Why Baking Soda is the Most Useful Ingredient in Your Kitchen | What's Eating Dan?

Unassuming as it may be, baking soda is nothing short of a powerhouse in the kitchen. It can improve browning, tenderize proteins, and speed the cooking of greens, grains, and beans. Follow along as Dan breaks down the science of sodium bicarbonate and shows you how to utilize it in your daily cooking.
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[@lukedotto1895]

Favourite application is in a pot of boiling potatoes to break down the cell structures just on the outside layer, cook them only half way, drain, toss in a sieve or collander to rough up the edges, then into the oven to roast. The baking soda breaking down the surface of the potatoes will create a more craggle-y texture to facilitate that amazing exterior crispiness we all love in the best roast potatoes.

[@squeektheweek6949]

I see you are a Kenji fan

[@adiboy_223]

Yaaassss. Kenji tip!

[@wrinklesandsprinkles]

@@squeektheweek6949 Who’s Kenji? Pass on your genius.

[@squeektheweek6949]

@@wrinklesandsprinkles J. Kenji Lopez-Alt he worked at cooks illustrated years ago and does personal videos now here on YT. He is much like Alton Brown a food scientist and has done a ton of testing. He frequently makes his videos highly informative both from the science of it and history of a dishes origin. Edit: I forgot to mention he was even on an episode of What's Eating Dan kzbin.info/www/bejne/emmliYx_j8Rqqac The one about MSG and they made 3 things with it.

[@glucosina]

@@wrinklesandsprinkles Kenji Alt-Lopez, from serious eats and other food channels

[@niccrovaix649]

I've watched 5000 cooking videos over the last 10 years. NOBODY has ever mentioned this. Thank you, thank you, thank you again!

[@kaemincha]

This might be the most life-changing episode of Whats Eating Dan yet!

[@coderspy]

I use 1/2 tsp for making pea soup. It helps to both reduce cooking time, and it gets rid of the gas issues that legumes cause.

A trick from Modernist Cuisine is that baking soda allows for all sorts of caramelized soups - carrots, pumpkin, bananas, onions ... - in a pressure cooker. Maillard reaction starts at a low enough temperature for that to work then. Total game changer.

[@tsawy6]

Oh that's /insane/

[@charlenebrooker4492]

I have Gerd and I was told by doctor to avoid citrus, vinegar, tomatoes, and other acid foods. I make my own tomato sauce by adding carrots, and a pinch of soda to up alkalinity. I ordered on Amazon a acid/alkaline test. Soda has literally saved my cooking and health.

[@jeanlaubenthal698]

What is Geri?

[@charlenebrooker4492]

@@jeanlaubenthal698 Acid Reflux

[@RVlietstra]

Turns out the lower oesophageal sphincter only closes when the stomach is acidic enough. Check out the video "30 Days of Apple Cider Vinegar vs 15 years of GERD/Reflux". A less acidic stomach makes your food harder to digest and absorb, further down the line the less digested food then becomes food for unwanted pathogens causing potential other issues.

[@piedpiper7051]

@@RVlietstra Precisely. Antacids are one of the medical industrial complexes great lies. If you suffer from GERD take a teaspoon of ACV in a little water 15-20 minutes before you eat. Your digestive system will understand the signal and produce what it needs to properly digest your food.

[@michealpersicko9531]

Acid Reflux is a mild burning sensation while GERD is a much more serious burning sensation due to the chronic backflow of acid. That's a small but important difference distincting the similar conditions. @@charlenebrooker4492

[@tomwilson2804]

"I want to give a big shout out Nicolas Leblanc for first isolating baking soda in the late 1700's. I'm dying to know when you first fell in love with sodium bicarbonate" Let's see if he answers. On a more serious note, I love this series! Educational and extremely entertaining.

[@davidhalldurham]

We know it's gonna be a good day when we get another episode of What's Eating Dan. All of these more "specialized" ATK videos have been great!

[@NazriB]

Lies again? Batman Superman Big Shot

[@supergeek1418]

Hint: If you (for some reason) end up trying to cook dried beans in an acidic environment, and find that they simply *WON'T* get tender, *FREEZE* them! The freezing creates thousands of tiny ice crystals which pierce and break down the beans' skins and cell walls creating tender beans once thawed, and reheated.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I love how Dan gets to make Pancakes for actual research purposes.

