I really do love the approach of saying "let's not think of [some boogie word like 'sticking' or 'adding water'] in simple terms as "bad" or "good," but instead, let's try to understand the principles that would make it suitable or unsuitable for some purpose." That's something people could apply to more than just food, but it's really empowering as a home cook.
Lan - you hooked me on the French Toast! My favorite from childhood that my father would make for me on my birthday. I continue this tradition today - but I can only make 4 at a time and when the grandkids smell it cooking they all rush down to the table and I find myself at the end of the line hoping I have enough bread in the pantry. I think this year I'll cook them using your method - 8 slices all done up at once and by the time the young ones start arriving I should be halfway done my jumbo stack w/ maple syrup, friut & berry compote and steaming mug of coffee. I think this may be the year when one of them steps up to carry the load because Opa always takes a nap after his birthday breakfast ;)
I started using Martha Stewart’s pan method years ago, and it’s a fab way to make a pile for a crowd! I like to sprinkle some pecans on about two minutes from the end - no need to toast them separately.
Stuck on food is actually really easy to clean, you just need heat. Either clean it while it's still at least warm, or if it's cooled what I do is put it back on the burner and put water in it. Let the water get hot, then scrape with a spatula or whatever and it comes off with no effort. Then dump the water, wash with soap and rinse and no scrubbing needed. In short, the easiest way to clean stuck-on food particles is just simply water and heat, more than what your faucet can provide on it's own. Think of it as "deglazing" the pan, like you would while cooking to make a pan sauce. I think a lot of cooking is how to clean efficiently, as that's a big hurdle for beginning and even veteran cooks to get motivated to cook more at home. I would love to see a video that breaks down how to efficiently plan out your meal prep and cooking time to cook in your downtime, to leave less a mess at the end, and how to efficiently clean various things in the kitchen. Being able to walk away from a clean kitchen with the only thing left to clean being the dishes I'm eating off of is a wonderful feeling. And walking into a clean kitchen for the next meal dramatically increases motivation to not just make something lazy and unhealthy as well. I think this would be just as helpful to people wanting to cook more as technical tips on cooking itself, and something that is pretty widely ignored by most cooking channels.
@@LecaroJ That does work, but it does still require using up baking soda, and still requires scrubbing. Putting it back on the stove with water in it then heating it up means less waste of baking soda, and once it heats up everything just comes off with zero effort, again like deglazing a pan works. Often I just skip the whole thing entirely and clean the pan almost immediately after I'm done cooking once it's cooled down enough to avoid damage to the pan. Just the little residual heat left is usually more than enough for everything to come up with no scrubbing, and then i don't have to come back later and scrub or do anything. I don't mind waiting an extra minute to get to eat, if it saves me lots of work in the long run.
@@LecaroJ I mean, that’s each time, either way weird hill to die on. Using baking soda up at all, then still having to scrub, vs. using a couple minutes to reheat the pan with some water and literally not having to scrub at all? Seriously, just try it, either clean the pan once it’s cooled down a bit but still warm, or reheat it with a bit of water and deglaze it. I too used to use baking soda as well, but that method pales in comparison to just a bit of heat and water.
The french toast! The foiled saucepan squish! I was already a proponent for letting things stick to crisp and build flavor and fond, but I STILL had my mind blown!
My day just got better after seeing another lesson from Lan! I have never liked the idea of a 'smash' burger but now I need to go get some hamburger and try them as watching Lan made me want to enjoy them too! Lan you are a wonderful teacher and lovely host.
The "Smash Burgers" secret is that it maximizes the surface area that has gone through the maillard reaction, the sticking the two patties together with cheese will bring back the mouthfeel of a thick patty. mmmmmmm
I don’t eat meat anymore, but always loved a smash burger! Also a great opportunity for a pile of crisp lettuce, slice of heirloom tomato and some Duke’s. 😋 Never was a fan of a thick patty.
