Whilst you don't have to put things like cream in the recipe, we wanted to as an option to give more comparison on the shop. We've typed up the recipe method here with full hints and tips and what we would buy from luxury or budget supermarkets (spoiler, budget was best!) barrylewis.net/recipe/spaghetti-carbonara-cheap-vs-steep/ For more Cheap vs Steep videos, check this playlist ua-cam.com/video/5awtkLiSXHY/v-deo.html
@@irian42 Yes and no. I would indeed have liked a cheap version vs steep version of the Italian version. It is one of my favorite dishes, but the main thing is I just hate onions... So to see one of my favorite onion-less dishes containing onion just hurts 😅
You should do another series called "Fast Vs Last" or something where you use two completely different recipes, one that is really quick, and one that takes ages, and see whether it's worth the time difference!
@@pinupbyjm well, yes, or at least closer to it. I think cheap using bacon and grana padano rather than guanciale and pecorino romano would be absolutely fine, for instance.
Even if you go with Luciano Monosilio's recipe, and add grana padano, it's only five. And yes, that would certainly make the differences shine through. Even makes it simple to just swap a single ingredient to test that difference - e.g. cheap vs expensive spaghetti. Cheap vs expensive eggs. Cheap vs expensive pepper. Cheap vs expensive cheese.
Wait a minute, isn't Elmlea a "cream alternative"? I mean, it is mostly buttermilk, so it's still dairy, but it's also cut with vegetable oils. While it's surely suitable for purpose, I wouldn't think of Elmlea as being proper cream. Also, a blindfolded taste test sounds like it'd be amazing. And bring us back to the days of Barshens. I still remember that semi-festishy Blindfold Jenga session, hosted by Dan NerdCubed and made all the spookier by Paul Gannon.
Elmlea stays fresher for longer, over the double the shelf life of dairy cream (before and after opening). Pour over pudding, swirl into soup or add a splash to your scrambled eggs. Nutrition Facts Buttermilk (MILK) (86%), Vegetable Oils in varying proportions (Palm, Rapeseed) (13%), Stabilisers (E412, E410, E407), Buttermilk Powder (MILK), Emulsifier (E475), Colour (E160a)
I accidentally picked up Elmlea once, NEVER again!! Probably wouldn't have mind so much if it was dairy free, but I don't see how someone can make a dairy product so bad!
@@justanotherviewer4821 Yeah, it's not that great. But with that said, even though I prefer proper cream, I don't really hate Elmlea. I wouldn't go out and buy it myself, but if I had to use it in a pinch, it wouldn't be a terrible time. As a last resort, you could probably do worse.
@@mrbarrylewis Extra vergin only means it's from the first pressing. The means how is what makes the difference. Cold extraction is best, but very expensive
I would've liked to see a cheap vs steep real italian carbonara. With no cream, but where the creamy sauce comes from emulsifying the pecorino with eggs and some of the water used to cook the pasta in. As Guanciale is probably difficult to find and thus quit a bit more expensive then bacon, that would already be a good one to start with. And then use a very slowly dried spaghetti, hint, the quicker pasta has dried, the more orange the color, the slower the pasta has dried, the lighter the color. For the cheese, you can go for a very good pecorino for the steep one. And some basic parmezan for the cheap one. I would've realy liked to see such a steep vs cheap.
Barry, Elmlea is NOT cream these are the ingredients BUTTERMILK 69%, vegetable oils (palm, rapeseed), LACTOSE, emulsifiers (SOYA LECITHIN, sucrose esters of fatty acids), stabilizers (xanthan gum, locust bean gum, carrageenan), colour (carotenes). I use Longley Fams cream, it's like it used to be. Sorry it's got to be said😀
LOL just shows firstly that some you tubers don't have a clue what they are doing, and secondly most of the time cheap versus steep doesn't make a difference? To be fair though good quality eggs and cheese do taste different and i think that is the point of these sometimes its worth spending extra sometimes its not.
Thanks for the video! I believe the pre-grated cheese issue comes down to the fact that they tend to add anti-clumping agents, such as cornflour, which wouldn't necessarily be desirable in what you're cooking - when you grate it yourself, you have full control. I don't know if that's true with this particular cheese, but it certainly the case for most pre-grated mozzarella for example :)
When you buy the oil in the canister, you are paying for the canister. Olive oil deteriorates in the light so it should either be kept in a tin or in a dark cupboard.
Also, there are people that found out cheap olive oil might not be 100% olive oil, even if it says it on the ingredients. Cheap olive oil tends to be a mix of oils.
@@_Azzychan if it’s a blend it legally has to state this on the bottle. Some of the Fillipo Berio ones do, despite being comparative expensive. Aldi’s standard EVOO is not a blend.
@@PotatoPirate123 Thanks. I forgot where I had heard the information I posted. I did find something on Consumer Reports that shows things can be a little confusing in regards to Olive Oil though. I guess the main thing is taste preference and what you are doing with it (just flavoring, sautéing, etc.)