[@fpm1979]

I have recently cooked a steak and sprinkled a pinch of baking soda on both sides of the meat. I was stunned of how much that improved browning.

[@mdbbox5660]

That spoon of baking soda at the end made me think of my experience as a kid who reached into the back of the refrigerator for a bowl of powdered sugar, licked his finger, dunked it, and took a big pull. Woooooow! Not all lessons are learned from a book.

[@lowellmorton1708]

As a baker, I also found that baking soda will cause cookies to spread in the oven. You have to be aware that that too much will cause your cookies to spread paper thin. But when developing my keto chocolate chip cookies, I added baking power for lift, and baking soda for a nice spread, since most recipes by keto bakers only use baking powder and then smash them to get them to spread a little. Min bake up perfectly and they taste and look like regular chocolate chip cookies, but with only 3 net grams of carbs per cookie, they are a real treat.

[@tessat338]

In "The Long Winter" by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Ma Ingalls is making baked beans and pops a spoonful of baking soda into the water in which she is boiling the beans first. Once she can "blow the skins off the beans," ie, cooked until fairly tender, she drains the beans, seasons them and makes baked beans.

[@David_T]

This is a common trick for chickpeas when making hummus: I little baking soda in the water while cooking helps remove the tough outer skins. Essentually they just rinse off.

[@7752]

I first fell in love with sodium bicarbonate when I used it in a recipe for roast potatoes. Adding it (along with salt) to the pot of boiling water to precook the potatoes before roasting them was a game-changer - they browned so much more than I expected!

[@evilganome]

I use it for food, but I fell in love with it when I found out it can also be used to treat indigestion when you have perhaps eaten too much. Seriously, it has conquered bad heartburn as well as made delicious chocolate cakes.

[@gephrobodine]

Agree. Not a fan of the taste, but it's the nuclear option.

[@DaisyIdes]

I use for antacid too. Works great against reflux before bed.

[@akogarehouse]

but explain exactly you use it (incl dosage pls)

[@gephrobodine]

@@akogarehouse I use about a tablespoon in a cold small glass of water. I don't really measure. Mix, swirl to suspend the rest, and down in a chug or two. You could use lots of warm water if you want - but cold and a small quantity just helps with the taste. Do it again later if you need more. The largest dose I see in a quick look on the Internet is 5 teaspoons. #notadoctor

[@sallymary2]

I add baking soda to my coffee grounds - three shakes from a salt shaker with larger holes. Coffee is less acidic

[@growtocycle6992]

Helps stop soy milk from curdling

[@wastrelway3226]

I have another use. Sometimes you use something from a can: corn, peas, artichoke hearts, etc. ... and canned food has a "canned" flavor. Soaking the canned food in a baking soda solution for a while and then rinsing it off will remove that "canned" taste. I suspect there is some acidity from the can or the canning process that it removes. Just be sure to rinse before adding the corn or whatever to your chicken soup, or it will foam up. I forgot last week. I joked to my GF that the soup came with a built-in antacid. (It tasted fine.) One another note, I thought for for a second that Dan said "human beef" -- I can't say it as well as Chinese people, but I know that it's "hoo-nan" not "hyu-nan."

[@Rs-rq9fd]

In addition to neutralizing acids, baking soda was first popularized due to its ability to remove metals during radioactive testing. My guess is that tinny “canned” flavor is due to trace metals the baking soda then removes. This is a great tip that I didn’t know before, thanks for sharing!! 💜🥳

[@bluaugendvl]

I'll second that about it sounding like he said "human beef!" There isn't enough baking soda, or anything for that matter, to make "human beef" palatable. Well, maybe starvation, but even then for me I'm not so sure! 😮

[@WriteSister]

My Italian friend told me to add a little baking soda when making spaghetti sauce. It takes away the bitter acid taste of the 🍅.

[@CarelessForce]

Surprised this wasn't mentioned in the video, baking soda can make sauces less acidic, great if you don't want to add anything sweet which seems to be the normal approach

[@4.0.4]

I'm glad you didn't stop making these videos. You know a lot, but also present it in such a compelling and didactic manner.

[@kathiyu7007]

I use baking soda, aluminum foil and HOT water to get tarnish off my silver. Simply put a bit of aluminum foil in a tub, pour in nearly boiling water, add baking soda and then your silver. AMAZING!

[@bngr_bngr]

Use an aluminum pot, it leeches the tarnish better and the water can remain at a constant temperature.

[@MissAdventurzzz]

Great tip!

