Video summary

30 Oddly Useful British Nan Tricks That Actually Work

Main summary

Key takeaways

Cooking

Presenter / Channel

  • Presented by “nan Margaret” (host of the video “{30 Oddly Useful British Nan Tricks That Actually Work}”).
  • No external sources are explicitly referenced.

Cooking Ingredients & Quantities (Only When Stated)

No. 30 — Aubergine (eggplant) bitterness fix

  • Salt to sprinkle both sides of sliced aubergine (quantity not specified)
  • Wait 3/4 hour, then wipe away released liquid

No. 27 — Poached eggs

  • Add 1 spoon white vinegar to simmering water (described as “a spoon”)

No. 20 — Sweetness/acid balance in bolognese/tomato sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

No. 21 — Burgers with ice-steam

  • 1 ice cube per burger
  • Optional step cue: “press a little dip” into the middle

No. 25 — Corn on the cob

  • 1 knob of butter melted into boiling water before corn goes in
  • Salt added to the water (amount not specified)

No. 18 — Roast potatoes (bicarbonate of soda)

  • Light dusting of bicarbonate of soda (amount qualitative)

No. 2 — Scrambled eggs lift

  • Tiny pinch bicarbonate of soda
  • Specifically: 1/8 teaspoon for three eggs

No. 9 — Jam “set” test

  • 1 teaspoon placed in the freezer before starting
  • Test uses “a bit on the cold spoon” (amount qualitative)

No. 10 — Flour pest control

  • 1 dried bay leaf per bag of flour

No. 5 — Egg freshness test

  • Water glass test only (no ingredient quantities)

No. 8 — Garlic bread

  • Raw clove of garlic rubbed on toasted bread
  • Drizzle of oil
  • Pinch of salt

No. 7 — Tea-bag gravy

  • 1 black tea bag
  • Steep 2 minutes

No. 3 — Bacon

  • No quantities stated

No. 4 — Pasta anti-clumping

  • Drizzle of oil after draining (amount qualitative)

No. 1 — Bread dough with potato water

  • Use boiled potato water (water amount equals what you boiled)

Step-by-Step Methods, Timings, Temperatures, Technique Cues

No. 30 — Aubergine: remove bitterness + reduce oil uptake

  1. Slice aubergine.
  2. Sprinkle salt on both sides.
  3. Leave 3/4 hour.
  4. Wipe away dark beads of liquid.
  5. Cook as usual.

Technique cue: Salt “collapses” sponge-like holes so aubergine absorbs about half the oil it otherwise would—ending “rich, not greasy.”

No. 29 — Warm plates (timing/serving)

  1. Warm plates before serving:
    • Run under a hot tap for ~1/2 minute, or
    • Put in a low oven while finishing cooking.
  2. Serve food on warm plates.

Effect: food stays hot 10–15 minutes longer; gravy won’t set as quickly; mash won’t form a cold skin.

No. 28 — Ginger storage (prep/technique)

  1. Don’t keep ginger in the fridge “soft and hairy.”
  2. Freeze ginger whole (skin on).
  3. When needed, grate frozen ginger—the skin grates away.

Storage duration claim: lasts ~2 months instead of going off in a week.

No. 27 — Poached eggs: tighten whites

  1. Bring water to a simmer.
  2. Add 1 spoon white vinegar to the simmering water.
  3. Poach eggs normally.
  4. Whites set quickly so they wrap tightly around yolks.

Cue: “no cling film” needed; doesn’t taste of vinegar (host claims vinegar amount is too small).

No. 26 — Fresh bread toast avoidance

  1. Use bread 1–2 days old for toast (fresh bread is too damp).
  2. Toast until golden and crisp.

Cue: outside burns before the middle dries if bread is fresh.

No. 25 — Corn on the cob: butter in water

  1. Bring water to boil.
  2. Melt a knob of butter into the boiling water before corn goes in.
  3. Add salt to the water.
  4. Add corn; cook as usual.
  5. Serve: corn comes out “already buttered and glistening.”

No. 24 — Prevent starchy/spud foam-over using a wooden spoon

  1. When boiling spuds or pasta is near foaming/boiling over:
  2. Lay a wooden spoon flat across the top.
  3. Froth rises, touches dry wood, bubbles collapse.
  4. Buy about half a minute to reduce heat.