Guanciale - It can be a pain to find; took me a couple of years to find a shop that had it - came to a little more than 1 US dollar per serving considering you don't need that much. It makes its own oil, so you don't need olive oil. Don't need onions, either. Eggs: I do try to get the best I can find which is about $5 or $6 for a dozen, so let's say $1 per serving since i'd use two eggs per. Good pasta in standard size (700-800 grams) costs me about $5 or $6, so let's say $2 per serving since 100g wouldn't feed a baby. Black pepper: No idea how to break down the cost of that; always have some, probably always will. Let's pretend it's magic pepper and is $0.25 per serving. Pecorino: Cheese is probably what will cost the most unless you're in Italy. For me, I'll say the amount I'd need per serving would be around $2. That brings me, and where I live is not cheap, to $6-$7 for a good portion of carbonara. Considering a plate of simple spaghetti with a weak sauce now cost me around $20 at a restaurant that caters more to students and drunks, I'd say that's a great deal for one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had.
Elmlea isn't cream! It's made of oil and buttermilk and a bunch of other stuff. It's like comparing margarine to butter - even the most expensive margarine will never beat the cheapest butter
I think Barry genuinely doesn't realise that it's not cream. I've seen him use it quite a few times in videos in the past. He needs to see this so he finally realises haha.
@@mrbarrylewis Try putting Elmlea in your coffee. You will NEVER buy it again. It's dreadful stuff that it generally only found in corner shops because of its shelf-life. Still, thumbscrews and the rack are inadequate punishments for people who put cream in a carbonara.
Doing a roast dinner steep vs cheap would be awesome!!! I also LOVED the idea of going back to one of your first videos and seeing how much everything has gone up (or down lol) in price since your first one. Especially after the virus. That would be crazy interesting. You could even shop from the same 2 stores as you did in the first one if possible for the best comparison. I would love to see that!
The expensive oil can be used on top of salad and drizzled over pasta dishes etc, you’ll get more health benefits from not cooking it. I LOVE these cheap vs steep recipes. Also, grated cheese is coated in flour to keep it separated, would be interesting to make the Ninja Turtles .Mac n cheese (pizza top) with ready grated vs block cheese.
5:24 trouble is Elmlea is not cream but an alternative to cream, and is a blend of buttermilk and vegetable oils and is classified as a dairy cream alternative (DCA).
I make carbonara more the “traditional” way as a somewhat regular easy, low-effort weekday meal (ie. Pasta, eggs, pancetta/bacon, Parmesan), and I usually use Aldi’s parmeggiano reggiano, because it’s actually really good despite being cheaper. But I’m picky about the eggs and pancetta (or bacon if I can’t find pancetta - there was a major lack of pancetta for a while in the uk post-brexit/covid).
Carbonara literally is a 3 ingredient recipe. It's for poor people, no wonder cheap tastes better, it's how it's supposed to taste. Pasta, egg, cheese, that's all it is.
Vincenzo's plate would be simply frothing with rage seeing cream, onions and bacon going into a carbonara. Especially with the absence of some pasta water! Fantastic video though Barry, makes a pleasant change to see the cheep coming out on top for once!
I love the cheap vs steep series. It's cool to see what difference the ingredients you use in your cooking make. Some things I will not go cheap on in my kitchen, but at the same time, there are things I do not care if they are cheaper or not. In general for baked goods, I love farm-fresh eggs. They add so much to the dish. When making buttercream, I haven't notice too much of a difference in taste if I use an expensive butter. I have noticed that vanilla makes or breaks most baked goods though. If you can get good quality vanilla, I would splurge. I personally get homemade mexican vanilla that is to die for.
@@mrbarrylewis Thankfully the vanilla we get is about 16 USD for 24oz. Relatively cheap for good quality. I live in New Mexico though, so it makes a difference for sourcing. It'd be interesting if you could try making your own vanilla too to see the difference. I've done that before too and I have a bottle of it in my pantry just in case I ever run out of my other stuff.
@@SapavemLasae Claire Saffitz makes her own vanilla and just keeps adding to it with the leftover pods when she uses vanilla bean in a recipe. If I used vanilla pods ever it's something I would do rather than throw them out
Still hoping one day you do a blind taste test at the end to get the realest reactions. Just feel like knowing something is cheaper or more expensive can skew your opinions. Anyhow, still love the videos! Keep up the great work!
If you do revisit some cheap Vs steep I would like to see a third option where you pick mid price ingredients. Or a combination of the cheap and steep. As I like many shop across all ranges for certain things. Cheap bacon, bread and eggs are always a no. But things like onions I would have no problem going cheap
Thank you for the video. I personally would always buy free range eggs and British Bacon. But couldn’t justify the price of the steep recipe. You could make a Cheesecake, Millionaire Shortbread, Lasange, Chilli, Cottage Pie, Fish Pie, Rocky Road and Sticky Toffee Pud. Sorry loads of ideas came to me 😂 Really enjoy these videos :)
Hello, been a very long time since i have seen your videos. Love your videos and use too watch all the time and then it seemed i lost you guys some where. So glad to see you back again. God Bless.
It might (?) be interesting to see one with cheap/steep ingredients from the same store, rather than going to a discount/fancy store. These are super fun, but that would be more relatable 😃
Love your channel Barry! Been following for years now and it just gets better. My favourite are your kitchen gadget reviews. I'm absolutely doing the cheap Carbonara, energy bills are making me poor. Glad I'm also not the only man that cries watching titanic haha.
What interests me more is not the price alone. I would like to see the ingredient on the packages of steep vs cheap. Like what is in that cheap pasta or the cheese. That would be a huge factor for me personally. Lobe the series, Im hungry now😅
The thing with grated cheese vs a block of cheese being better is a fact. The problem with pre-grated cheese is this use a coating on the cheese to prevent it sticking together in the packet, I think it’s a kind of potato starch. Obviously when you grate your own you don’t get that. It makes a big difference in flavour and texture.