[@wklohr]

A great book out: Baking Powder Wars talks in depth about history of the usage of baking soda and baking powder. Even if you don't read it all, the first 25% is a great walk through of this miracle compound!

[@lynneschroeder6635]

A very good book!

[@elysetodd2308]

6:47 You've just solved a debate I had with my sister on the holiday green bean dilemma. One of my sisters loves fresh green beans and doesn't mind a chewy fibrous bite, however, the rest of us like them silky and soft. But when she cooks them fresh they never get cooked enough to the liking of the rest of us. Baking soda sounds to me like the black magic we need to end the debate! Thanks Dan.

[@SFOtter]

Dan Sousa is a national treasure! Informative & attractive, he's one of the most useful sources of online cooking information, recipes and encouragement. I only wish I'd know about baking soda's uses, other than leavening & cleaning, decades ago. I love the way Dan, like Alton Brown, has mashed up Julia Child & Mr. Wizard.

[@mjremy2605]

Except that none of them added obnoxious music to their cooking shows. Dan does. Dan must change that.

[@leighalmond4128]

I fell in love with baking soda by cleaning with it! It cleans and deodorizers everything! I just learned about what it can do to cooking. Thank you Dan!

[@jelanibyrd5031]

I fell in love today. Hat a pot of beans boiling for 2 hours and still hard. I added 1 1/2 tsp of baking soda to the pot and a little water and immediately saw a reaction. 10 minutes later and the beans are so much softer! This should be mandatory knowledge for any cook. THANKS A MILLION!

[@christyh.4092]

I found baking soda fascinating the first time I made peanut brittle and added it to the pot at the end to create that expanded texture.

[@daveh7720]

Oh, I forgot about that. Thanks!

[@arthuurwong49]

It’s like magic to watch what baking soda does to brittles! 😊

[@jcwoods2311]

Thanks Dan! Great video as always. You and Lan are definitely are the shining stars of the "new" gen of America's Test Kitchen! The videos featuring both of you are the most watchable for sure. Keep up the great work.

[@alethadullea4761]

I first realized how cool baking soda was when, after using my mom’s pancake recipe forever, I saw your pancake recipe and decided to try it. The only difference was the baking soda, but I was hooked. My pancakes are much better now. Thanks a bunch. After seeing this I have a few more things to try. I love your channel.

[@cachecow]

You forgot using as an abrasive for cleaning pots, and it's good for brushing your teeth, and neutralizing of acids, even as an antacid substitute for Tums

[@behringerm]

Be careful,using baking soda as an antacid. If you take more than 1 TBSP every 6 hours, you can rapidly OD on sodium. Yes it is something that can land you in the ICU

[@cboy5oc]

You forgot clearing drains and smells in the fridge!

[@bngr_bngr]

@@cboy5ocdilute it with vinegar or you might create a bigger problem.

[@arthuurwong49]

Helps get rid of gum disease when made into a paste ( from a dental hygienist- old remedy)😊

[@PokhrajRoy.]

A new episode of ‘What’s Eating Dan?’? BRB Internally Screaming. P.S. Happy Birthday, Dan! Hope you’re feeling better.

[@TheMrFarkle]

I never knew the cooking benefits of sodium bicarb until I started watching the top-drawer ATK videos & digging in to the websites. Bicarb has been the only anti-acid that has been beneficial to me for decades. Your (and Lam Lan's) promoting Bicarb have been an eye-opener. Many thanks.

[@Ootgreet1]

An incredibly useful video. I sort of knew all this stuff but Dan ties it all together adeptly. Great stuff.

[@maryschiff9580]

I always learn something new from Dan and this video is no exception. Great information, thank you!

[@mddell58]

I've been watching many 'how to' chinese recipes, etc. When chicken is used, they always add a little bit of baking soda. It makes that chicken more tender. 👍 🐔

[@Gotmoola]

This was an awesome video! Thank you so much! Keep them up! ❤

[@joane8651]

I remember way back on ATK when you told me to rub a little baking soda on chicken, it was great advice!

[@katharinet213]

Brilliant! I learned so much. Thanks for making it so much fun.

[@gizmo7877]

That was an eye opener! Never knew half of that! I love that it helps browning for crispier food.

[@michaeltiefenbach7206]

Two really excellent kitchen uses which aren't exactly cooking but close are using baking soda to put out a fire and also using baking soda, aluminum foil, and boiling water to polish silver. This was a great video, Dan Souza. Glad you got to express your love of baking soda.

