Because I KNOW the "well actually blah blah blah" crowd is gonna jump on it, let's just nip that in the bud, shall twe? Salt *raises* not lowers the boiling point of water. It's still irrelevant, the same point stands. It's not noticeable and it makes no difference culinarily-speaking, whether you add the salt before or after it comes to a boil.
You will have a higher boiling point and lower freezing point, hence why they throw salt on the roads when it's freezing! (that's how I try to remember it)
Hey Kenji, if you ever get the chance I'd love a video on what knife brands you have at home and which you recommend. Been looking into spending a bit more on some quality knives.
What I read in the past was, if you are using a stainless steel pan you should add the salt after the water comes to a boil so that the salt dissolves before it settles at the bottom of the pan. Otherwise the salt can actually penetrate the stainless steel and cause damage (which look like small brown dots) to the surface.
Boiling point elevation can be calculated using the Vant Hoff Equation: Delta BP = (i)(Kb)(m) NaCl dissociates into 2 moles of particles (1 mole Na+ and 1 mole Cl-) per 1 mole of NaCl. This gives you a vant hoff factor (i) of 2. Kb (constant) of water is 0.512 C* kg H2O And say you have 2 moles (116.7 grams NaCl) in 1L of solvent (water). (Not sure of exact measurements for optimal pasta water). This is about 6.5 T salt per Liter. You get: Delta BP = (2)(0.512)(2) = 2.04 Meaning new boiling point is 102.04 C Edit: see revised calculations below. This is about 10x too much salt lmao.
Hi, Kenji! I've been following you since I saw you making a hamburger on UA-cam. I happen to be a structural engineer, a former Fatman (340#, now 180#) that took control of my food and quality of preparation by learning to cook well. I know the sauces and can make them from scratch. I learned all your umami tricks and used them in other ways outside the box. I learned to bake and, because I work from home now at age sixty-six, I prepare all the meals. My wife of 40 years finally gets to enjoy relatively great cooking then what she was able to do in her limited time. This allows me to experiment with glutamate augmentation. Finding an online professional molecular gastronomy course was another thing based on your inspiration. I, along with others, make meals for folks in our apartment building who are unable to prepare for themselves. Service is the key to humility, and that is what lets us always learn. Thanks for letting me share my "fawning" testimonial. You are indeed a wonderful husband, father, and chef; in that order, the three highest honors a man can have.
do you have any tips for losing weight? i'm at about your old starting weight at 350. what did your diet/exercise look like starting out? would love to hear from you
@@slimeprivilege 1 - Frame your meals, i.e., one plateful, NO seconds. If you go out, ask for a doggie bag at the beginning of dinner and remove all but what you should eat before you start, take the rest home. 2 - Don't over-purchase at the store. 3 - Cook only fresh produce, fresh meat, no processed foods, butter is ok; nuts are cool, vegetables as long as they are fresh, no canned vegetables, use dried beans, if possible, rinsed and soaked overnight or use a pressure cooker, high fiber bread and grain bread moderately. 4 - Our exercise is primarily walking 8,000 to 12,000 steps per day with a minimum of 6,000 steps in one session. Walking is excellent for reducing long-term memory loss. 5 - When gyms are open again, we go to a place that costs $24/month and is open 24/7. No pool, but we don't need one. Muscle work is essential for me since I broke a leg almost four years ago. Stairs and some other devices are also good for balance which is important for old farts like you and me. That is it in a nutshell. Good luck. Bariatric surgery helped at first, but ultimately failed. At your weight, see a doctor and ask about Topiramate, also known as Topamax.
dude.... what an awesome tribute!!! yes!!! kenji is more than standards, he's goals.... straight up kenji, if you see this... you're one of my favorite chefs in the world. like seriously, i list you up there with hesten blumthal, gordon ramsey, dominique crenn and marco pierre white... but also the street guys like roy choi, matty matheson and alvin cailan. i'm a culinary fanboy, no doubt... and you're like one of the first names I list when I start rattling off my favorite chefs (all those listed). never stop making videos!! i always feel like I'm getting a free education into something that shouldn't be free.... thank you for that, by the way. many blessings and good vibes you way, man!!!
OMG, the sheer joy & relief on watching a carbonara video and hearing the words, “I don’t really care what other people say, as long as it tastes good”. Yesss, that’s how it should be.
I bought Zaatar, Gochujang, African Chile and ginger, and jollof seasoning (without Salt) and idk how to use them. really wish we had more vids on spice mixes (Zaatar apparently on pita bread, jollof for rice, Gochujang as a funky BBQ sauce)
I absolutely love Kenji. He does everything perfect and authentic yet also is like “add cream or peas. I don’t care” I love it. Food is meant for enjoying. I’m all for tradition. But I’m more for enjoying food
Start of video: "We're gonna make pasta" Later in video: "... and that's also how the universe and galaxy first formed!" I am an engineer w/ love for cooking and loves your videos Kenji, thank you!!
My fiancee loves carbonara. Like, it's literally her favorite pasta. She saw this video, watching it with me, and said: "So you're gonna make this tonight, right?" I did, it was lovely, and she alleges (probably because she loves me) that it's better than what we had at an Italian restaurant in New York. Thank you, Kenji, this recipe is wonderful and simple. I'm going to make it a lot more in the future, I think!
kenji, if you see this... you're one of my favorite chefs in the world. like seriously, you're like one of the first names I start dropping when people ask me who my favorite chefs are. world renowned chefs like hesten blumthal, gordon ramsey, dominique crenn and marco pierre white... but also the street guys like roy choi, matty matheson and alvin cailan. i'm a culinary fanboy, no doubt... and you're seriously one of my biggest influences. never stop making videos!! i always feel like I'm getting a free education into something that shouldn't be free.... thank you for that, by the way. many blessings and good vibes you way, man!!!
