Why are YouTube cooks better than you? We have the secret

Why is that YouTube cook's dish so much better than yours? It's probably not your fault

By Lindsay Parrill December 24, 2022

If you’re like the rest of us, chances are at some point you’ve turned to YouTube in a moment of wanting to learn a new recipe or cooking technique. But sadly, like so many other things in life, what you see from YouTube cooking channels isn’t always what it appears to be. “The magic of TV” where dishes come out picture-perfect every time, nothing ever burns, and everyday home cooks transform into Michelin star chefs right before your very eyes? We’re sorry to say, but it’s mostly bogus. In addition to the endless editing, countless takes, and fancy camera tricks that go into most of these popular shows, YouTube cooks usually have one very important tool most of us don’t yet have in our kitchens — a convection oven.

Convection ovens differ from regular ovens in the way they circulate air, and therefore, heat. A built-in fan distributes the air inside a convection oven evenly to all parts of whatever is cooking inside, which means even browning, and even cooking throughout your dish. They’re also more energy efficient as their fans help them both to preheat and cook food more quickly than regular ovens. Air fryers use a very similar technology, which is undoubtedly why they’ve become so popular in recent years. The quick burst of hot air around the food creates a crisp, even browning without added fats, making this not only a more efficient way of cooking, but a healthier one as well.

a whole roasted chicken in serving dish. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

There are some instances in which a convection oven isn’t the best choice. When making something delicate like a custard or soufflé, for example, you’ll want a slower, gentler heat applied. The chaotic blowing of a fan inside the oven, while great for many dishes, can wreak havoc on certain foods, particularly desserts. But for the most part, if it’s a golden and crisp, evenly and perfectly cooked result you’ve achieved, a convection oven is likely the cause.

So the next time you feel shamed because your dish didn’t quite come out the way that YouTuber’s did, pause the video and take a peek inside their oven. If there’s a fan inside, take comfort in knowing you’re not the one at fault. Blame your regular oven.

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Lindsay Parrill

Contributor

Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…

Food & Drink

Tequila bottles have a code on the back that tells you how good it is

Crack the code and learn a little something about your favorite spirit

tips for buying good tequila francisco galarza hos80gyhota unsplash

It's no secret that tequila has been gaining speed in the American popularity contest for a few years now. With every other celebrity slapping their name on labels, a wave of trendy tequila cocktails sweeping the nation, and an ever-growing appreciation for the spirit's many fine qualities, this sweet agave spirit couldn't be hotter. And while this is fantastic news whether you're new to tequila or have been around for a while, it does come with the downside of confusion in a now heavily saturated market.
Knowing good tequila from cheap party swill is more complicated than just checking the price tag. But how do you tell the good from the bad? The savor-every-sip-in-its-complex-richness versus the two-dollar-shot-and-a-hangover-worse-than-death brands? Thankfully, there's a secret code printed on the backs of tequila bottles that reveals everything you need to know.

How to choose the best tequila
A NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana) is a four-digit numerical code printed on the back of every bottle of tequila. That number represents the distillery from whence the tequila was made. As is required by Mexican law, every tequila brand must disclose its NOM, which, if you know what to look for, can reveal the product's legitimacy and quality.
Every NOM directly corresponds to a specific tequila distillery located in one of the five authorized tequila states in Mexico: Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, Nayarit, or Tamaulipas. By searching a bottle's NOM online on sites such as Tequila Matchmaker, a person can decipher exactly where the tequila was made.
A NOM can also reveal which brands also share the same distillery. That's right — while there are over 3,000 tequila brands on the market, there are fewer than 200 distilleries located within the Denomination of Origin. So there's more overlap than you might suspect. Some NOMS are associated with hundreds of tequila brands, indicating perhaps a lower quality product as these enormous distilleries are often known for using additives in their products to create detectable taste differences between the brands they produce. Whereas smaller, family-owned distilleries will carry their own unique NOM.
And if you're a real tequila nerd (like we are), researching a bottle's NOM will also tell you that particular distillery's location, whether or not they offer tours, the equipment they use for the distillery process, aging techniques, and even their sources of water. You can read reviews of the product and even view photos of the distillery itself. So grab that bottle of tequila you've got on the bar cart and do a little digging. You might learn something.

Food & Drink

The secret to tasty, crispy bacon is something you already have in your pantry

The secret to perfect bacon has been right under your nose this whole time

Bacon frying in pan

It's pretty universally agreed that bacon is delicious. There are very few dishes (if any?) that can't be improved by a few crispy, savory, meaty slices of this porky treat. Slip a few pieces into a sandwich, crumble them up and sprinkle over salad for a noticeable improvement. Dip the stuff in chocolate, for crying out loud. We'll take it any way we can get it. Even the grease it leaves behind is something of a magical ingredient in and of itself. There's no denying that bacon is wonderful. A true gift. But what if we told you that there's a secret to even tastier, crispier bacon? Impossible, you may say. And yet, it's true. And the secret weapon is something we guarantee you have in your cupboard at this very moment. Plain ol' fashioned all-purpose flour.

Why does flour make bacon crispy?
By cooking bacon that has been dredged in flour first, you're doing a few things to help improve both its flavor and texture. Firstly, the coating of flour will help dry the bacon and absorb excess moisture, which is one of the keys of properly browned meats. Flour also provides a protective coating, helping to keep the bacon from overcooking. Another added perk of flouring first is that the flour will weigh the bacon down so that it fries flat and won't curl up on you, which can be terribly annoying when you're trying to get that perfect breakfast-in-bed shot for Instagram.

Food & Drink

You’re probably not using the broiler setting on your oven, but it’s a game-changer — here’s why

What is a broiler, you ask? Only the best oven setting you're not using.

Pizzas on oven racks

In the summertime, we talk an awful lot about grilling. And who can blame us? Grilling is a hoot, and grilled foods are spectacularly delicious. But for many reasons, grilling isn't always an option. Perhaps you haven't yet been inspired to buy a grill for yourself, or you live in a place that's especially rainy with no covered patio. Maybe you had a particularly embarrassing experience years ago that involved burning off your eyebrows, and you've been too scared to pick up the tongs ever since. Whatever the reason, it's okay. There is another option. In fact, it's likely something you already have in your kitchen and may not even be aware of. It's your broiler setting.
In addition to being a fantastic substitute for a grill, your broiler can also do a multitude of other impressive culinary tasks, from cooking to crisping to browning to brûléeing. So it's in your best interest to learn how to use this handy tool as soon as possible.
Broilers come standard with almost every oven on the market, be it gas or electric. In most cases, the broiler will be on the inside of your oven, the heat coming directly from the top. You'll access the broiler's heat by placing one of your oven racks on the highest setting — usually two to three inches from the broiler. In other cases, the broiler may be located in a drawer at the bottom of the oven and will work similarly, but with less control as to how closely your food can be placed to the heat source. Either way, it should be fairly obvious when you give your oven a quick inspection. So in case you've ever wondered what that button is for, or, if you're just noticing it for the first time since you moved in, this is how to use your broiler.

Cook
A broiler is, essentially, an upside-down grill inside your oven. If you know your way around a grill and think about it this way, cooking with the broiler will become quite simple. It gives off very high heat, so it's designed to cook quickly. Anything that cooks well on fast, high heat will do well in the broiler. Things like thin cuts of meat, smaller vegetables, and even pizza all cook beautifully this way. Simply adjust your settings according to your ingredients.