[@SandyHulseberg]

Love watching your presentations - whatever you're choosing at the moment, giving all the pertinent info in such an easy way to assimilate.

[@Memotag]

Great episode, one of the best What's Eating Dan episodes in a looooooooong time. Interesting and lot's of information delivered, and it was useful information for us home cooks.

[@katharine5606]

Didn't know about the browning benefit of baking soda! Besides it being useful in cooking of course, I find it indispensable in the kitchen and household in general, as a mild, non-abrasive cleanser on dishes and other surfaces, as well as a deodorizer. Good stuff.

[@annetravel5935]

I really appreciate you Dan. Thank you.

[@PoppaCYS]

I had no idea about the various uses of baking soda. Awesome video.

[@salt-emoji]

We all love Dan but credit to Lan Lam constantly coming through with amazing recipes

[@richardl.993]

I definitely learned a lot in this video, stuff I never knew. Thanks for the info video is saved for future reference.

[@pchabanowich]

This is a wondrous compendium of benefits from one product! Thanks!💐

[@jekku4688]

thank you Dan, you totally answered my question about baking soda and ground beef! And even polenta, wow I never knew! I'm very excited to start using it in many of my dishes! 👍👍👍

[@jwebbw]

One of the most useful videos on cooking that I've ever seen on YT !!

[@pennywetterau5924]

This idea is great! Can’t wait to try it out.

[@lizmeade8410]

This was a great video! I had only used it for baking. I’ll have to try the other applications.

[@leeedwards3783]

Love your videos Dan. The science, this is how toneat parts and a great sense of humour

[@dhoffman4955]

Recently added 1/8 tsp soda to six scrambled eggs with milk. It didn’t affect the taste but did make them more fluffy.

[@DaneArcher]

Thanks, Dan (and crew.) Your videos always keep me interested and learning without taking itself too seriously. As someone with issues with focusing for more than, say, a minute or two, you've got a formula that keeps me on track. Keep up the great work

[@jcwoods2311]

Dan and Lan are the most watchable for sure, not a pretentious moment in either of their videos. Always was an issue in the "old" days of the PBS ATK and still is with a few of the Next Generation. I can't watch even a couple of minutes with some of them.

[@valliarlette6596]

You're the best! I learned so much today, and I thought I already knew plenty.

[@twosocks1976]

Other uses for baking soda in the kitchen? People tell me that it is a fantastic Odor Eater for the refrigerator or freezer. I'm skeptical of that one, but I have also accused a solution of vinegar and baking soda in my stainless steel pans to remove stains and restore the shine. This seems particularly effective if I let it sit in the pan overnight before washing it. It would be interesting if you guys did some experimentation on this as well.

[@markharkey3279]

I just fell in love with baking soda right now! Thank you Dan!

[@nakamakai5553]

Watching Dan, I am Today Years Old and falling in love with Baking Soda - Well done, chef!

[@selewachm]

We love your shows. Well done to all involved!. I have discovered the benefits of baking soda. ATK taught me to boil pieces of potato with baking soda while boiling then baking in the oven. Perfect!

[@YangGao-vg1lx]

Love all your science based ideas Dan, I usually use baking soda for cleaning mugs and cups and washing fruits, now I am going to use it more in my cooking!

[@angelf.9630]

That's incredible. Thank you

[@eclecticexplorer7828]

Beyond the leavening and browning functions, I knew about using it for cooking beans for many years -- something I picked up shortly after going vegetarian, as I was using beans a lot in my diet. There were other uses in this video I didn't know about, though. Thanks for the tips, Dan.

[@marthavillegas6250]

Amazing video, thank you Dan!

[@suzannehousden1779]

You are my man! I've heard these explanations before but some reason it's sticking in my brain now I guess you've explained it so I can understand it thank you thank you thank you thank you!

[@rigomortiz]

Thank you so much for this info. Would love a whole series on baking soda recipes and how it changes the normal recipe

[@jeanne-marie8196]

I like the scientific explanations so much. Thank you! As an aside; I love the exact measurements used. “smidge” is one of my favorite measurements, right up there with a “schmeer” of a spread. I often go with my mother’s favorites: “Add it until it looks right”…. You may substitute “looks” with smells or tastes as well!

[@RN4NoLatex]

Favorite application: when sodium bicarbonate saved my patient! All of your information recommendations are defiantly going in my recipe folder!! Thank you, Dan!