You know, I've watched so many videos on making carbonara. Hell, I've made the dish a hundred times. But this headcam view is just genius. It reinforces what I'm doing right and chips off my mistakes. Thank you very much, Kenji, for these excellent tutorials!
Long time fan. I am an engineering student with a deep passion for cooking. I love how you interject science into your daily cooking. It is what made me first fall in love with the Food Lab and I enjoy it to this day. Thanks for everything!
I swear every Kenji video, I learn something new. I especially love how in depth you get with the history of whatever it is you're cooking, the authenticity of it, and the changes you make to it at any given time.
I love how Shabu often patiently hangs around hoping for a bite of the delicious smelling things you're cooking. Some day you'll drop a plate, and she'll think she's gone to heaven!
My oldest sister taught me how to make Carbonara when I was 14 years old. Her's was the American bacon, scrambled egg variety and I have since refined mine to the classic version though I still often use American bacon. For 46 years I've kept this dish in my back pocket and still make it on a regular basis. When you said it's also a late night, after drinking dish I laughed. In my 20's, I used to pre-cook bacon and par-cook some pasta in case there might be a date or some couch-crashing buds A non-trad twist I do is to serve it with a dish of finely chopped green olives. Purely optional, but the brininess of the olives can counterpoint the richness of the sauce
@@brunocpcat8631 Nah, stainless steel is fine to scrape with metal. If he did it with a non-stick pan or cast iron you'd be right to be upset, but he'd never do that.
Just made this one for my brother and I. Many thanks Kenji! My cooking game has drastically improved thanks to these videos. Think I need to do more running with how well I've been eating lately though!! Update. I temper the eggs and cheese in the bowl by dipping it into the pasta water during cooking. Foolproof that way.
"Carbonari" refers to the workers who made charcoal, as carbone can translate into either coal (carbone fosille) or charcoal (carbone vegetale). That being said, I love how you are incredibly knowledgable of such a wide variety of international cuisines. Today I made some carbonara in homage to the original upload :)
I wholeheartedly recommend the Unicorn Magnum pepper grinder that Kenji mentioned. It seems a bit pricey but it is hands down the best pepper mill I've ever had, especially if you like to make it rain black pepper. The output is way faster than other cheaper mills I have used.
So I made this for lunch yesterday and it was amazing. The technique is so simple and quick. Then later I started wondering if maybe it would work with other stuff too, like not just pasta? I didn't want to eat more carbs, so I made Late Night Cauliflower Kindacarbonara (R) and it was awesome: 1. Saute a bunch of cauliflower florets in some butter. Add a pinch of salt. Could also use olive oil I guess, or rendered bacon/guanciale, and broccoli instead of cauliflower, or maybe some other veggie. 2. Beat up an egg and add some shredded cheese to it and stir it together, with some black pepper. I used pecorino romano, cheddar, and mozzarella (I know, weird) because it was what I had laying around. 3. When the cauliflower is cooked enough, take it off the heat so you don't scramble your eggs. Add a few splashes of cold water to cool it off and give you some moisture. You could probably also use milk or cream. 4. Stir in the cheese and egg. Keep stirring on gentle heat for a few minutes until the sauce comes together and the cheese melts. It will thicken nicely, and get even creamier when you put it into a bowl and shovel it into your face. I was a bit worried having no starch would prevent it from emulsifying and thickening, but it didn't; I think the egg yolks do that job.
Hi Kenji I'm 28 years old and really was not much of a cook for most of my life, just used to buying food or whatever my parents served but ever since I started watching your vids (and seeing how much food costs) I've really been delving deep into cooking from scratch over the past few months with help from the girlfriend. Just made this carbonara using Bacon and also with some grilled chicken and it was ASTOUNDING! Made it twice in a row bc of how good it is. Gave some to my mom to try and she ended up going from 1 bite to making a whole plate for herself! Thanks so much for the recipe and vids!
A few minutes in and I already feel like I'm working towards my Culinary Arts PhD -- this is, hands down, the most informative youtube cooking show. Bravo!
It makes me sad that these kinds of real, unfiltered connections are slipping away again. I did not want them to happen for such a horrific reason, and/but I wish we were still being this candid. Thanks, Kenji! I'm getting ready to make the NYT artichoke carbonara but knew to check in with your videos first.
Made this today and it was fantastic! Last time I tried to make Carbonara it turned out really greasy, this time it was silky perfection and really quick to make. Thanks for helping be better myself.
idk if this is going to help anyone but i'm usually scared of scrambling the egg when i'm making carbonara, so i dont mix the ingredient in the hot pan instead i put the egg, the pepper and the pecorino in a bowl and then, when the pasta is halfway done, i use a little bit of the hot and starchy pasta water to slightly "cook" the egg-cheese mixture (i think the more appropriate term is "temper" but i'm not sure), i add the water little by little until the consitency is right (if i go too far with the pasta water i add some cheese to thick the sauce up) then i' just follow what kenji did, so pasta in the pan with the guanciale to finish cooking and to emulsify the pork fat, and finally i dump everything in the bowl with the eggs to incorporate all the ingredients in this way it's truly impossible to screw up and you dont have to do the double boiler method disclaimer: i'm italian but i'm not from rome so idk if this "hack" is traditional or not, so dont quote me on this
@@4789charles doens't matter for you because you are not able to cook. It does matter in Italy! Traditional recipes has to be prepare in just one way and this is not an opinion but a strict rule.