Safety/accuracy cue: wooden spoon only; metal won’t do it.

No. 23 — Raw onion harshness: soak

  1. Slice onion.
  2. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes.
  3. Drain, then pat dry.
  4. Use in salad/sandwich.

Effect: harsh bite and tears reduced; onion stays crisp but milder.

No. 22 — Curry/stew base: bloom dried spices in fat

  1. Before adding any liquid, heat hot fat in the pan (butter or oil).
  2. Add dried spices (examples: cumin, coriander, turmeric), plus:
    • “a knob of butter” or “drop of oil”
  3. Fry/bloom for ~1 minute.
  4. Tip spices into liquid.

Key warning: skip blooming and flavor can become “flat and dusty.” Host stresses an extra one minute.

No. 21 — Juicy burgers: ice cube in the middle

  1. Press a small dip into the center of each raw burger.
  2. Place 1 ice cube in the dip.
  3. Cook burgers normally.
  4. Ice melts slowly and steams meat from the inside to keep it juicy.

Cue: presented as a “saves a burger” technique.

No. 20 — Fix harsh tomato/bolognese: balance acidity with sugar

  1. If sauce tastes sharp/harsh, stir in 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
  2. Simmer/finish as normal.

Claim: balances acid without making it sweet.

No. 19 — Biscuit tin (storage)

  • Keep biscuits in an old metal biscuit tin:
    • Reduces dampness and keeps light out better than plastic
    • Helps keep biscuits crisp and reduces cupboard odor transfer

No. 18 — Roast potatoes: parboil + roughen + bicarb dust

  1. Parboil potatoes.
  2. Drain.
  3. Shake in a colander to rough up edges.
  4. Toss with light dusting of bicarbonate of soda.
  5. Cook in hot fat until darker/crunchier.

Effect: speeds browning; “shattering” outside, fluffy inside.

No. 17 — Stop chopping board slipping

  1. Put a damp tea towel or bit of damp kitchen roll under the chopping board.
  2. Start chopping.

Safety note (in subtitles): sliding boards are described as a common cause of knife accidents.

No. 16 — Resting meat after pan-sear

  1. After cooking chicken/joint/steak, let it sit under foil for 10 minutes.
  2. Then carve.

Cue: resting lets meat relax and juices redistribute; carving immediately causes juices to pour out.

No. 15 — Freeze leftover wine as cubes

  1. If you have half a glass of wine left, pour into an ice cube tray.
  2. Freeze.
  3. Use cubes (each about 1 spoonful) for stew/gravy/risotto.

Storage claim: wine in freezer keeps for months; a week in bottle “done for.”

No. 14 — Revive soft crisps

  1. Spread crisps on a tray.
  2. Bake in a warm oven for 5 minutes.
  3. Let moisture drive out so they crisp up again.

Works for: tortilla chips too.

No. 13 — Eggs for hard/soft set: hot water method

  1. Put eggs in a pan of cold water.
  2. Bring to a boil.
  3. Remove from heat immediately.
  4. Let sit in the hot water for 10 minutes.

Effect: fewer cracks; whites set while yolks stay creamy; avoids chalky grey ring.

No. 12 — Bread bin “climate control”

  • Store bread in a proper bread bin (described as controlling air and moisture).
  • Plastic bags can soften bread; leaving it out can harden it.
  • Bread in bin stays good 3–4 days.

No. 11 — Prevent apple browning

  1. Slice apples for pie/lunchboxes.
  2. Squeeze lemon juice on cut sides.

Also works on: pears and avocados.

No. 10 — Bay leaf in flour (pest prevention)

  1. Place 1 dried bay leaf per bag of flour.
  2. Replace every few months.

Claim: prevents weevils/pantry moths without chemicals.

No. 9 — Jam set test using chilled spoon

  1. Put 1 teaspoon in the freezer before starting.
  2. When jam seems ready, place a bit on the cold spoon.
  3. Wait half a minute.
  4. Finger test:
    • If it wrinkles → jam is set
    • If it slides → keep boiling

No. 8 — Garlic bread without oven/foil

  1. Toast bread.
  2. Rub raw garlic clove over the hot rough surface.
  3. Add drizzle of oil + pinch of salt.
  4. Serve—ready in 2 minutes.