[@gsilcoful]

Thank you. Your're the best!

[@VintageVigilante]

Fascinating! The most useful episode yet.

[@divinesarasaradivine824]

Thank you, God bless ❤

[@tinathechef]

Thanks Dan!! This was great very useful information!!🙌🏾

[@trongle6988]

My grandpa, who was born in 1897 in Vietnam, would take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and a cup of water to treat upset stomach and other digestive issues. And thanks to Dan and other chefs on ATK, I now use baking soda as ingredient in few of my recipes. Thank you chefs for the knowledge.

[@Georgia-Vic]

My grandpa showed me the same thing when I was 5 years old. I was born upper GI problems. Sodium bicarbonate mixed with water has saved my life and I still use it sometimes!

[@melaneymattson3733]

Excellent!! I've been wanting this information. Great video Dan, Melaney from SoCal

[@aloras405]

Definitely learned the value of baking soda while baking with my Nana.

[@mrdonnyb6704]

You can use baking soda to transform simple boxed spaghetti noodles to a lo mein / Ramen noodle for Chinese cooking as they both are basically flour and water. I saw this on a video here on KZbin by someone I follow about making Ramen and it works. Bring to boil 2 L of water, salt to taste and 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Use thin spaghetti for a thin ramen noodle or regular spaghetti for thicker one. Follow the directions on how long to cook 4 and add about two minutes. The noodles will change color to a light brown like they were stirfried in sauce. Do a quick rinse and then add them to whatever you’re making whether it’s a lo mein or a ramen soup you will be pleasantly surprised and may not be able to taste the difference between those noodles and a Roman noodle you buy in the store to cook up or from a restaurant. One thing do not add too much baking soda or you’ll get a weird flavor.

[@mrdonnyb6704]

Here is the link for the KZbin segment about transferring Spaghetti into Ramen noodles kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnTZo3SioNGNhZI

[@Oystermato]

@@mrdonnyb6704❤❤❤

[@dont-eatbad-food801]

Thank you for this great insight.

[@bettymahoney8371]

😊 thank you so much for sharing this

[@udalimb384]

Love these. I've added baking soda to beans because my mom claimed that it will reduce the after gas. If that's true, perhaps it's because the baking soda begins to break down the beans pre-stomach?

[@mushtaqchaudhry3208]

Thanks! Great job!

[@technoforever888]

Awesome! I'm in love! Thank you for this new info!!! 😍

[@cathylynn57]

Great info! I’ve used with ground beef but never thought of using on other meats. Thanks!

[@rhondamircovich7386]

Thx Dan!!!

[@dank9296]

Great tips! Thanks!!

[@eddiepena]

Great video. Always learn something new, and motivates me to become a better cook.

[@SumSouuthernSugar]

I'm old and I did not know much of this. Thanks.

[@cristianespinal9917]

I have had no use for baking soda except to put a new box in my fridge every so often for some reason. I now have a couple of new uses, thanks to you all! Definitely going to try them in stir-fried meats and for cooking beans. As far as pancakes... nah. I started making yeast-leavened pancakes not too long ago and like them infinitely better than baking powder and soda.

[@elsafischer3247]

Thank you for this wonderful information

[@janelicata5328]

Excellent video! I love the science of food.

[@simat7116]

I love your channel it's so informative and fun to watch thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences

[@RBnPA]

Dan, You’re simply the Best! Always excellent presentations and a wealth of information. Especially like how you explain the chemical process in most videos. Keep it up my friend!

[@kam7056]

Very helpful information. Thanks❤

[@im1dc]

Very good, valuable, and usable tutorial on Baking Soda with Baking Powder tossed in. Thank you.

[@ldtbn6727]

Enlightening video. 👍😊. Thank you. 🙏

[@robertshannon4547]

Really enjoyed this!

[@JogBird]

if you bake baking soda, you get sodium carbonate, which when in solution makes a stronger base.. its used in making ramen noodles to get them firmer without adding egs

[@Jean-yf7dg]

Great Tips Danno. I wish I heard of this before. Especially about the browning the beef.

[@chengboonpoon879]

Thank you

[@peasndough]

Very interesting! I wish i had this information decades ago when i was in culinary school struggling to write a 6 page paper on baking soda

[@familia3sgte]

It's also a powerful cleaning agent for your kitchen. The versatility is limitless!