Summary of "25 Banned British Cooking Tricks from the 60s That Scientists Now Say Were GENIUS"

Summary of Cooking Tricks from

“25 Banned British Cooking Tricks from the 60s That Scientists Now Say Were GENIUS”

Key Ingredients & Quantities

Beef dripping: Saved and strained through muslin; used for frying eggs, roast potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding batter.
Cream of tartar: 1/8 teaspoon per egg white for stable, glossy meringue.
Bicarbonate of soda:
- 1/4 teaspoon added to dried beans to halve cooking time and reduce gas.
- ~1/8 teaspoon added to tomato sauce to neutralize acidity without adding sweetness.
Bird’s Custard powder: 3 tablespoons per pint of milk for firmer custard layers in trifles.
Demerara sugar and butter: Sprinkled on grapefruit halves before grilling.
Oxo cube: Half cube dissolved in a tablespoon of boiling water to enrich gravies.
Salad cream: 150 ml used in cake batter to replace two eggs and oil, activating bicarbonate for lift.
Crushed crisps: 2 cups crushed mixed with 2 tablespoons melted butter for crunchy casserole topping.
Carnation evaporated milk: Chilled and whipped as a substitute for fresh cream.
Raw potatoes: Peeled, sliced thick, simmered in oversalted soup for 10–15 minutes to absorb excess salt.
Butter: A knob placed on burger patties before oven baking at 190°C for 20 minutes.

Step-by-Step Methods & Techniques

Greasproof Paper Pan Liners Trace the tin bottom on greasproof paper, cut a circle, and grease both sides (tin side to hold, cake side to release). Used before baking parchment, this guaranteed non-stick cake bottoms.
Dripping Jar After roasting beef, strain hot dripping through muslin to remove burnt bits. Store in a ceramic pot on a warming plate; keeps for weeks without refrigeration. Used for frying, roasting, and in batter for crispiness.
Meringue with Cream of Tartar Separate eggs carefully to avoid yolk contamination. Add 1/8 tsp cream of tartar per egg white. Beat to stiff peaks for glossy, stable meringue that won’t weep overnight.
Bicarbonate in Beans Add 1/4 tsp bicarbonate to cooking water to reduce cooking time from 3–4 hours to about 90 minutes. Avoid too much to prevent mushy beans and soapy taste.
Bird’s Custard for Trifle Use 3 tbsp custard powder per pint milk (more than packet instructions). Cool custard with cling film pressed on surface to prevent skin. Layer over soaked sponge and jelly for firm, distinct layers.
Neutralizing Tomato Sauce Acidity Add ~1/8 tsp bicarbonate to sauce; fizz indicates reaction. Avoid sugar; bicarbonate chemically reduces acidity without sweetness.
Grilled Grapefruit Halve grapefruit, loosen segments with a knife, sprinkle demerara sugar and butter. Grill for 3 minutes until sugar caramelizes and fruit softens.
Oxo Cube Gravy Boost Dissolve half cube in a tablespoon of boiling water before adding to gravy to avoid undissolved bits. Enhances umami and meatiness, especially with thin drippings.
Reviving Day-Old Bread Wrap rolls in a damp tea towel. Warm in oven at 150°C for 5 minutes to rehydrate and soften.
Using Hines Condensed Soup as Sauce Base Mix condensed soup with milk, leftover meat, and vegetables; bake. Convenient but less economical and less skillful than making sauce from scratch.
Whipped Evaporated Milk Cream Chill evaporated milk tin overnight until slushy. Whip with hand mixer until fluffy peaks form. Add lemon juice to stabilize if needed.
Wilted Lettuce Rescue Soak wilted leaves in cold water with a tablespoon of white vinegar for 15 minutes to crisp.
Savory Jelly Molds Mix lemon or lime jelly with grated cucumber, prawns, or tinned salmon. Pour into ring mold; temperature control is critical to prevent sinking or separation. Serve unmolded on shredded lettuce.
Pressure Cooker Sunday Roast Brown brisket, add onions and carrots. Cook under pressure (15 lb) for 15 minutes per pound (e.g., 45 minutes for 3 lb). Results in tender meat with deeper flavor due to accelerated Maillard reaction.
Salad Cream Cake (Egg & Oil Substitute) Use 150 ml salad cream in cake batter to replace two eggs and oil. Mix in one bowl with a wooden spoon; vinegar activates bicarbonate for lift. Cake stays moist and velvety for days.
Foil-Lined Grill Pans Line grill pan and drip tray with heavy-duty foil, poke holes in top layer. Allows fat to drip through, improves browning, and simplifies cleanup.
Instant Pudding Pies Use Bird’s Instant Whip with half the milk recommended for thicker filling. Pour over crushed digestive biscuit base, chill 30 minutes.
Panade for Meatloaf and Risoles Soak 2 slices bread in 1/4 pint milk until mushy. Mix into 1 lb minced beef with egg and brown sauce. Prevents dryness and crumbling by retaining moisture.
Crisp Topping for Casseroles Mix 2 cups crushed crisps with 2 tbsp melted butter. Sprinkle over fish pie or shepherd’s pie for last 15 minutes of baking.
Fizzy Pop Cake Mix Substitute eggs and milk by mixing cake mix with fizzy pop (e.g., cola for chocolate cake, lemonade for Victoria sponge). Carbonation acts as raising agent.
Oven-Baked Butter Burgers Shape patties, place on grill rack over roasting tin. Top each with a knob of butter. Bake at 190°C for 20 minutes.
Raw Potato for Oversalted Soup Peel and slice 2 raw potatoes thickly. Simmer in oversalted soup for 10–15 minutes to absorb excess salt. Remove potato slices before serving.