Barry & Fa. Cheers. When you have extra egg whites you can freeze them as is and use them later....extra egg yolks need the addition of salt or sugar to help preserve them in the freezer....I always have extra egg whites in the freezer which I freeze in ice cube trays and take out what I need. A friendly tip to make the kitchen more economical...Jim Oaxaca Mexico
I love this series!! It would be great if you both tasted the individual ingredients too - I would love to know if you like the expensive pasta better on its own! And the olive oil (maybe with a bit of bread?)
I'd live if you did another "Cheap vs. Steep vs. Homemade" Special where you compare something like pesto, because I often hear people using expensive products as an excuse for cooking it themselves...
Just want to say man! Been subscribed since 2015! Even after a hard day can always count on a new vid of yours popping up! Keep it going and here's to 2025! Haha
I tend to use Lardons when I make Carbonara - saves me cutting bacon. I also tend to buy the best eggs I can because I find they have a better taste than caged eggs. And adding cream is just a bit of a treat. 😊 A cheap vs steep Take Away would be good with the cost of living being what it is like Thai Green Curry, Chicken in Black Bean, Sweet ‘N’ Sour Chicken…
Haha, yes, i'm hoping the accent gives it away! But it's like when you see people from overseas doing a UK recipe, there are some variations, but it can't be fully authentic as both aren't available in the cheap supermarket. So British style (a Delia Smith recipe that we love) it had to be :)
@@mrbarrylewis Honestly I think it would be great if the more expensive version contains somewhat different/more authentic ingredients. Because if you already are willing or able to spend more money on a certain ingredient you probably wouldnt get the most expensive version of what can also be had cheaply, you would go for the best ingredient for the job that is available and that you can afford. In this case, the cheese and the bacon both would probably have much better expensive versions that might actually make a bigger difference to the end result.
I wish we in the states could try your bacon! I've never seen it in our stores. What we have is what I suppose you call streaky bacon. My in-laws are from England, and they say back in the day streaky bacon would be given away free with certain purchases; to top meats while baking for flavor and to keep moist. Amazing.
I have always loved this series. I do this all the time. I get my eggs from a farmer down the road. They are extra large and cost 3 euros. They make a big difference.
You really should make a real italian carbonara someday if you haven't Barry! One of the best dishes out there. Just pasta, guanciale, egg, pecorino romano (or parmigiano reggiano if you don't like pecorino) and black pepper. That's it and it's amazing.
Pasta, guanciale, eggs, pecorino, black pepper, salt and a little bit of pasta water. alternative ingredients. Pasta, pancetta, eggs, parmesan, black pepper, salt and a little bit of pasta water.
On the subject of going back to your old video's to check out prices of products, I was going through some old utility bills yesterday and my duel fuel deal was £61 a month!!!! I shall have to look again to get the date from it.
Do they even make a cheap version of it like can you find it in Aldis at all. I think some asjustments have to be made literally for the sake of the series and for the sake of feeding a family of four hence why they used a rescipe they liked.
Have to say. Mrs. B wasn't switching the ingredient I expected her to, i was so sure she would have used the expensive pasta, rather than the bacon! Also for follow up on older Cheap/Steep videos, in the future you could revisit older ones, and see how much the price difference is from when you did it, vs what it is [at time of recording new ones]. See how much the cost of living has gone up, as you do always cook fairly regular meals, that regular people will be making, so it'd be a good indicator of cost of living going up or down.
AHHH now I get why the Italian said “if my mother had wheels she would be a bike” carbonara definitely has NOT anything to do macaroni and cheese LOL no wonder he was mad o girl on the cooking show said that 😂😂😂😂😂😂
don't know if it's the same in the UK, but here in Denmark the more expensive pasta are all made with egg, while the cheaper/discount pasta isn't. It makes a huge difference in the colour, texture, and taste
Doing an ultimate pizza Cheep vs Steep might be interesting. Like, a cheap store-bought base vs a steep store-bought base vs a cheap homemade base vs a steep homemade base
As someone who once bought a bottle of olive oil that was about £18 (I accepted a free sample in the shop and then the sample guy started chatting to me about it and I felt like I had to take a bottle because I didn't know how else to end the interaction) I would never cook with olive oil that expensive, to be honest. That said, as an olive oil for dipping bread in as a starter, like they love to do in Italian restaurants, it was ABSOLUTELY SUPERB. Like, divinely good. Like, I could honestly understand the justification for the price, and I say that very grudgingly. I'd try a bit of the expensive oil just like... dribbled on a nice bit of bread, if you haven't.
Pre-grated cheese usually has added calcium carbonate (a type of starch) to prevent the shreds from clumping. That doesn’t do much to the flavor but it can interfere with melting, causing some separation or uneven melt. The flavor is usually stronger when you fresh grate the cheese, just like when you cut fruit or vegetables: it’s always “fresher” with a stronger flavor when you first slice it vs letting it sit for a couple hours or days after slicing.