I love the shiny grin in Lan's eyes as she eats the ice cream cake. It's like seeing a six-year-old girl taking delighted pleasure in the cake at her first real birthday party. Love you, Lan!!! 😍😄
So good! I got sick of buying non-stick pans over and over again. A decade ago I threw out my last non-stick pan and have never looked back, in fact, it has only made food more delicious. There’s a learning curve to it but once learned you’ll have pans you can pass down for many generations to come.
Me too! I got sick of having to buy non-stick pans every year. Hence buying cheap stuff made sense. But buying cheap pans is tricky! However, I solved the problem. I haven't used my non-stick for about two years. 2 things. 1. I bought several Kanda Nitrided Woks and pans. 2. I bought a Strata tri-ply Carbon Steel, Aluminum, and Stainless Steel pan. For the later, I was very skeptical about it... sounds gimmicky to me... and on KickStarter, no less! But WTH, it's only about $120. Give it a try. And, it worked great! Light weight and spread heat like a regular All-Clad tri-ply pan, but has all the stick/non-stick property of cast iron! No more mission impossible for tossing a loaded cast iron! So I ordered two more. No more non-stick, unless the recipe absolutely calls for it.
Carbon steel is my new nonstick cooking vessel. No dangerous chemical coating and it cleans and maintains exactly like cast iron, but without the abrasive iron-leeching qualities.
I treated myself to my Christmas 2023 and bought a set of 10-12 pieces of All Clad 3 ! It was a small king’s ransom but so beautiful to cook in …I had to learn how to use it so that it acts like non stick pan . The fond I create is just beautiful for sauces and flavour. I got tired of tossing out non stick and replacing them every 4- 5 years . And I also bought Staub braiser and Dutch oven . So now my pots are in my Will and they will be passed on to my grand kids generation of home cooks !! Hahhaha Gosh , I hope they will learn to cook ! 🤞🤞🤞🤞 The lesson I learnt is don’t buy inexpensive kitchen equipment….even if you seemingly can’t find the money in your early marriage days ….buy 1-2 pieces one year at a time and over 7 years you would have equipment that will last you another 50 to 60 years. In the long run , you save money and have a much more enjoyable culinary journey. My adult kids won’t spend the money …cause they are boys ! SMH 🤦♀️ they would buy $400 sport shoes but not $250 cooking equipment. So I will buy them the pots , one at a time for their Christmas gift. My hubby says I am too practical ! Yeah ….they will remember me every time they use the pots.
@opwave79 Carbon steel has a higher iron content than cast iron. It can leech iron into acidic foods all the same. The trick for both types of cookware is to keep a good seasoning on the pan, and avoid acidic foods if possible (easier said than done).
Lan! Your smashburger example is contributing to the expansion of my thighs... as did your French toast and cake. Love your techniques and insights, truly.
I love, love, love, your videos. I always use your cold sear technique to cook steak and it comes out amazing every time. I can't wait to try this technique out too.
Heat management has been huge for me preventing sticking too, not letting the pan get too hot, too quick lets me make sure meat proteins actually have time to do what Lan's demo showed without burning first!
This is the single most scientific and educational cooking channel ive ever seen, ive watched them on tv since i was a child. Their "tests" are basically scientific studies
That smash burger and ice cream cake were a thing of beauty. You know those sample bites were delicious and that the production crew was hoping to have a try.
I have a different approach to a smash burger . I get a portion of ground beef , put it in a quart freezer zip lock bag and use a similar method to smash it in the bag and freeze and it retains it's shape when you grill or pan fry it . Don't get me wrong , your way is great Lan . Just a suggestion since I've been doing this way for a while and it works especially when you are watching your diet . 😉
My mother bought me a lot of ice cream cakes for birthdays, growing up. Your video made me a bit nostalgic. Please do a video on ice cream cakes. She was a single mother and Baskin Robins was affordable, but I’d like to see where it could go.