Equipment & Preparation Notes

Greasproof paper (lined and greased both sides)
Muslin cloth for straining dripping
Hand mixer for whipping evaporated milk
Damp tea towel and low oven (~150°C) for bread revival
Pressure cooker (15 lb pressure recommended)
Grill pan lined with heavy-duty foil
Cling film pressed on custard surface to prevent skin
Ring mold for jelly salads
Oven preheated to 190°C for butter burgers

Chef Tips & Common Mistakes

Grease both sides of greasproof paper for best release.
Avoid yolk contamination in egg whites for meringue.
Measure bicarbonate carefully to avoid soapy or metallic tastes.
Dissolve Oxo cube in hot water before adding to gravy to prevent graininess.
Use less milk than packet instructions for instant pudding to get sliceable firmness.
Control jelly temperature carefully to prevent sinking or separation.
Chill evaporated milk thoroughly before whipping.
Don’t overuse bicarbonate in tomato sauce; fizz signals reaction.
Use foil in grill pans to save cleaning time and improve browning.
Raw potato slices must be removed before serving soup.
Salad cream cake batter mixes easily and improves with resting.

Variations Highlighted

Meringue acidifiers: Cream of tartar preferred over lemon juice or vinegar.
Crisp toppings: Cheese & onion crisps for shepherd’s pie, salt & vinegar crisps for fish pie.
Instant pudding flavors: Chocolate, butterscotch, strawberry.
Fizzy pop cakes: Cola for chocolate, lemonade for Victoria sponge.
Savory jelly molds: Variations with cucumber, prawns, or tinned salmon.

Presenter & Source

The video is presented by a cooking channel focused on rediscovering traditional British cooking wisdom lost since the 1960s. It references:

British Medical Journal (2015) for saturated fat research.
Studies from Reading University on Oxo cube umami enhancement.
Historical cooking practices, Women’s Institute cookbooks, and scientific rediscoveries.

This summary captures the core ingredients, methods, equipment, tips, and variations of the 25 traditional British cooking tricks highlighted in the video, emphasizing practical kitchen knowledge rediscovered and validated by modern science.