@@coolbean259 You haven't to cook guanciale with oil, because guanciale have a lot of fat that will became liquid in the pan. If you study the history of the recipe, you will understand why oil is not in the recipe.
Just made some pancetta Cabonara following your video. It turned out amazing. I ran into a problem portioning the romano. I think I made too much sauce, but it was still delicious. Thank you for this simple, and quick video!
I love the carving fork method to place the pasta on the plate and then add the meat and some sauce over the pasta. Much superior presentation and better distribution of the ingredients instead of just dumping it all together on a plate.
Kenji, I have a recipe idea for this dish, and your constant explanation of techniques helped me think of it. But I would like some honest feedback on this idea. I have homemade pancetta that is more of that juniper berry persuasion. I like the taste, but its rendered fat can be a bit strong. So I decided to cook it sous vide to make it food safe, and then I chopped it into a fine dice, which has the added benefit of having a nice chew and also a beautiful presentation with those fat layers. Problem is, carbonara needs that cured pork fat flavor in the sauce. So here's what I'm thinking: I don't want to crisp up bacon, because I really don't want a smoke-forward flavor in this dish. I really do want some of that funky flavor that you can get from stuff like guanciale, but using guanciale with compete too much with the pancetta. So I'm thinking I could take a slice of super thin prosciutto and crisp it up in a neutral oil or pork fat, infusing the oil with those funky flavors. Then I could mince up the prosciutto and incorporate into the dish for some more delicate crunchy contrast and also garnish the dish on top so you have a dual pork carbonara. I would, of course, follow the rest of the techniques required for the sauce. Thoughts?
I tried this and my first try I got a partially scrambled egg b/c i forgot cool the pan. Got it right the second time! Very simple to make. Great cooking video!
Thanks for these videos, Kenji. I feel like I'm learning more about cooking from you than what I learned about cooking from my parents. Which is nothing.
Damn dude. You've COMPLETELY changed the way I'm going to make carbonara from now on. For one thing, I've always made scrambled eggs in my carbonara, I thought you were supposed to cook the egg sauce on heat, but damn was I wrong! The consistency of this looks really different. Also, I've always done it with heavy cream. And I've learned to use way more cheese and only one egg, before I was only doing a little bit of cheese and lots of eggs - guess I had it backwards. Thanks for this!
I' am italian, born in Rome. There is no certainty regarding the use of bacon or guanciale, au contraire one of the theories concerning the birth of the dish (also my favorite theory) is that was invented by American soldiers stationed in Rome during the Second World War who were looking for a useful way to reconcile the typical ingredients of an overseas breakfast in a foreign land : cheese, bacon and eggs. Nothing for sure, but perhaps the dish is more American than many might believe. Congratz for your videos !!!
I add pasta water to the egg/cheese mixture, stir, and then mix in the pan with the pasta. This helps temper the eggs so they don't overcook and scramble when hitting the pan.
not traditional but what's super good is to crush a whole clove (or 2) of garlic (skin still on) and put it in the same pan as the bacon/guanciale/pancetta as it renders, then take it out before adding the pasta.. can't go wrong with garlic and in my opinion just makes the whole thing taste better (can even crush it in with the egg/cheese mixture before adding that for more garlic flavor)
Kenji, can you make a video detailing how you became a chef? I’m interested in hearing your story. I think it is interesting that you come from an architecture background.
I read the comments because Kenji posts useful answers to questions and I also like seeing how many people appreciate Kenji’s knowledge and videos as much as I do. But it pains me to see how rude people are. I know that’s everywhere on the internet but considering we are getting these amazing videos essentially for free (buy his book and donate) and that Kenji is far more of a culinary expert than 99.9% of the people watching this, I wish people would show some respect and lay off. Why the hell does anybody feel the need to point out beer in his fridge or pretend they know more about pans than a professional chef? Some of it boils down to the fact that no one respects a lifetime of expertise anymore and some of it is people who must specifically watch videos looking for something to criticize, I guess. Anyway, I look forward to every video and am so grateful.
Pretty sure dew and fog also require nucleation(?) sites to form. I believe it is the dust in the air that many times acts as these sites, allowing water to cling to to them!
I leave the heat on the sauce pan and temper the egg mixture with a splash of the hot pasta water before adding it to the pasta. Seems to keep it from turning to scrambled eggs. Then toss toss toss until you get a good creamy sauce. If it stiffens up to much, another splash of pasta water.
Adding salt doesn't lower the boiling point it increases it, it lowers it's specific heat. We salt the water to give flavor, and also lower cooking time by allowing the water temp to reach hotter than 100 degrees before boiling and evaporating. It actually takes longer to boil but the tradeoff is you cook your food faster and it tastes better!
The first documented carbonara recipe is... american, 1952, from a book of recipes collected from italian-ameican restaurants in Chicago. The restaurant name was Armando's, IIRC. The first italian recipe comes 2 years later and it consisted of: eggs, garlic, gruyère and pancetta. La Cucina Italiana magazine, August 1954. I have a 1936 edition of a famous italian cookbook edited by a roman lady, Ada Boni's "Il talismano della felicità", and no trace of carbonara anywhere. Same in Pellegrino Artusi's cookbook. Like many other "italian" dishes, carbonara is actually very likely to be very recent and originating during the Allies occupation, from what the troops were bringing in: powdered eggs and bacon. Sort of like an american bacon and eggs breakfast plus pasta. If you are interested, there's a very competent food historian whose work you can check out, Alberto Grandi.