Really good video. You'll get taller cookies, thicker sauces, faster caramelizing, and generally more structurally sound food if you allow some "sticking". But you'll also have more work scrubbing.
I've learned to cook just about everything on stainless steel. A thin oil layer is more than enough to even cook eggs on! Super easy. And yes, for an excellent steak or burger, letting the stuck parts brown until they release is essential. No nonstick cookware for me.
This was fantastic as always! That ice cream cake looks incredible! I'd love to see a video about making it, especially as a lot of us have improved our ice cream game thanks to Dan's videos!
@@charlieharris3240 🤦 I completely missed that. I searched for a video on it but didn't find anything, but I guess the video is only on their website. Thank you for pointing that out to me!
I could eat ice cream cake and listen to you read the phone book all day! The content is always amazing, but your voice is so pretty and soothing, with a lilt to keep it a little sassy. 😆
Thank you for this in service. I appreciate the info tremendously! I've been trying to up my incorporation of fond and usage of the Milliard effect recently and every bit of know-how helps.
Knowing which type of cooking surface to use for which recipes goes a long way. For example, if I’m going tp make a pan sauce, I will use stainless steel. The stuck on bits get deglazed easily and I can scrape that tasty goodness into the pan sauce without worrying about scraping coating along with it.
Thanks Lan. My pan sauces sucked for 25 years (no fond) , before I finally figured out to use stainless steel instead of my t-Fal frypan; stickage is goodage!
After I learned about the origins (coating helicopter blades?!?) and health risks of non stick pans, I switched to stainless a year ago and never looked back. Still gotta get a carbon steel pan one day, too. It's worth the occasional sticking and learning curve, look up the Leidenfrost effect and how to test the heat and you're good to go.
Love this video! So useful to know why things work like they do. Just a quick question, why a metal spatula? For the burger? Wont that mess up the skillet? I remember when buying my creuset that they adviced against metal cookware ^^ hope anyone can answer
The science-informed Good Eats-era Alton Brown-esque fun and interesting meta-commentary about process that tells me how to make one recipe AND improve a hundred others with the new tool in my toolbox, that's really excellent.
Yup, those are tasty bits. I don't cook meat but when I did i'd use butter or wine or water drops to collect all the tasty bits up for a finishing touch.
i thought it was strange to watch her scrape up those smash burger patties with that thin slotted spatula, it seems like a sturdier solid one would have been better, but they still came up off the pan perfectly (i forget which smash fast casual chain CEO did a demo of the method in an interview a few years back and described the resulting crusty browned layer as "meat candy" but it totally is)
My favorite technique is to wipe as much loose stuff off, put the empty pan back on medium heat, get it hot, then toss in some water. The “shock” loosens most stuck on food. Repeat as often as needed.
The temperature difference between something cold and something warm leads to sticking. A cool stainless pan on low heat is less likely to stick to frozen food.
Great video Lan, thanks much. I shy away from cooking sprays because of the long list of unpronounceable ingredients on the label. I have recently acquired combination spray/pour dispensers. I have peanut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar next to my cook top. I have my choice of "cooking sprays" whenever I need a thin coat of oil on a hot surface or food. Are these equivalent to the contents of a commercial spray can?
As far as the purpose of coating the surface of cookware to prevent sticking, any oil with decently high smoking temperature should work. Lan prob used those sprays because its what most people would be able to get to apply very thin layer of oil as possible (esp with baking). Imo even a brush and some tissue to wipe off some excess would prob work as well, but I havent experimented with it to actually say for sure.
In my experience, oil by itself is not as nonstick as cooking sprays like PAM. I don't think it's actually about getting an even layer. Butter (including ghee and even most plant butters/margarines) seem to be about as good as PAM. The reason PAM works better is mostly just the lecithin, which is a pretty inoffensive ingredient. It's basically a naturally occurring B vitamin precursor and can supposedly be bought in pure liquid form from health food stores, or online. I got some to make my own spray and I think it works very well. Lecithin, and other similar compounds, are probably why butters are more nonstick than pure oil. Most plant butters I've seen explicitly add lecithin in particular.
