really hungry was a factor, but these meals were all excellent. Personally, I do not view these cooking differences as good or bad, but simply variances in cooking style. Like Helen, I tend to be formulaic in my approach to recipes and cooking, and have my treasured little digital scale that weighs as little as a gram to prove it. In conclusion, I believe all cooking styles are a journey towards palatable and safe to eat meals, and we are fortunate to live in a time where we can make this cooking choice.

[@helenrennie]

What a great comment :) Even though I am all about precision and measurements when I teach people to cook, I wing it in many cases when I am off my turf. I made pasta on our last trip to france without a scale, food processor, or even a measuring cup. I can cook great steak with nothing but a heat source, but the only reason I have this intuition is that I've done it hundreds of times with measuring devices. Using measuring devices doesn't knock the intuition out of you. It knocks it into you :) That's the part that many cookbook reviewers don't get.

[@Semiotichazey]

Maybe it's my bias as a software engineer, but I find that former software engineers (like you and Kenji) do a great job at explaining the technical factors of cooking in a commonsense way, and not as some culinary hocus-pocus.

[@rootlesscosmopolite]

You're right, nobody wants surgery performed by 19th century methods. So why is there the notion that traditional, intuitive, fly-by-the-seat-of-the-pants methods are best in the kitchen? I think that's worth exploring. Maybe because people associate cooking and eating with powerful early memories from before they knew what thermometers and scales were? Food pushes people's nostalgia buttons, but there's no Proust of the OR evoking memories of the days before sterile technique.

[@isidoreaerys8745]

Subscribed!

[@ace625]

I do like Samin Nostat a lot but the amount of unhelpful advice offered by renowned chefs really is baffling. You can be an extremely skilled practitioner but that doesn't mean you know why techniques work or how to teach them.

[@JimN5QL]

Dear Helen, wonderful video. I am 70 years old and have been watching cooking shows on TV since I was in High School and there have been so many different opinions on how to tell when your food is done. Then KZbin came along and I started watching cooking videos also. I have had the same problems that you talked about but I found an answer that works for me it's called sous vide and instant pot and a good quality thermometer! Steaks turn out wonderful with the sous vide method. Roast and vegetables always perfect in the instant pot. Otherwise I touch and take temperature! I do have to take exception to one of your examples when you said " beating your children". My father was the disciplinarian in my family and I was the oldest child of five. I got plenty of whippings and spankings but I never considered them as beatings. I always considered that discipline. "Beating" is a rather harsh word. When I see the way some children act today I think " Spare the rod and spoil the child".

[@HendersonHinchfinch]

I have and love both of their books, but I’m team Kenji all the way!

[@MyBadBro86]

Where are you from?

[@KimchiSpringRoll]

Interesting point on child beating, children are like mayo, more beating, more slickness.

[@chemmii]

Just use "Creative Cattle's" Perfectly cut, weighed and marblized with "guaranteed" maximum flavored Steaks.!! They are """PERFECT""" And the cost is ridiculously inexpensive!! $ 3.00. Per Lb. Ex.. 10 lb. Tenderloin for $ 30.00 . . . .. . . . . . """"""""""""""""NOT """""""""""" 😁😁😁 BUT I WISH!!!

[@bookmark8899]

#realcomment FIRST. (I know it's not relevant but OMG I get so excited when I get your notifications)

[@sapphiresky1722]

Heston Blumenthal

[@Vsor]

#realcomment I was at the point where I could cook a perfect steak every time by intuition (not the poke test, that is a joke). Then I went to cook a steak for the first time for my girlfriend. It was terrible, she had one of those glass top electric stoves, I use gas. That was the worst steak I've ever cooked, poor cow died in vain. Now I have a sous-vide machine though and that skill is now obsolete.

[@FireWaterCooking]

#realcomment I totally agree with you on this! sometimes progress is good.. 👍😄

[@brandowag3]

So you're saying no one should know How to cook?

[@StephenBlackWolf]

Helen, I wonder if you'd be willing to do a critique of one of Chef Jean-Pierre's recipes? He has a saying, "It's not rocket science. It's cooking." I would love to hear your take on him! You choose the video!! www.youtube.com/@ChefJeanPierre

[@richardburton6182]

I actually would like to have a car produced but the original Ford factory, but not to drive

[@Kyarrix]

You like Kenji. He's given you a leg up and some exposure. If you want to thank him why not do a video where you talk about that rather than ripping another woman chef to pieces? There was no reason to make this video other than to engage in an unnecessary critique of Samin. Kenji would not do this nor do I think he would want it done on his behalf. Instead he'd talk about the value in different approaches while sharing his own. He would not do the knowing tone of voice you employ while telling the audience at length why another chef's approach is dated and wrong. The laughing condescension is extremely distasteful. It doesn't get the audience on your side, it does the opposite. Samin is fighting the same battles you are. She's better known and more successful but that in itself is not a reason to attack her. She's done a lot to popularize home cooking. She cares, her passion for her work is always evident as is the respect she shows others. I liked you before I saw this video. I had just found your channel and was going to subscribe. This is not the way to gain followers. It's a tremendous turn off and a red flag. I like Kenji a lot, I've learned useful techniques from his videos and website. I've never seen him do a video like this one, I'm glad he has not. I like that Kenji supports other chefs and helps them. Instead of following his example and explaining that intuition and precision are both valuable and have their place you created discord and dissension where none existed in order to make a critical video.

[@diane4071]

#real comment Disappointed that this is not closed captioned.

[@helenrennie]

Thanks for letting me know. Just looked into it. Most of my videos get auto generated CC, but this one doesn't. Not sure why. If I'll have time I'll transcribe it for you. Just really swamped at the moment.

[@helenrennie]

I just transcribed the video, so CC should work :)

[@diane4071]

@@helenrennie Thank you so much, Helen ! I appreciate all your videos, and appreciate you. :)

[@shade9592]

Kenji's methods are more idiot proof. Also, you can learn intuitive methods more efficiently with the help of technology. Once you've poked a hundred or so chicken thighs with a thermometer, you begin to develop a feel for how long you have to cook them.

[@fft2020]

You are sooooo cute I had to subscribe to the channel :-)

[@chipsimons4694]

you're funny

[@Sanutep]

battle of the steaks or ... battle of mis-steaks

[@dannycrescent3141]

All you need to do is watch one episode of H3ll's Kitchen to know Samin is wrong. Love your video's Helen. Did not enjoy Samin's show at all. I found it to be really disappointing.