I thought I was witnessing some kind of inception when you were talking about what to do with the carbonara sauce you were going to say french toast. LOL. Very little leftover sauce for the wife!
Can we just not tell Kenji when the lockdown is over? This content is so good. I think I especially love that it's not the here's all my mis en place, it makes it all seem more accessible.
A beautiful and frustrating dish. You can make it incredibly perfectly, velvety and smooth, one time and the next time you use juuuuust a little too much cheese or overcook the eggs a tiny bit and you get more of a thick solid coating than a velvet sauce. So difficult to master perfectly every time… even if the near misses are still delicious
It usually takes a couple hours for the auto translate function to get the captions up. If they aren’t on the video when it’s first released, check back in an hour or two and they’ll be there (assuming the youtube creator has enabled them). Kenji is pretty good about leaving them enabled, at least from what I’ve watched. :D.
I loved the Carbonara, but even more I loved the remarks on nucleation sites. I love when ppl explain the physics in places you don't expect them to. Especially that it was accurate and very easy to understand (I guess).
Nucleisation points are often called Condensation Nuclei, and are what helps water droplets form from clouds, acting as a point for the water to condense around. They can be tiny pieces of dust floating in the air, up high in the clouds.
One of my mentors who is one of the best chefs in Croatia showed me how to make this dish, he insists that we don't let the guanciale crisp up, he says the moment the fat becomes clear, its done. One other thing he does different is he just turns the stove off and then adds 1 egg yolk which he mixes in with the pasta.
got half tilted, only had bacon and parmesan. Don't get too worried, it will turn out. Pull it a little loose, if it doesn't thicken then toss it back in the pan on the element for a few seconds. You may get a few curds, but you can pick them out easy. Don't be afraid, try something new! And as much as they suck, you can cook on an electric/glasstop, that's what I do. You just have to get used to how they heat up and cool down. Not as easy as gas, but once you learn on them you'll know how to cook on anything! Just keep trying, you'll make something wonderful at the end and all the effort and frustration will be worth it.
Because I KNOW the "well actually blah blah blah" crowd is gonna jump on it, let's just nip that in the bud, shall twe? Salt *raises* not lowers the boiling point of water. It's still irrelevant, the same point stands. It's not noticeable and it makes no difference culinarily-speaking, whether you add the salt before or after it comes to a boil.
ua-cam.com/video/yjuETHQ3P3I/v-deo.html
You will have a higher boiling point and lower freezing point, hence why they throw salt on the roads when it's freezing! (that's how I try to remember it)
Hey Kenji, if you ever get the chance I'd love a video on what knife brands you have at home and which you recommend. Been looking into spending a bit more on some quality knives.
What I read in the past was, if you are using a stainless steel pan you should add the salt after the water comes to a boil so that the salt dissolves before it settles at the bottom of the pan. Otherwise the salt can actually penetrate the stainless steel and cause damage (which look like small brown dots) to the surface.
Boiling point elevation can be calculated using the Vant Hoff Equation:
Delta BP = (i)(Kb)(m)
NaCl dissociates into 2 moles of particles (1 mole Na+ and 1 mole Cl-) per 1 mole of NaCl. This gives you a vant hoff factor (i) of 2.
Kb (constant) of water is 0.512 C* kg H2O
And say you have 2 moles (116.7 grams NaCl) in 1L of solvent (water). (Not sure of exact measurements for optimal pasta water). This is about 6.5 T salt per Liter.
You get:
Delta BP = (2)(0.512)(2)
= 2.04
Meaning new boiling point is 102.04 C
Edit: see revised calculations below. This is about 10x too much salt lmao.
Hi, Kenji! I've been following you since I saw you making a hamburger on UA-cam. I happen to be a structural engineer, a former Fatman (340#, now 180#) that took control of my food and quality of preparation by learning to cook well.
I know the sauces and can make them from scratch. I learned all your umami tricks and used them in other ways outside the box.
I learned to bake and, because I work from home now at age sixty-six, I prepare all the meals. My wife of 40 years finally gets to enjoy relatively great cooking then what she was able to do in her limited time. This allows me to experiment with glutamate augmentation.
Finding an online professional molecular gastronomy course was another thing based on your inspiration.
I, along with others, make meals for folks in our apartment building who are unable to prepare for themselves. Service is the key to humility, and that is what lets us always learn.
Thanks for letting me share my "fawning" testimonial. You are indeed a wonderful husband, father, and chef; in that order, the three highest honors a man can have.
Thank you so much and congratulations on your continued journey and successes!
This made me happy to read
do you have any tips for losing weight? i'm at about your old starting weight at 350. what did your diet/exercise look like starting out? would love to hear from you
@@slimeprivilege 1 - Frame your meals, i.e., one plateful, NO seconds. If you go out, ask for a doggie bag at the beginning of dinner and remove all but what you should eat before you start, take the rest home.
2 - Don't over-purchase at the store.
3 - Cook only fresh produce, fresh meat, no processed foods, butter is ok; nuts are cool, vegetables as long as they are fresh, no canned vegetables, use dried beans, if possible, rinsed and soaked overnight or use a pressure cooker, high fiber bread and grain bread moderately.
4 - Our exercise is primarily walking 8,000 to 12,000 steps per day with a minimum of 6,000 steps in one session. Walking is excellent for reducing long-term memory loss.