@@gcerchio I use 1/2 tsp lecithin per 3 TBSP oil. I also dilute it with another 3 TBSP Everclear because that seems to improve the spray of my Misto, but other types of dedicated oil sprayer might not need that. I used to use water, but it took like 3 to 5 _times_ as much. Alcohol also vaporizes easier, cools less, and probably prevents bacterial growth anyways. I haven't noticed any real changes in flavor. The lecithin I have basically tastes like a neutral oil, you don't need much lecithin in the spray, and you don't need much of the spray. And from what I can tell lecithin basically _is_ a fat/oil. It's a phospholipid, and "lipid" means fat. It's even 120 calories per tablespoon. It's just been (naturally) tweaked a bit so it can dissolve in water, etc.
Imho, non-stick is also not good for those of us who are chemically sensitive, such as people who are immune compromised. Thank you for showing a different perspective on sticky food. Keep up the awesome work. And, take care. 👋
![CHILE vs. BRASIL [1-2] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 9](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5ObJt_71AYc/mqdefault.jpg)
![[4K] Watch SpaceX Catch A Starship Rocket From Space!!! #IFT5](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pIKI7y3DTXk/mqdefault.jpg)
I really do love the approach of saying "let's not think of [some boogie word like 'sticking' or 'adding water'] in simple terms as "bad" or "good," but instead, let's try to understand the principles that would make it suitable or unsuitable for some purpose." That's something people could apply to more than just food, but it's really empowering as a home cook.
Very well said
：）
I'm a simple home cook, I see Lan I click cos I know about to learn something great!
2:33 I know that editor has to be proud of that tap/music sync...
While watching that scene I was thinking "The editor sure had fun with this"
Lan - you hooked me on the French Toast! My favorite from childhood that my father would make for me on my birthday. I continue this tradition today - but I can only make 4 at a time and when the grandkids smell it cooking they all rush down to the table and I find myself at the end of the line hoping I have enough bread in the pantry. I think this year I'll cook them using your method - 8 slices all done up at once and by the time the young ones start arriving I should be halfway done my jumbo stack w/ maple syrup, friut & berry compote and steaming mug of coffee.
I think this may be the year when one of them steps up to carry the load because Opa always takes a nap after his birthday breakfast ;)
I started using Martha Stewart’s pan method years ago, and it’s a fab way to make a pile for a crowd! I like to sprinkle some pecans on about two minutes from the end - no need to toast them separately.
Love Lan! She's the best.
Stuck on food is actually really easy to clean, you just need heat. Either clean it while it's still at least warm, or if it's cooled what I do is put it back on the burner and put water in it. Let the water get hot, then scrape with a spatula or whatever and it comes off with no effort. Then dump the water, wash with soap and rinse and no scrubbing needed.
In short, the easiest way to clean stuck-on food particles is just simply water and heat, more than what your faucet can provide on it's own. Think of it as "deglazing" the pan, like you would while cooking to make a pan sauce.
I think a lot of cooking is how to clean efficiently, as that's a big hurdle for beginning and even veteran cooks to get motivated to cook more at home. I would love to see a video that breaks down how to efficiently plan out your meal prep and cooking time to cook in your downtime, to leave less a mess at the end, and how to efficiently clean various things in the kitchen. Being able to walk away from a clean kitchen with the only thing left to clean being the dishes I'm eating off of is a wonderful feeling. And walking into a clean kitchen for the next meal dramatically increases motivation to not just make something lazy and unhealthy as well. I think this would be just as helpful to people wanting to cook more as technical tips on cooking itself, and something that is pretty widely ignored by most cooking channels.
Yes, excellent suggestion!
Water and baking soda are efficient. Stainless steel pans need a little more time than non-stick.