Hi just to let you know calcium carbonate is not added to cheese it is a water soluble alkali, not a starch. And is commonly used as a raising agent in cakes...also is known as chalk!. You are thinking of cornflour which is added, it also thickens sauces made with the cheese. You are spot on regarding the fresh cut cheese, as it can despite popular belief go stale if left open as it oxidises
For the cheap version (and all cheap bacon, really), cook it low and slow in a pan by itself until it’s almost or actually crisp. Then continue with the rest of the recipe. In the case of this carbonara, cook it until 2/3 done, then add the onions. It will turn out MUCH better. The first carbonara I ever made was almost 20 years ago and it was with $1.50/lb American store brand bacon on sale. I HATE chewy bacon, so I decided to cook it some before adding the shallots (what my recipe called for) and it turned out beautifully. Plus, I learned a great cheap bacon hack!
At that price i would be keeping the steep oil for specific uses - like a dipping oil for a fancy breads platter or as a finishing oil on a salad - definitely one to use where it can shine in its own right rather than a tablespoon mixed in with other more dominant flavours. Always amazes me how different different oils from different producers/countries/seasons/presses can taste.
Barry...onion, cream, bacon? You also realise it's called carbonara because of how much black pepper is in it? Man, better hope Vincenzo doesn't see this....
How about you do one of your 4,3,2,1 videos but you try doing it as cheap as you possibly can to see if it's still worth it without the extra expense? These are probably my two favourite series so be cool to see a crossover
Whilst you don't have to put things like cream in the recipe, we wanted to as an option to give more comparison on the shop. We've typed up the recipe method here with full hints and tips and what we would buy from luxury or budget supermarkets (spoiler, budget was best!) barrylewis.net/recipe/spaghetti-carbonara-cheap-vs-steep/
For more Cheap vs Steep videos, check this playlist ua-cam.com/video/5awtkLiSXHY/v-deo.html
I was really curious about this video until I saw the onions.
"We are protecting you, Barry and Mrs B! The Italian Authenticity Police has to go through us!" _stands up_ " *I* am Barry Lewis!"
@@irian42 Yes and no. I would indeed have liked a cheap version vs steep version of the Italian version. It is one of my favorite dishes, but the main thing is I just hate onions... So to see one of my favorite onion-less dishes containing onion just hurts 😅
u do not put cream in carbonara :(
This is not carbonara 😂😂 love the videos though
You should do another series called "Fast Vs Last" or something where you use two completely different recipes, one that is really quick, and one that takes ages, and see whether it's worth the time difference!
that's awesome idea, I like the idea of it being the same recipe though and nearly did something like this! Watch this space, thankyou
@@mrbarrylewis do it Barry
I read the title I thought it would be a head to head with a takeaway order.
So recipes would work, but there’s gadgets like the instant pot that would make things difficult to judge.
Like a proper ragu/bolognese that gets simmered for hours.
Pre-ground cheese is often treated with cellulose to prevent clumping in the package. This affects how it melts in recipes.
Ah cheers Bob
You are also paying to it grated, rather than it necessarily being a better cheese.
Pre-grated cheese also often comes with mould (that you can't see because it's so small).
Try again with the expensive and switch out the over priced crappy pre grated branded cheese. This recipe is delish by the way, Nice one!
Hearing about Carbonara being "british style" puts me in mind of grandmothers and bycicles.
I understood that reference! 😂
Exactly!
I thought the same thing!
I think super traditional carbonara would be really good for this, because it is only 4 ingredients and so the differences would shine through a lot.
exactly!!!
With traditional you mean actual carbonara? 😅
@@pinupbyjm well, yes, or at least closer to it. I think cheap using bacon and grana padano rather than guanciale and pecorino romano would be absolutely fine, for instance.
@@camilleosoba3981 I was hoping that someone would mention guanciale 😁
Even if you go with Luciano Monosilio's recipe, and add grana padano, it's only five.
And yes, that would certainly make the differences shine through.
Even makes it simple to just swap a single ingredient to test that difference - e.g. cheap vs expensive spaghetti. Cheap vs expensive eggs. Cheap vs expensive pepper. Cheap vs expensive cheese.
Wait a minute, isn't Elmlea a "cream alternative"? I mean, it is mostly buttermilk, so it's still dairy, but it's also cut with vegetable oils. While it's surely suitable for purpose, I wouldn't think of Elmlea as being proper cream.
Also, a blindfolded taste test sounds like it'd be amazing. And bring us back to the days of Barshens. I still remember that semi-festishy Blindfold Jenga session, hosted by Dan NerdCubed and made all the spookier by Paul Gannon.
Elmlea stays fresher for longer, over the double the shelf life of dairy cream (before and after opening). Pour over pudding, swirl into soup or add a splash to your scrambled eggs.
Nutrition Facts
Buttermilk (MILK) (86%), Vegetable Oils in varying proportions (Palm, Rapeseed) (13%), Stabilisers (E412, E410, E407), Buttermilk Powder (MILK), Emulsifier (E475), Colour (E160a)
Elmlea in the steep 🤦🏻♂️
I accidentally picked up Elmlea once, NEVER again!!
Probably wouldn't have mind so much if it was dairy free, but I don't see how someone can make a dairy product so bad!
@@justanotherviewer4821 Yeah, it's not that great. But with that said, even though I prefer proper cream, I don't really hate Elmlea.
I wouldn't go out and buy it myself, but if I had to use it in a pinch, it wouldn't be a terrible time. As a last resort, you could probably do worse.
Isn’t that expensive olive oil meant for eating as it eg on food not for cooking?