5 - When gyms are open again, we go to a place that costs $24/month and is open 24/7. No pool, but we don't need one. Muscle work is essential for me since I broke a leg almost four years ago. Stairs and some other devices are also good for balance which is important for old farts like you and me.
That is it in a nutshell. Good luck.
Bariatric surgery helped at first, but ultimately failed. At your weight, see a doctor and ask about Topiramate, also known as Topamax.
dude.... what an awesome tribute!!! yes!!! kenji is more than standards, he's goals.... straight up kenji, if you see this... you're one of my favorite chefs in the world. like seriously, i list you up there with hesten blumthal, gordon ramsey, dominique crenn and marco pierre white... but also the street guys like roy choi, matty matheson and alvin cailan. i'm a culinary fanboy, no doubt... and you're like one of the first names I list when I start rattling off my favorite chefs (all those listed). never stop making videos!! i always feel like I'm getting a free education into something that shouldn't be free.... thank you for that, by the way. many blessings and good vibes you way, man!!!
OMG, the sheer joy & relief on watching a carbonara video and hearing the words, “I don’t really care what other people say, as long as it tastes good”. Yesss, that’s how it should be.
Can we get something like a pantry/equipment tour? I could listen to you ramble about hot sauces, spices, pans etc for ages :)
yes please
1000x yes
I would totaly love a knives video!
I bought Zaatar, Gochujang, African Chile and ginger, and jollof seasoning (without Salt) and idk how to use them. really wish we had more vids on spice mixes
(Zaatar apparently on pita bread, jollof for rice, Gochujang as a funky BBQ sauce)
I'd love that
I love how the dog always shows up waiting for food to fall on the floor.
Put some respek on his name
A creature of opportunity. Love it!
I do appreciate how “Daddy” gives bites & how the “Children’s” just “know”.... when to show up 💛🐾💕🤗
He’s got the go-pro on his head again, time for snacky-snacks.
Adam: seasons his board
Kenji: seasons his beer
I absolutely love Kenji. He does everything perfect and authentic yet also is like “add cream or peas. I don’t care” I love it. Food is meant for enjoying. I’m all for tradition. But I’m more for enjoying food
Kenji: Uploads the same video multiple times.
Me: Watches the same video multiple times.
Joep Wilmink this is a pure, beautiful comment.
I'm just grateful that you verified that I'm not having quarantine hallucinations
Still impressed every time
Start of video: "We're gonna make pasta"
Later in video: "... and that's also how the universe and galaxy first formed!"
I am an engineer w/ love for cooking and loves your videos Kenji, thank you!!
Yeah I think that was his scientist come out from his dad and grandpa
Kenji's losing it, we're gonna get a carbonara video every 2 weeks!
Just make those damn carbonara already!!
And 4 times a night for those 2 weeks lol
Anything involving egg and cheese, our man Kenji is all over it.
Seafood carbanara
No! He said he doesn't eat that much carbs!
My fiancee loves carbonara. Like, it's literally her favorite pasta. She saw this video, watching it with me, and said: "So you're gonna make this tonight, right?" I did, it was lovely, and she alleges (probably because she loves me) that it's better than what we had at an Italian restaurant in New York. Thank you, Kenji, this recipe is wonderful and simple. I'm going to make it a lot more in the future, I think!
kenji, if you see this... you're one of my favorite chefs in the world. like seriously, you're like one of the first names I start dropping when people ask me who my favorite chefs are. world renowned chefs like hesten blumthal, gordon ramsey, dominique crenn and marco pierre white... but also the street guys like roy choi, matty matheson and alvin cailan. i'm a culinary fanboy, no doubt... and you're seriously one of my biggest influences. never stop making videos!! i always feel like I'm getting a free education into something that shouldn't be free.... thank you for that, by the way. many blessings and good vibes you way, man!!!
Thanks!
You know, I've watched so many videos on making carbonara. Hell, I've made the dish a hundred times. But this headcam view is just genius. It reinforces what I'm doing right and chips off my mistakes. Thank you very much, Kenji, for these excellent tutorials!
Long time fan. I am an engineering student with a deep passion for cooking. I love how you interject science into your daily cooking. It is what made me first fall in love with the Food Lab and I enjoy it to this day. Thanks for everything!
I swear every Kenji video, I learn something new. I especially love how in depth you get with the history of whatever it is you're cooking, the authenticity of it, and the changes you make to it at any given time.
I love how Shabu often patiently hangs around hoping for a bite of the delicious smelling things you're cooking. Some day you'll drop a plate, and she'll think she's gone to heaven!
Making carbonara always ruffles feathers. I’m looking forward to the comments asking about different styles. Thanks for the videos Kenji!
You're so wholesome and knowledgeable. You have been the best thing that has come out of this 6 week quarantine 'cooking-wise' for me. Thank you Chef
My oldest sister taught me how to make Carbonara when I was 14 years old. Her's was the American bacon, scrambled egg variety and I have since refined mine to the classic version though I still often use American bacon. For 46 years I've kept this dish in my back pocket and still make it on a regular basis.
When you said it's also a late night, after drinking dish I laughed. In my 20's, I used to pre-cook bacon and par-cook some pasta in case there might be a date or some couch-crashing buds
A non-trad twist I do is to serve it with a dish of finely chopped green olives. Purely optional, but the brininess of the olives can counterpoint the richness of the sauce
I love how it goes from adding salt in water to how galaxies formed billions of years ago really quickly 😂 This is why I love this channel
Ow. My earholes hurt hearing a fork scrape against the skillet.