@@LecaroJ That does work, but it does still require using up baking soda, and still requires scrubbing. Putting it back on the stove with water in it then heating it up means less waste of baking soda, and once it heats up everything just comes off with zero effort, again like deglazing a pan works.
Often I just skip the whole thing entirely and clean the pan almost immediately after I'm done cooking once it's cooled down enough to avoid damage to the pan. Just the little residual heat left is usually more than enough for everything to come up with no scrubbing, and then i don't have to come back later and scrub or do anything. I don't mind waiting an extra minute to get to eat, if it saves me lots of work in the long run.
I don't use up baking soda - a tablespoon is sufficient.
@@LecaroJ I mean, that’s each time, either way weird hill to die on. Using baking soda up at all, then still having to scrub, vs. using a couple minutes to reheat the pan with some water and literally not having to scrub at all?
Seriously, just try it, either clean the pan once it’s cooled down a bit but still warm, or reheat it with a bit of water and deglaze it. I too used to use baking soda as well, but that method pales in comparison to just a bit of heat and water.
All of these recipes are kinda magical, the cake tip especially just made me sit and think about how I'm going to try and use it
The french toast! The foiled saucepan squish! I was already a proponent for letting things stick to crisp and build flavor and fond, but I STILL had my mind blown!
Lam & the team that supports this fantastic work: You are all amazing. Thanks for this great video!
This is an example of a great teacher. Good visual aids. Good demonstration of the ideas presented. Making science accessible.
8 pieces at once! This woman is in contact with cosmic cooking forces. As someone who loves French toast I have to try this method :)
My day just got better after seeing another lesson from Lan! I have never liked the idea of a 'smash' burger but now I need to go get some hamburger and try them as watching Lan made me want to enjoy them too! Lan you are a wonderful teacher and lovely host.
The "Smash Burgers" secret is that it maximizes the surface area that has gone through the maillard reaction, the sticking the two patties together with cheese will bring back the mouthfeel of a thick patty. mmmmmmm
I am still not a fan of the smashed burger. I want my burger to have substance.🍔
@@mikehammond7277 What do you mean by substance? Thickness?
I don’t eat meat anymore, but always loved a smash burger! Also a great opportunity for a pile of crisp lettuce, slice of heirloom tomato and some Duke’s. 😋 Never was a fan of a thick patty.
@mkehammond7277 not thinking too hard....
I love the shiny grin in Lan's eyes as she eats the ice cream cake. It's like seeing a six-year-old girl taking delighted pleasure in the cake at her first real birthday party. Love you, Lan!!! 😍😄
So good! I got sick of buying non-stick pans over and over again. A decade ago I threw out my last non-stick pan and have never looked back, in fact, it has only made food more delicious. There’s a learning curve to it but once learned you’ll have pans you can pass down for many generations to come.
Me too! I got sick of having to buy non-stick pans every year. Hence buying cheap stuff made sense. But buying cheap pans is tricky! However, I solved the problem. I haven't used my non-stick for about two years. 2 things. 1. I bought several Kanda Nitrided Woks and pans. 2. I bought a Strata tri-ply Carbon Steel, Aluminum, and Stainless Steel pan. For the later, I was very skeptical about it... sounds gimmicky to me... and on KickStarter, no less! But WTH, it's only about $120. Give it a try. And, it worked great! Light weight and spread heat like a regular All-Clad tri-ply pan, but has all the stick/non-stick property of cast iron! No more mission impossible for tossing a loaded cast iron! So I ordered two more. No more non-stick, unless the recipe absolutely calls for it.
Carbon steel is my new nonstick cooking vessel. No dangerous chemical coating and it cleans and maintains exactly like cast iron, but without the abrasive iron-leeching qualities.
I treated myself to my Christmas 2023 and bought a set of 10-12 pieces of All Clad 3 ! It was a small king’s ransom but so beautiful to cook in …I had to learn how to use it so that it acts like non stick pan . The fond I create is just beautiful for sauces and flavour.