Yeah they were both extra virgin olive oil so should just be normal olive oil to balance it out really, but worked all good!
@@mrbarrylewis Extra vergin only means it's from the first pressing. The means how is what makes the difference. Cold extraction is best, but very expensive
I would've liked to see a cheap vs steep real italian carbonara. With no cream, but where the creamy sauce comes from emulsifying the pecorino with eggs and some of the water used to cook the pasta in. As Guanciale is probably difficult to find and thus quit a bit more expensive then bacon, that would already be a good one to start with. And then use a very slowly dried spaghetti, hint, the quicker pasta has dried, the more orange the color, the slower the pasta has dried, the lighter the color. For the cheese, you can go for a very good pecorino for the steep one. And some basic parmezan for the cheap one.
I would've realy liked to see such a steep vs cheap.
Barry, Elmlea is NOT cream these are the ingredients BUTTERMILK 69%, vegetable oils (palm, rapeseed), LACTOSE, emulsifiers (SOYA LECITHIN, sucrose esters of fatty acids), stabilizers (xanthan gum, locust bean gum, carrageenan), colour (carotenes). I use Longley Fams cream, it's like it used to be. Sorry it's got to be said😀
LOL just shows firstly that some you tubers don't have a clue what they are doing, and secondly most of the time cheap versus steep doesn't make a difference? To be fair though good quality eggs and cheese do taste different and i think that is the point of these sometimes its worth spending extra sometimes its not.
Elmlea… 😢
Thanks for the video! I believe the pre-grated cheese issue comes down to the fact that they tend to add anti-clumping agents, such as cornflour, which wouldn't necessarily be desirable in what you're cooking - when you grate it yourself, you have full control. I don't know if that's true with this particular cheese, but it certainly the case for most pre-grated mozzarella for example :)
cool info cheers
Loved this video... Got a feeling that Vincenzo's plate might have a few things to say about the carbonara recipe though 😉😂
Can’t wait to see his response!
He did say ‘British style’ to be fair, and Brits (like the French) have a habit of adding cream to absolutely everything.
Does Vincenzo like anything that his Nonna didn't make?
„few“ *swears in Italian*
When you buy the oil in the canister, you are paying for the canister. Olive oil deteriorates in the light so it should either be kept in a tin or in a dark cupboard.
Also, there are people that found out cheap olive oil might not be 100% olive oil, even if it says it on the ingredients. Cheap olive oil tends to be a mix of oils.
@@_Azzychan if it’s a blend it legally has to state this on the bottle. Some of the Fillipo Berio ones do, despite being comparative expensive. Aldi’s standard EVOO is not a blend.
@@PotatoPirate123 Thanks. I forgot where I had heard the information I posted.
I did find something on Consumer Reports that shows things can be a little confusing in regards to Olive Oil though.
I guess the main thing is taste preference and what you are doing with it (just flavoring, sautéing, etc.)
@@PotatoPirate123 Nah, over half of the brands will likely be adulterated. The cheaper ones definitely will.
Guanciale - It can be a pain to find; took me a couple of years to find a shop that had it - came to a little more than 1 US dollar per serving considering you don't need that much. It makes its own oil, so you don't need olive oil. Don't need onions, either. Eggs: I do try to get the best I can find which is about $5 or $6 for a dozen, so let's say $1 per serving since i'd use two eggs per. Good pasta in standard size (700-800 grams) costs me about $5 or $6, so let's say $2 per serving since 100g wouldn't feed a baby. Black pepper: No idea how to break down the cost of that; always have some, probably always will. Let's pretend it's magic pepper and is $0.25 per serving. Pecorino: Cheese is probably what will cost the most unless you're in Italy. For me, I'll say the amount I'd need per serving would be around $2.
That brings me, and where I live is not cheap, to $6-$7 for a good portion of carbonara. Considering a plate of simple spaghetti with a weak sauce now cost me around $20 at a restaurant that caters more to students and drunks, I'd say that's a great deal for one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had.
Everything I know about carbonara I learned from Vincenzo’s Plate. Guanciale is the right one to use!!
Elmlea isn't cream! It's made of oil and buttermilk and a bunch of other stuff. It's like comparing margarine to butter - even the most expensive margarine will never beat the cheapest butter
I think Barry genuinely doesn't realise that it's not cream. I've seen him use it quite a few times in videos in the past.
He needs to see this so he finally realises haha.
Wow, I had no idea, thanks for the info!
Maybe consider contacting him on twitter or i can if you don't have a twitter account
@@danw9403 I see it now lol, yep done that a couple of times!
@@mrbarrylewis Try putting Elmlea in your coffee. You will NEVER buy it again. It's dreadful stuff that it generally only found in corner shops because of its shelf-life.
Still, thumbscrews and the rack are inadequate punishments for people who put cream in a carbonara.
Doing a roast dinner steep vs cheap would be awesome!!!
I also LOVED the idea of going back to one of your first videos and seeing how much everything has gone up (or down lol) in price since your first one. Especially after the virus. That would be crazy interesting. You could even shop from the same 2 stores as you did in the first one if possible for the best comparison. I would love to see that!
Yes we will deffo do that!
@@mrbarrylewis I can’t wait!!
RIP Barry after the oil purchase 😂 Mrs B’s face was exactly what my reaction would be too!!