Claim: better and faster than frozen foil garlic bread.

No. 7 — Tea-bag gravy for depth/color

  1. Add 1 black tea bag to beef/lamb gravy.
  2. Steep 2 minutes.
  3. Remove tea bag.

Effect: tannins add depth + glossy mahogany color; not detectable as tea.

No. 6 — Cutting sticky foods cleanly

  1. For sticky items (dates, dried apricots, flapjack), run knife under the tap first.
  2. Thin water film prevents sugar sticking to blade.
  3. (Optional mentioned use) Dip knife in hot water for brownies / warm loaf use cases.

No. 5 — Check egg freshness with water glass

  • Place egg in a glass of water:
    • Lies flat → fresh
    • Stands on end → use soon
    • Floats → discard

Reason given: air pocket grows as egg ages.

No. 4 — Pasta anti-clump: oil after draining only

  1. Do not add oil to pasta water (oil floats and drains away).
  2. Drain pasta immediately.
  3. Toss pasta with a drizzle of oil while sauce is prepared.

Effect: keeps strands from clumping; buys about 5 minutes.

No. 3 — Bacon: start in cold pan for even crisp

  1. Lay bacon into a cold pan (don’t preheat).
  2. Turn heat to medium.
  3. Cook slowly until fat renders gently.

Effect: evenly crisp bacon, no burnt/undercooked mix.

No. 2 — Scrambled eggs: bicarbonate of soda lift + low heat

  1. Beat eggs.
  2. Add a tiny pinch bicarbonate of soda (example: 1/8 tsp for 3 eggs).
  3. Cook on low heat.
  4. Keep moving/stir until set to soft/fluffy.

Claim: too much tastes of bicarb; low heat prevents rubbery texture.

No. 1 — Bread dough with potato water

  1. Don’t pour away cloudy potato water after boiling potatoes.
  2. Let it cool.
  3. Use it to make bread dough.

Effect: starch feeds yeast → dough rises faster/stronger; loaf softer, keeps longer, faint sweetness.

Equipment Mentioned

  • Wooden spoon (must be wood for bubbling control)
  • Colander (for shaking rough up potato edges)
  • Pans (poaching, parboiling, and spice blooming)
  • Foil (for resting meat)
  • Ice cube tray (freeze wine)
  • Freezer spoon (jam test)
  • Glass of water (egg freshness test)
  • Bread bin / metal biscuit tin (storage containers)
  • Chopping board + damp towel/roll (anti-slip underlay)
  • Oven (warming plates, crisping crisps)

Chef Tips / Common Mistakes Explicitly Called Out

  • Aubergine: don’t skip salting—otherwise may be bitter/greasy.
  • Toast: don’t toast fresh bread (burns outside, damp inside).
  • Roast potatoes: roughing + bicarb dust helps browning/crisping.
  • Boiling over (pasta/spuds): use a wooden spoon; metal won’t work.
  • Egg method: don’t drop eggs into boiling water; use cold water → boil → off-heat soak for 10 min.
  • Pasta: oil belongs after draining, not in the pasta water.
  • Bacon: don’t start in a screaming hot pan; start in cold pan on medium.
  • Meat: don’t carve immediately—rest under foil for 10 minutes.
  • Sauce acidity: add 1/2 tsp sugar if tomato/bolognese tastes sharp.
  • Jam set: use chilled spoon + wrinkle/slide test instead of a thermometer.

Plating / Serving Suggestions

  • Serve on warm plates to keep gravy from setting and mash from forming a cold skin.
  • Garlic bread: finish “in 2 minutes” after toasting/rubbing garlic—serve immediately.

Video References at End

  • Channel / presenter: “nan Margaret” (host of “{30 Oddly Useful British Nan Tricks That Actually Work}”).
  • Referenced sources (in subtitles):
    • “food scientists” (general)
    • “cafes since your grandmother’s day”
    • “Women’s Institute books going back to the 1930s”
    • “jam competition winners… for 100 years”
    • “bakers used potato water for centuries”
    • General mentions of “laboratories” catching up (no specific publications linked).

Original video