I got tired of tossing out non stick and replacing them every 4- 5 years . And I also bought Staub braiser and Dutch oven . So now my pots are in my Will and they will be passed on to my grand kids generation of home cooks !! Hahhaha Gosh , I hope they will learn to cook ! 🤞🤞🤞🤞
The lesson I learnt is don’t buy inexpensive kitchen equipment….even if you seemingly can’t find the money in your early marriage days ….buy 1-2 pieces one year at a time and over 7 years you would have equipment that will last you another 50 to 60 years.
In the long run , you save money and have a much more enjoyable culinary journey.
My adult kids won’t spend the money …cause they are boys ! SMH 🤦♀️ they would buy $400 sport shoes but not $250 cooking equipment. So I will buy them the pots , one at a time for their Christmas gift.
My hubby says I am too practical ! Yeah ….they will remember me every time they use the pots.
@opwave79
Carbon steel has a higher iron content than cast iron. It can leech iron into acidic foods all the same. The trick for both types of cookware is to keep a good seasoning on the pan, and avoid acidic foods if possible (easier said than done).
I wish I started with cast iron & carbon steel pan. Would hv saved me lots of $ from IKEA non stick pans 😂😅
Lan! Your smashburger example is contributing to the expansion of my thighs... as did your French toast and cake. Love your techniques and insights, truly.
Whoa, sheet pan french toast all in one batch! Gonna have to try that one! Love you, Lan! ❤
I love, love, love, your videos. I always use your cold sear technique to cook steak and it comes out amazing every time. I can't wait to try this technique out too.
Lan content is so consistently good, it's unreal.
Heat management has been huge for me preventing sticking too, not letting the pan get too hot, too quick lets me make sure meat proteins actually have time to do what Lan's demo showed without burning first!
Such a useful visual illustration, thank you so much for this!
Lan Lam is awesome. I'll watch any video she makes.
This is the single most scientific and educational cooking channel ive ever seen, ive watched them on tv since i was a child. Their "tests" are basically scientific studies
Reminds me of Good Eats.
That smash burger and ice cream cake were a thing of beauty. You know those sample bites were delicious and that the production crew was hoping to have a try.
I have a different approach to a smash burger . I get a portion of ground beef , put it in a quart freezer zip lock bag and use a similar method to smash it in the bag and freeze and it retains it's shape when you grill or pan fry it . Don't get me wrong , your way is great Lan . Just a suggestion since I've been doing this way for a while and it works especially when you are watching your diet . 😉
I think the term smash burger means specifically smashing it in the pan (?)
That smash burger looks delicious! Also, great idea on the baking pan French toast. Bravo!
That honestly looks like the most delicious Smashburger I’ve ever seen.
I know her name is Lan Lam but whenever I see a new video of hers I burst out with "It's Lam Lam!"🥳
My mother bought me a lot of ice cream cakes for birthdays, growing up. Your video made me a bit nostalgic. Please do a video on ice cream cakes. She was a single mother and Baskin Robins was affordable, but I’d like to see where it could go.
Lan is a scientist, an artist, and a damn good cook! 😄
LAN is ALWAYS informative & ON POINT !! A wonderful teacher!! Definitely an asset to keep !!
ATK and especially you are a Godsend for home cooks. 😊
Another good one I learned from ATK - skin-on chicken thigh. It will stick at first, but won’t once it’s crispy.
That's my experience with eggs. Don't touch them for the first minute, let them cook on the bottom and they naturally separate.
Really good video. You'll get taller cookies, thicker sauces, faster caramelizing, and generally more structurally sound food if you allow some "sticking". But you'll also have more work scrubbing.
True Very True, when cooking food when a. Rust happens it is easy to release and turn or remove from.
You're the best Lan....great video!
Thank you Lan
I've learned to cook just about everything on stainless steel. A thin oil layer is more than enough to even cook eggs on! Super easy. And yes, for an excellent steak or burger, letting the stuck parts brown until they release is essential. No nonstick cookware for me.