The expensive oil can be used on top of salad and drizzled over pasta dishes etc, you’ll get more health benefits from not cooking it. I LOVE these cheap vs steep recipes. Also, grated cheese is coated in flour to keep it separated, would be interesting to make the Ninja Turtles .Mac n cheese (pizza top) with ready grated vs block cheese.
5:24 trouble is Elmlea is not cream but an alternative to cream, and is a blend of buttermilk and vegetable oils and is classified as a dairy cream alternative (DCA).
I make carbonara more the “traditional” way as a somewhat regular easy, low-effort weekday meal (ie. Pasta, eggs, pancetta/bacon, Parmesan), and I usually use Aldi’s parmeggiano reggiano, because it’s actually really good despite being cheaper. But I’m picky about the eggs and pancetta (or bacon if I can’t find pancetta - there was a major lack of pancetta for a while in the uk post-brexit/covid).
Mrs B preferring the cheap option, the world must be coming to a end 😂
Love these videos Barry, much love
Carbonara literally is a 3 ingredient recipe. It's for poor people, no wonder cheap tastes better, it's how it's supposed to taste. Pasta, egg, cheese, that's all it is.
Thanks a bunch
I'd love to see you do a "college cookery" series or something of SUPER simple, cheap recipes
Vincenzo's plate would be simply frothing with rage seeing cream, onions and bacon going into a carbonara. Especially with the absence of some pasta water!
Fantastic video though Barry, makes a pleasant change to see the cheep coming out on top for once!
I love the cheap vs steep series. It's cool to see what difference the ingredients you use in your cooking make. Some things I will not go cheap on in my kitchen, but at the same time, there are things I do not care if they are cheaper or not. In general for baked goods, I love farm-fresh eggs. They add so much to the dish. When making buttercream, I haven't notice too much of a difference in taste if I use an expensive butter. I have noticed that vanilla makes or breaks most baked goods though. If you can get good quality vanilla, I would splurge. I personally get homemade mexican vanilla that is to die for.
We had some super intense vanilla on one of the previous cheap vs steep's, was very nice but expensive!
@@mrbarrylewis Thankfully the vanilla we get is about 16 USD for 24oz. Relatively cheap for good quality. I live in New Mexico though, so it makes a difference for sourcing. It'd be interesting if you could try making your own vanilla too to see the difference. I've done that before too and I have a bottle of it in my pantry just in case I ever run out of my other stuff.
@@SapavemLasae Claire Saffitz makes her own vanilla and just keeps adding to it with the leftover pods when she uses vanilla bean in a recipe. If I used vanilla pods ever it's something I would do rather than throw them out
Still hoping one day you do a blind taste test at the end to get the realest reactions. Just feel like knowing something is cheaper or more expensive can skew your opinions. Anyhow, still love the videos! Keep up the great work!
Yes we talk about that at the end, we will do it for sure
@@mrbarrylewis awesome! To be fair I wrote that before finishing the video, just now getting to the end. Both of these look amazing!
You should try one where it’s all from the same supermarket - essentials vs fancy ranges!
If you do revisit some cheap Vs steep I would like to see a third option where you pick mid price ingredients. Or a combination of the cheap and steep. As I like many shop across all ranges for certain things. Cheap bacon, bread and eggs are always a no. But things like onions I would have no problem going cheap
Thank you for the video. I personally would always buy free range eggs and British Bacon. But couldn’t justify the price of the steep recipe.
You could make a Cheesecake, Millionaire Shortbread, Lasange, Chilli, Cottage Pie, Fish Pie, Rocky Road and Sticky Toffee Pud. Sorry loads of ideas came to me 😂
Really enjoy these videos :)
awesome suggestions thanks
Love you guys, and your family, and this show. This could actually be the best cooking show on UA-cam tbh!
We watch your channel for years and this is one of the few recipes we had to try immediately, turned out delicious!
Hi Barry. Not watched you for a while. Really enjoyed that. Have a great day n love to you, Mrs B, the kids and your lovely hound. Take care x
Love watching your videos mate may I please suggest a Sunday roast dinner for cheap vs steep
Oh I'm trying this!!! Looks sooooo good.
Thank you 💗
Hello, been a very long time since i have seen your videos. Love your videos and use too watch all the time and then it seemed i lost you guys some where. So glad to see you back again. God Bless.
It might (?) be interesting to see one with cheap/steep ingredients from the same store, rather than going to a discount/fancy store. These are super fun, but that would be more relatable 😃
I am late to the party watching you two but I'm LOVIN these cheap Vs Steep comparisons.
Love your channel Barry! Been following for years now and it just gets better. My favourite are your kitchen gadget reviews. I'm absolutely doing the cheap Carbonara, energy bills are making me poor. Glad I'm also not the only man that cries watching titanic haha.
The one we've been waiting for!
British style from a Delia Smith book that we've always made, some people won't like it i'm sure lol
I’d be interested to see a taste test of the individual component parts of the dish.
What interests me more is not the price alone. I would like to see the ingredient on the packages of steep vs cheap. Like what is in that cheap pasta or the cheese. That would be a huge factor for me personally. Lobe the series, Im hungry now😅
Steep looks like one you’d get in a high end Italian restaurant and the cheep looks like one you’d find in a supermarket own brand ready meal!
But the cheap was much nicer!
@@mrbarrylewis 😬😬😬😬 spoiler alert.. When you scroll and watch.. My bad! Shame on me and I'm just halfway through
Great video series. My family and i always buy the cheaper products. Or the ones that are on sale. Always looking for those bargins.