Yes!!!! That was awful, I could barely get through it.
dude sammeeeeee
That part was terrible on headphones
Yuuuup! Poor skillet to! Scrape it like that and you ruin it
@@brunocpcat8631 Nah, stainless steel is fine to scrape with metal. If he did it with a non-stick pan or cast iron you'd be right to be upset, but he'd never do that.
Just made this one for my brother and I. Many thanks Kenji! My cooking game has drastically improved thanks to these videos. Think I need to do more running with how well I've been eating lately though!! Update. I temper the eggs and cheese in the bowl by dipping it into the pasta water during cooking. Foolproof that way.
"Carbonari" refers to the workers who made charcoal, as carbone can translate into either coal (carbone fosille) or charcoal (carbone vegetale).
That being said, I love how you are incredibly knowledgable of such a wide variety of international cuisines. Today I made some carbonara in homage to the original upload :)
This man goes from culinary to thermodynamics
I wholeheartedly recommend the Unicorn Magnum pepper grinder that Kenji mentioned. It seems a bit pricey but it is hands down the best pepper mill I've ever had, especially if you like to make it rain black pepper. The output is way faster than other cheaper mills I have used.
Yes! It's so good, I gave it to my family members for Christmas gifts several years ago when I first found out about it.
So I made this for lunch yesterday and it was amazing. The technique is so simple and quick. Then later I started wondering if maybe it would work with other stuff too, like not just pasta? I didn't want to eat more carbs, so I made Late Night Cauliflower Kindacarbonara (R) and it was awesome:
1. Saute a bunch of cauliflower florets in some butter. Add a pinch of salt. Could also use olive oil I guess, or rendered bacon/guanciale, and broccoli instead of cauliflower, or maybe some other veggie.
2. Beat up an egg and add some shredded cheese to it and stir it together, with some black pepper. I used pecorino romano, cheddar, and mozzarella (I know, weird) because it was what I had laying around.
3. When the cauliflower is cooked enough, take it off the heat so you don't scramble your eggs. Add a few splashes of cold water to cool it off and give you some moisture. You could probably also use milk or cream.
4. Stir in the cheese and egg. Keep stirring on gentle heat for a few minutes until the sauce comes together and the cheese melts. It will thicken nicely, and get even creamier when you put it into a bowl and shovel it into your face.
I was a bit worried having no starch would prevent it from emulsifying and thickening, but it didn't; I think the egg yolks do that job.
Hi Kenji I'm 28 years old and really was not much of a cook for most of my life, just used to buying food or whatever my parents served but ever since I started watching your vids (and seeing how much food costs) I've really been delving deep into cooking from scratch over the past few months with help from the girlfriend.
Just made this carbonara using Bacon and also with some grilled chicken and it was ASTOUNDING! Made it twice in a row bc of how good it is. Gave some to my mom to try and she ended up going from 1 bite to making a whole plate for herself! Thanks so much for the recipe and vids!
This man giving cooking, science, and history lessons at the same time. I love this channel.
A few minutes in and I already feel like I'm working towards my Culinary Arts PhD -- this is, hands down, the most informative youtube cooking show. Bravo!
"Gaunciale is the 'gushers' of bacon" is an Italian marketing team's nightmare
I choked on my drink when he made that metaphor
I dunno about you but I want my meat to gush as opposed to being bone dry.
David Chen Oh myyyyyyy
i love that you describe the science behind all the ingredients and steps
This guy is learning us to cook and science at the same time.
Tbh, my favorite cooking vlog!!!
What a great video, the conversation alone was phenomenal. Also your sweet doggies are lucky to have such a good dad.
It makes me sad that these kinds of real, unfiltered connections are slipping away again. I did not want them to happen for such a horrific reason, and/but I wish we were still being this candid. Thanks, Kenji! I'm getting ready to make the NYT artichoke carbonara but knew to check in with your videos first.
Well I’m about to go to sleep but good morning guys have a good Monday today and take care
Made this today and it was fantastic! Last time I tried to make Carbonara it turned out really greasy, this time it was silky perfection and really quick to make. Thanks for helping be better myself.
idk if this is going to help anyone but i'm usually scared of scrambling the egg when i'm making carbonara, so i dont mix the ingredient in the hot pan
instead i put the egg, the pepper and the pecorino in a bowl and then, when the pasta is halfway done, i use a little bit of the hot and starchy pasta water to slightly "cook" the egg-cheese mixture (i think the more appropriate term is "temper" but i'm not sure), i add the water little by little until the consitency is right (if i go too far with the pasta water i add some cheese to thick the sauce up)
then i' just follow what kenji did, so pasta in the pan with the guanciale to finish cooking and to emulsify the pork fat, and finally i dump everything in the bowl with the eggs to incorporate all the ingredients
in this way it's truly impossible to screw up and you dont have to do the double boiler method
disclaimer: i'm italian but i'm not from rome so idk if this "hack" is traditional or not, so dont quote me on this
This is EXACTLY how we make the carbonara here in Italy, everything is on point in this video. 10/10 sir 👑👑
But oil in the pan with guanciale, not...
@@domeniconeri It literally doesn't matter
@@4789charles doens't matter for you because you are not able to cook. It does matter in Italy! Traditional recipes has to be prepare in just one way and this is not an opinion but a strict rule.
@@domeniconeri wow one tbsp of oil, we’re all gonna die now I guess. I’m so sorry Gordon Ramsey
@@coolbean259 You haven't to cook guanciale with oil, because guanciale have a lot of fat that will became liquid in the pan. If you study the history of the recipe, you will understand why oil is not in the recipe.