I just love the videos with Lan! Now I want to eat the French toast, the smash burger, and the ice cream cake.
Another fascinating lesson from Lan!
This was fantastic as always! That ice cream cake looks incredible! I'd love to see a video about making it, especially as a lot of us have improved our ice cream game thanks to Dan's videos!
Follow the link in the video description.
@@charlieharris3240 🤦 I completely missed that. I searched for a video on it but didn't find anything, but I guess the video is only on their website.
Thank you for pointing that out to me!
When Lan Lam writes a book, I'm buying.
The way Lan speaks and moves is almost poetic
That burger looks so good!!!
Wow that cake 😍 I would love to see an episode of how to make one like that. Great tips as usual. Thank you for sharing with us!!
I could eat ice cream cake and listen to you read the phone book all day! The content is always amazing, but your voice is so pretty and soothing, with a lilt to keep it a little sassy. 😆
Thank you for this in service. I appreciate the info tremendously! I've been trying to up my incorporation of fond and usage of the Milliard effect recently and every bit of know-how helps.
Knowing which type of cooking surface to use for which recipes goes a long way. For example, if I’m going tp make a pan sauce, I will use stainless steel. The stuck on bits get deglazed easily and I can scrape that tasty goodness into the pan sauce without worrying about scraping coating along with it.
Great video! I love these explanation videos by Ms. Lam, they are entertaining and helpful.
Amazing explanation. I've never really understood the logic behind smashburgers until now.
Thanks Lan. My pan sauces sucked for 25 years (no fond) , before I finally figured out to use stainless steel instead of my t-Fal frypan; stickage is goodage!
Well hello Ms. Lam, that was a very colorful prop you have there...That's it, i'm coming over for lunch so you can make me a smash burger...
Lan is a National Treasure
After I learned about the origins (coating helicopter blades?!?) and health risks of non stick pans, I switched to stainless a year ago and never looked back. Still gotta get a carbon steel pan one day, too. It's worth the occasional sticking and learning curve, look up the Leidenfrost effect and how to test the heat and you're good to go.
Love this video! So useful to know why things work like they do. Just a quick question, why a metal spatula? For the burger? Wont that mess up the skillet? I remember when buying my creuset that they adviced against metal cookware ^^ hope anyone can answer
Lan Lam, I love you!
Really enjoyed the video. Great topic but even greater presenter.
I would watch an hour of Lan scraping
Thank you again Lan Lam for this amazing video 😭
The science-informed Good Eats-era Alton Brown-esque fun and interesting meta-commentary about process that tells me how to make one recipe AND improve a hundred others with the new tool in my toolbox, that's really excellent.
Lan Lam is an American treasure
That smash burger is ELITE
Lan is a genius!
Very informative ! Thanks Lan Lam and America's Test Kitchen.
PAM is sending Lam a check if they k ow what's good for themselves!
Lan Lam could read a dang phone book and I’m pretty sure I’d learn several interesting things.
Another great video. My thanks for this content.
The tube thing is a really great analogy!
Lan is the best! Thank you.
Lan is awesome, as always!
Super informative - thank you Lan! Happy Autumn!
Lan you rock!!!
Potato masher with a couple layers of a thicker foil is my preference for 'smash' burgers, same straight down movement, less weight to control.
Protein structure changes as demonstrated with children's toys. I love it!
Learn so much in these videos!
Literally one of the best RUclips channels.
Lan, Dan, and the Lisa/Hannah collabs are the best, I usually skip the other regulars.
Lan lam! 🎉
Yup, those are tasty bits. I don't cook meat but when I did i'd use butter or wine or water drops to collect all the tasty bits up for a finishing touch.