Hey Barry, have been supporting your channel ever since 2014. Thanks for doing what you’re doing, here’s to more content!
Thanks a bunch
The thing with grated cheese vs a block of cheese being better is a fact.
The problem with pre-grated cheese is this use a coating on the cheese to prevent it sticking together in the packet, I think it’s a kind of potato starch.
Obviously when you grate your own you don’t get that.
It makes a big difference in flavour and texture.
Barry & Fa. Cheers. When you have extra egg whites you can freeze them as is and use them later....extra egg yolks need the addition of salt or sugar to help preserve them in the freezer....I always have extra egg whites in the freezer which I freeze in ice cube trays and take out what I need. A friendly tip to make the kitchen more economical...Jim Oaxaca Mexico
Only just started watching Barry again, Still love every video.
Cheap vs Steep peach cobbler would be a fun time!
Great video here, Barry. I love me some carbonara.
I love this series!! It would be great if you both tasted the individual ingredients too - I would love to know if you like the expensive pasta better on its own! And the olive oil (maybe with a bit of bread?)
I'd live if you did another "Cheap vs. Steep vs. Homemade" Special where you compare something like pesto, because I often hear people using expensive products as an excuse for cooking it themselves...
The colour difference between the dishes always blows my mind! It's insane how different they end up looking despite using the same ingredients.
Just want to say man! Been subscribed since 2015! Even after a hard day can always count on a new vid of yours popping up! Keep it going and here's to 2025! Haha
I tend to use Lardons when I make Carbonara - saves me cutting bacon. I also tend to buy the best eggs I can because I find they have a better taste than caged eggs. And adding cream is just a bit of a treat. 😊 A cheap vs steep Take Away would be good with the cost of living being what it is like Thai Green Curry, Chicken in Black Bean, Sweet ‘N’ Sour Chicken…
With winter coming up it would be interesting to see some slow cooker meals and soups, they always tend to bring out the best flavours already.
Love the video as always 👍🏻But what about a cheap vs steep lasagne???
Love you 2 together especially your reactions! Boston is the best part ,so handsome !!!! Scaffold poles lol
cheers, it was some thick spaghetti
Great video again guys. How about a steep vs cheap casserole or curry. (if you haven't already). Xx
You might have to rename the title as 'British Carbonara', if any Italians see you add cream they might bring out the pitchforks xD
Haha, yes, i'm hoping the accent gives it away! But it's like when you see people from overseas doing a UK recipe, there are some variations, but it can't be fully authentic as both aren't available in the cheap supermarket. So British style (a Delia Smith recipe that we love) it had to be :)
@@mrbarrylewis I don't mind personally, I love these videos, but I have a few Italian friends who get a tad too passionate with their food ^_^.
@@mrbarrylewis Honestly I think it would be great if the more expensive version contains somewhat different/more authentic ingredients. Because if you already are willing or able to spend more money on a certain ingredient you probably wouldnt get the most expensive version of what can also be had cheaply, you would go for the best ingredient for the job that is available and that you can afford. In this case, the cheese and the bacon both would probably have much better expensive versions that might actually make a bigger difference to the end result.
Cornflake tart would be a great one for this series. Comparing the jam and cornflakes aswell as the pastry, could even add cheap vs steep custard!
Love to see a Sunday roast Steep vs cheap
Love this series 😍
Thanks appreciate that
@@mrbarrylewis I only heard of you last month. I've smashed hours worth of videos now🤣
The look on Mrs b face with the oil 😂
Always a good video when Mrs B is involved, has shebvcit her thumb ? 👊😉
Fish and chips would be a great one to do!
Italians soul dying when you added cream! 😂
And the rest!
I wish we in the states could try your bacon! I've never seen it in our stores. What we have is what I suppose you call streaky bacon. My in-laws are from England, and they say back in the day streaky bacon would be given away free with certain purchases; to top meats while baking for flavor and to keep moist. Amazing.
I have always loved this series. I do this all the time. I get my eggs from a farmer down the road. They are extra large and cost 3 euros. They make a big difference.
For the fans love it
I am italian, and i am just starting to watch this video with GREAT attention.
I have to say - it looks so yummy and delicious in both versions! :) I have to try both options in my free time! :)
Your scone video is the reason I am sitting here watching this video eating scones and sipping tea
haha love that
Would love to see a cheap vs steep moussaka :)
You really should make a real italian carbonara someday if you haven't Barry! One of the best dishes out there. Just pasta, guanciale, egg, pecorino romano (or parmigiano reggiano if you don't like pecorino) and black pepper. That's it and it's amazing.
I’ve seen people comment this before- I’d love to see a roast dinner on this series!
Barry, reccomend you grabbing a white board. bunch of markers. helps us to see the price diffs and everything.
Pasta, guanciale, eggs, pecorino, black pepper, salt and a little bit of pasta water.
alternative ingredients.
Pasta, pancetta, eggs, parmesan, black pepper, salt and a little bit of pasta water.
On the subject of going back to your old video's to check out prices of products, I was going through some old utility bills yesterday and my duel fuel deal was £61 a month!!!!
I shall have to look again to get the date from it.