Just made some pancetta Cabonara following your video. It turned out amazing. I ran into a problem portioning the romano. I think I made too much sauce, but it was still delicious. Thank you for this simple, and quick video!
I love the carving fork method to place the pasta on the plate and then add the meat and some sauce over the pasta. Much superior presentation and better distribution of the ingredients instead of just dumping it all together on a plate.
Kenji, I have a recipe idea for this dish, and your constant explanation of techniques helped me think of it. But I would like some honest feedback on this idea.
I have homemade pancetta that is more of that juniper berry persuasion. I like the taste, but its rendered fat can be a bit strong. So I decided to cook it sous vide to make it food safe, and then I chopped it into a fine dice, which has the added benefit of having a nice chew and also a beautiful presentation with those fat layers. Problem is, carbonara needs that cured pork fat flavor in the sauce. So here's what I'm thinking:
I don't want to crisp up bacon, because I really don't want a smoke-forward flavor in this dish. I really do want some of that funky flavor that you can get from stuff like guanciale, but using guanciale with compete too much with the pancetta. So I'm thinking I could take a slice of super thin prosciutto and crisp it up in a neutral oil or pork fat, infusing the oil with those funky flavors. Then I could mince up the prosciutto and incorporate into the dish for some more delicate crunchy contrast and also garnish the dish on top so you have a dual pork carbonara. I would, of course, follow the rest of the techniques required for the sauce. Thoughts?
Hey! I'm Italian and this is one of the Best recipes for carbonara from outside Italy on UA-cam! Keep it up!!
Beh sì
Thank you Kenji!!!
Made it for my family, and they loved it
I tried this and my first try I got a partially scrambled egg b/c i forgot cool the pan. Got it right the second time! Very simple to make. Great cooking video!
Keep them coming Kenji....I have made this recipe 20 times since released and passed on to friends and family. Thank you!
Hey man you inspire me a LOT with cooking. Every time i don't know what to cook i loom at you channel and learn something new! Thanks!
Thanks for these videos, Kenji. I feel like I'm learning more about cooking from you than what I learned about cooking from my parents.
Which is nothing.
Damn dude. You've COMPLETELY changed the way I'm going to make carbonara from now on. For one thing, I've always made scrambled eggs in my carbonara, I thought you were supposed to cook the egg sauce on heat, but damn was I wrong! The consistency of this looks really different. Also, I've always done it with heavy cream. And I've learned to use way more cheese and only one egg, before I was only doing a little bit of cheese and lots of eggs - guess I had it backwards. Thanks for this!
We made this tonight and it was 10/10, chef's kiss! If you're hesitating, don't!
It starts with pasta and then: Science, photography, planes, engines, physics!
All the way to the start of the universe.
Great teacher yes?
I made this recipe today. It totally tastes restaurant grade. Thanks Kenji!
I kept on staring at that one small pasta noodle that did not go in the dish😂😂
Me too. Like when as a kid, my peas were little soldiers that were marched into the mashed potato & not one was left behind.
Man that looks good! Im going to make this for friends this week! thanks for the recipe.
What helped me get over scrambling the eggs was adding a splash of pasta water to the egg mixture. Kind of temper the eggs before adding to the pan
I love this man how he knows so much about food
I made this today! Following your video, and it turned out great! Thank you! I also love cooking while having your video playing in the background
I just tried making this for the first time last week, all I had was regular bacon. But it still turned out amazing.
Yeah dude me too! All this fancy Italian cured cheek malarky is well over-rated ;)
*Runs for cover
I' am italian, born in Rome.
There is no certainty regarding the use of bacon or guanciale, au contraire one of the theories concerning the birth of the dish (also my favorite theory) is that was invented by American soldiers stationed in Rome during the Second World War who were looking for a useful way to reconcile the typical ingredients of an overseas breakfast in a foreign land : cheese, bacon and eggs.
Nothing for sure, but perhaps the dish is more American than many might believe.
Congratz for your videos !!!
Awesome 👏 Thank you 😊 this is our favorite easy recipe for the whole family
I add pasta water to the egg/cheese mixture, stir, and then mix in the pan with the pasta. This helps temper the eggs so they don't overcook and scramble when hitting the pan.
I love how at the start of each video the camera pans down to kenji smiling
thanks for the cooking vids kenji :)
It's actually so funny classic dad camera angle!
He just pops up and says hi. It's great!
15:06 yo wtf i accidentally skipped to this part of the vid and thought he was scraping his hand lol
Then it would have been Carbonara with gratings of Kenji's hand ^^ love your pfp btw 😎
What’s going on with the opened beer bottles in the fridge? Love the method, really classic!
@@PerfectPrinceX1 Just add a little salt.
He's half an alcoholic
Excellent content. Chefs that understand chemistry are the best!
Was just watching one of your vids and this came out at 4 am
not traditional but what's super good is to crush a whole clove (or 2) of garlic (skin still on) and put it in the same pan as the bacon/guanciale/pancetta as it renders, then take it out before adding the pasta..
can't go wrong with garlic and in my opinion just makes the whole thing taste better (can even crush it in with the egg/cheese mixture before adding that for more garlic flavor)
Kenji, can you make a video detailing how you became a chef? I’m interested in hearing your story.
I think it is interesting that you come from an architecture background.