Alton Brown vibes with the scientific explanations. Good work, chef. Now I want to try a smash burger in my cast iron.
my first Lan Lam experience ~ I am besotted. Also incredibly hungry for a smash burger
i thought it was strange to watch her scrape up those smash burger patties with that thin slotted spatula, it seems like a sturdier solid one would have been better, but they still came up off the pan perfectly
(i forget which smash fast casual chain CEO did a demo of the method in an interview a few years back and described the resulting crusty browned layer as "meat candy" but it totally is)
Thx, you're so informative!
Alright, i'm sold. I would like to pre-order a set of maximum sticky cookware, please!
Very informative. Well done!
Such an underrated cooking channel. Things we learn here you can’t find ANYWHERE else.
2.4 mil subscribers is underrated? I think it is one of the most popular and well known ones no?
Sticking gives the fond that ATK cooks like, but it can be somewhat of a challenge to clean the pan!
My favorite technique is to wipe as much loose stuff off, put the empty pan back on medium heat, get it hot, then toss in some water. The “shock” loosens most stuck on food. Repeat as often as needed.
That cheese burger looks fantastic. I love butter lettuce. I would have salted those tomatoes (I’m sure she did that). YUM.
Hot pan, cold oil works too.
I find that flipping the spatula is much better at getting a smash burger to release from the pan
I would love to see a video on making that ice cream cake.
The temperature difference between something cold and something warm leads to sticking. A cool stainless pan on low heat is less likely to stick to frozen food.
Death by butter.... but yum!
Great video Lan, thanks much. I shy away from cooking sprays because of the long list of unpronounceable ingredients on the label. I have recently acquired combination spray/pour dispensers. I have peanut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar next to my cook top. I have my choice of "cooking sprays" whenever I need a thin coat of oil on a hot surface or food. Are these equivalent to the contents of a commercial spray can?
As far as the purpose of coating the surface of cookware to prevent sticking, any oil with decently high smoking temperature should work. Lan prob used those sprays because its what most people would be able to get to apply very thin layer of oil as possible (esp with baking). Imo even a brush and some tissue to wipe off some excess would prob work as well, but I havent experimented with it to actually say for sure.
In my experience, oil by itself is not as nonstick as cooking sprays like PAM. I don't think it's actually about getting an even layer. Butter (including ghee and even most plant butters/margarines) seem to be about as good as PAM.
The reason PAM works better is mostly just the lecithin, which is a pretty inoffensive ingredient. It's basically a naturally occurring B vitamin precursor and can supposedly be bought in pure liquid form from health food stores, or online. I got some to make my own spray and I think it works very well. Lecithin, and other similar compounds, are probably why butters are more nonstick than pure oil. Most plant butters I've seen explicitly add lecithin in particular.
@@MustSeto Thanks, what ratio of oil to lecithin do you use? Does it alter the taste of the oil?
@@gcerchio I use 1/2 tsp lecithin per 3 TBSP oil. I also dilute it with another 3 TBSP Everclear because that seems to improve the spray of my Misto, but other types of dedicated oil sprayer might not need that. I used to use water, but it took like 3 to 5 _times_ as much. Alcohol also vaporizes easier, cools less, and probably prevents bacterial growth anyways.
I haven't noticed any real changes in flavor. The lecithin I have basically tastes like a neutral oil, you don't need much lecithin in the spray, and you don't need much of the spray.
And from what I can tell lecithin basically _is_ a fat/oil. It's a phospholipid, and "lipid" means fat. It's even 120 calories per tablespoon. It's just been (naturally) tweaked a bit so it can dissolve in water, etc.
Very informative, love your videos!
Thanks so much
I share this point of view. Always try something new and different
I think that it would be the greatest thing in the world to spend an afternoon in the kitchen with Lan.
Greatest thing in the world???? That shouldn't even make the top 1,000 things
Great video, just love her experience.
Good god, that burger and ice cream looks to die for....
Imho, non-stick is also not good for those of us who are chemically sensitive, such as people who are immune compromised. Thank you for showing a different perspective on sticky food. Keep up the awesome work. And, take care. 👋
I love your hot takes.
Lan Lam speaks and I LISTEN