You should buy Guanciale for carbonara. This is really expenisive stuff 😱
Do they even make a cheap version of it like can you find it in Aldis at all. I think some asjustments have to be made literally for the sake of the series and for the sake of feeding a family of four hence why they used a rescipe they liked.
Oh wow I don't think cheap stores have that though
@@mrbarrylewis online stores maybe? I bet, there is some cheap and some steep online stores.
@@angelikaradominska5512 Yeah i'm going to do a few online, just takes a bit more prep. I'd imagine both ends of the scale could be crazy.
Have to say. Mrs. B wasn't switching the ingredient I expected her to, i was so sure she would have used the expensive pasta, rather than the bacon!
Also for follow up on older Cheap/Steep videos, in the future you could revisit older ones, and see how much the price difference is from when you did it, vs what it is [at time of recording new ones]. See how much the cost of living has gone up, as you do always cook fairly regular meals, that regular people will be making, so it'd be a good indicator of cost of living going up or down.
AHHH now I get why the Italian said “if my mother had wheels she would be a bike” carbonara definitely has NOT anything to do macaroni and cheese LOL no wonder he was mad o girl on the cooking show said that 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Love watch cheap v steep
Ohoh, the pasta queen will hunt you in your dreams for adding the cream.
This reference is gorgeous. Just like you are.
don't know if it's the same in the UK, but here in Denmark the more expensive pasta are all made with egg, while the cheaper/discount pasta isn't. It makes a huge difference in the colour, texture, and taste
Cant wait for "Cheap vs Steep 2: Inflation Strikes Back".
Doing an ultimate pizza Cheep vs Steep might be interesting.
Like, a cheap store-bought base vs a steep store-bought base vs a cheap homemade base vs a steep homemade base
bring old cheap vs. steep back to the future :D
Hey Barry how about making a giant cornetto but make your own ice cream...love to see that,awesome
With the time of year that's approaching, cheap Vs steep Christmas dinner?
I would like you to do cheap steep same supermarket (intriguing to know what Aldi is like 😊)
As someone who once bought a bottle of olive oil that was about £18 (I accepted a free sample in the shop and then the sample guy started chatting to me about it and I felt like I had to take a bottle because I didn't know how else to end the interaction) I would never cook with olive oil that expensive, to be honest. That said, as an olive oil for dipping bread in as a starter, like they love to do in Italian restaurants, it was ABSOLUTELY SUPERB. Like, divinely good. Like, I could honestly understand the justification for the price, and I say that very grudgingly. I'd try a bit of the expensive oil just like... dribbled on a nice bit of bread, if you haven't.
Pre-grated cheese usually has added calcium carbonate (a type of starch) to prevent the shreds from clumping. That doesn’t do much to the flavor but it can interfere with melting, causing some separation or uneven melt. The flavor is usually stronger when you fresh grate the cheese, just like when you cut fruit or vegetables: it’s always “fresher” with a stronger flavor when you first slice it vs letting it sit for a couple hours or days after slicing.
Hi just to let you know calcium carbonate is not added to cheese it is a water soluble alkali, not a starch. And is commonly used as a raising agent in cakes...also is known as chalk!. You are thinking of cornflour which is added, it also thickens sauces made with the cheese.
You are spot on regarding the fresh cut cheese, as it can despite popular belief go stale if left open as it oxidises
For the cheap version (and all cheap bacon, really), cook it low and slow in a pan by itself until it’s almost or actually crisp. Then continue with the rest of the recipe. In the case of this carbonara, cook it until 2/3 done, then add the onions. It will turn out MUCH better. The first carbonara I ever made was almost 20 years ago and it was with $1.50/lb American store brand bacon on sale. I HATE chewy bacon, so I decided to cook it some before adding the shallots (what my recipe called for) and it turned out beautifully. Plus, I learned a great cheap bacon hack!
At that price i would be keeping the steep oil for specific uses - like a dipping oil for a fancy breads platter or as a finishing oil on a salad - definitely one to use where it can shine in its own right rather than a tablespoon mixed in with other more dominant flavours. Always amazes me how different different oils from different producers/countries/seasons/presses can taste.
You should do farm shop vs supermarket. Where you get local farm ingredients against supermarket standard.
I thought your wife was going to faint at the cost of tht oil 😂 😂 😂 x
The barothon continues!!👍🏻👍🏻
Barry, how about a sister series, Grocer vs Grower, comparing the price and finished product using supermarket vs farm shop produce?
Gotta do Bangers n (creamy, buttery) mash with an onion gravy or what about Lasagne with a side of garlic bread 👍
Keep up the good work 👏👏
Barry...onion, cream, bacon? You also realise it's called carbonara because of how much black pepper is in it? Man, better hope Vincenzo doesn't see this....
I bet he would have heart attack after this.
Just followed a good old Delia Smith recipe we've used for Years, it's all optional just wanted more comparison
@@mrbarrylewis but do not call it CARBONARA, when it is not
@@mrbarrylewis I'd love to see you do a traditional carbonara. It couldn't be simpler and it's unlike anything else!
@@angelikaradominska5512 relax lol
Haha i thought it was the end of mr b when mrs b heard the oil prices lol, that look she gave him 😂
If my grandmother had wheels, she would’ve been a bike. Everytime I hear „British carbonara“ 😂😂😂
How about you do one of your 4,3,2,1 videos but you try doing it as cheap as you possibly can to see if it's still worth it without the extra expense? These are probably my two favourite series so be cool to see a crossover