I read the comments because Kenji posts useful answers to questions and I also like seeing how many people appreciate Kenji’s knowledge and videos as much as I do. But it pains me to see how rude people are. I know that’s everywhere on the internet but considering we are getting these amazing videos essentially for free (buy his book and donate) and that Kenji is far more of a culinary expert than 99.9% of the people watching this, I wish people would show some respect and lay off. Why the hell does anybody feel the need to point out beer in his fridge or pretend they know more about pans than a professional chef? Some of it boils down to the fact that no one respects a lifetime of expertise anymore and some of it is people who must specifically watch videos looking for something to criticize, I guess. Anyway, I look forward to every video and am so grateful.
I personally truly enjoyed the nucleation site science lesson. Kenji, you're the man.
Kenji: :"If it's a moist day out-"
Brain: Reboot initiated
Kenji: "Sorry, if it's high humidity up there..."
Love your informations all over your videos, thanks for sharing your knowledge!
When you were mentioning nucleation points, I was waiting for you to mention the Diet Coke + Mentos hahaha
Keep up the awesome videos, Kenji!
A chef that knows not just the HOW, but also the WHY.
Pretty sure dew and fog also require nucleation(?) sites to form. I believe it is the dust in the air that many times acts as these sites, allowing water to cling to to them!
is it a must that the cheese is finely grated or can you get away with it being shredded?
I’ve learned so much from watching your videos. BY FAR MY FAVORITE! Thank you.
I leave the heat on the sauce pan and temper the egg mixture with a splash of the hot pasta water before adding it to the pasta. Seems to keep it from turning to scrambled eggs. Then toss toss toss until you get a good creamy sauce. If it stiffens up to much, another splash of pasta water.
I think i have spend more hours seeing kenji than seeing my dad
Gotta love the late night cooking videos!!
Adding salt doesn't lower the boiling point it increases it, it lowers it's specific heat. We salt the water to give flavor, and also lower cooking time by allowing the water temp to reach hotter than 100 degrees before boiling and evaporating. It actually takes longer to boil but the tradeoff is you cook your food faster and it tastes better!
"It's like the Gushers of bacon, you know?" - J. Kenji Lopez-Alt (2020)
You crushed it. Every Italian/Roman makes it like their nonna taught them and nonna don’t care what the traditionalists think either. Thanks.
finally someone making a proper traditional pasta carbonara, regards from italy
Just bought your Cookbook Kenji! Super excited to start reading it!
The first documented carbonara recipe is... american, 1952, from a book of recipes collected from italian-ameican restaurants in Chicago. The restaurant name was Armando's, IIRC. The first italian recipe comes 2 years later and it consisted of: eggs, garlic, gruyère and pancetta. La Cucina Italiana magazine, August 1954.
I have a 1936 edition of a famous italian cookbook edited by a roman lady, Ada Boni's "Il talismano della felicità", and no trace of carbonara anywhere. Same in Pellegrino Artusi's cookbook.
Like many other "italian" dishes, carbonara is actually very likely to be very recent and originating during the Allies occupation, from what the troops were bringing in: powdered eggs and bacon. Sort of like an american bacon and eggs breakfast plus pasta.
If you are interested, there's a very competent food historian whose work you can check out, Alberto Grandi.
My favorite pasta dish of all time. Perfectly made. 👍
I love the little supervisor on the floor❤
I thought I was witnessing some kind of inception when you were talking about what to do with the carbonara sauce you were going to say french toast. LOL. Very little leftover sauce for the wife!
I'm Italian and I'm proud of you man
in switzerland carbonara usually just refers to a bechamel with bacon so the first time i had authentic carbonara i was blown away ( in a good way)
Can we just not tell Kenji when the lockdown is over? This content is so good. I think I especially love that it's not the here's all my mis en place, it makes it all seem more accessible.
A beautiful and frustrating dish. You can make it incredibly perfectly, velvety and smooth, one time and the next time you use juuuuust a little too much cheese or overcook the eggs a tiny bit and you get more of a thick solid coating than a velvet sauce. So difficult to master perfectly every time… even if the near misses are still delicious
Could you add the automated captions please ? For the hearing impeared among us
It usually takes a couple hours for the auto translate function to get the captions up. If they aren’t on the video when it’s first released, check back in an hour or two and they’ll be there (assuming the youtube creator has enabled them). Kenji is pretty good about leaving them enabled, at least from what I’ve watched. :D.
Did you finally get to read what he was blabbering on about? Vapor trails, the big bang and such?
Priceless!
I love how the dogs always waiting for something to come its way!
First time I see a foreigner do it right! Great job.
I loved the Carbonara, but even more I loved the remarks on nucleation sites. I love when ppl explain the physics in places you don't expect them to. Especially that it was accurate and very easy to understand (I guess).
Nucleisation points are often called Condensation Nuclei, and are what helps water droplets form from clouds, acting as a point for the water to condense around. They can be tiny pieces of dust floating in the air, up high in the clouds.
I came here to learn how to make carbonara, ended up learning science and history as well.
One of my mentors who is one of the best chefs in Croatia showed me how to make this dish, he insists that we don't let the guanciale crisp up, he says the moment the fat becomes clear, its done. One other thing he does different is he just turns the stove off and then adds 1 egg yolk which he mixes in with the pasta.
got half tilted, only had bacon and parmesan. Don't get too worried, it will turn out. Pull it a little loose, if it doesn't thicken then toss it back in the pan on the element for a few seconds. You may get a few curds, but you can pick them out easy. Don't be afraid, try something new!
And as much as they suck, you can cook on an electric/glasstop, that's what I do. You just have to get used to how they heat up and cool down. Not as easy as gas, but once you learn on them you'll know how to cook on anything! Just keep trying, you'll make something wonderful at the end and all the effort and frustration will be worth it.
LOVED hearing about the history of the word carbonara.