Do Foods Taste Better When You Ignore the Cooking Instructions?

When ignoring the conventional ways of cooking something, what sort of food miracles can occur? On today’s episode of GMMore, Rhett & Link tackle this question, hearing from six fans who claim to have found a better way to cook classic foods. Will their blatant disregard of cooking instructions change the way we cook our food forever? Here’s what happened:

Frozen Smucker’s Uncrustables

Twitter user Tom suggested that Rhett & Link try eating Uncrustables still frozen. He said that while the bread quality drops, “the solid peanut butter combined with the still jelly-like jelly just hits different.” As they tasted it, Rhett & Link agreed that the bread quality was poorer. Link, however, still couldn’t resist gnawing on the crust. The guys failed to locate the promised “jelly-like jelly,” claiming that their jelly froze. Link said, “The jelly is very cold. Nothing is soft.” Stevie observed that the guys seemed “forlorn” as they sat there munching away at their very-solid sandwiches. But after some time to reflect, Rhett admitted, “It tastes good.” Then, in an unexpected turn, Link said, “It tastes better.”

Microwaved Pizza Lunchables

Twitter user Em suggested a creative solution to the raw and doughy flavor of Lunchables: cooking them in the microwave. The boys initially seemed optimistic but after tasting the Lunchables, the two were disappointed. Link said, “I have a problem with this because now I’m comparing it to a real pizza, and that ain’t gonna work.” Rhett concluded that they had reached “an uncanny pizza valley.” Link’s recommendation for Em: “Don’t cook your pizza Lunchable, girl. Just order a pizza.”

Partially-Toasted Toaster Strudel

The third round featured a submission from Mike. He said, “Don’t toast a toaster strudel all the way… do it just long enough for the outside to get warm and flakey but have the filling still be semi-frozen.” Link was quick to admit that he followed a similar technique at home, but said that he prefers his filling hot. He achieves this through a hybrid microwave and toaster technique that results in a light toast on his strudel similar to Mike’s. His specific microwaving instructions? “Ten seconds.” After trying Mike’s version, Link said, “Mike is very close to being correct… I think we could be friends.” While Rhett had no problem with the strudel, he said, “Call me a rule-follower, I just follow the directions and I think they are exquisite. I love a toaster strudel.”

(Bonus recc: Link recommends the apple flavored toaster strudel).

Soupy Oatmeal

Twitter user Molly submitted her father’s unusual oatmeal preparation: “My dad loves oatmeal like… soup-style. He’ll make it according to the directions and then add a good cup of milk so it’s essentially pure liquid.” The oatmeal seemed to have a lot of potential to the milk-loving guys. But the entire round was overshadowed by a suspicious taste, which Rhett & Link shouted out at the same time. “Burnt!” (Link said “burnt tire.”) The burnt flavor was undeniable and made it difficult for them to determine whether or not they liked the new version. Rhett said, “It’s just not working for me” but it’s unclear whether it was because of the burnt taste or the extra milk. While they struggled to identify whether the oatmeal had really been burnt—and who cooked it that way—Link did say, “I love warm milk, like a cat” but that “if you just try to isolate the milk, it’s very thick.” The round was pretty inconclusive, so try it out yourself!

Disassembled Pot Pie

Twitter user Con submitted a pot pie preparation method that was an instant hit with the guys. “I like to break my pot pies up in a bowl and add milk and spices to it (especially a TON of black pepper),” he said. Link said he did the same thing, but when Rhett questioned him further, Link admitted, “I haven’t added milk.” Despite the recipe’s specific call for extra milk, Rhett didn’t think that it made a huge difference in taste because, “There is a cream inside of a pie anyway.” The extra pepper seemed to be a big hit with the guys. Link said, “It doesn’t get much better than a lot of black pepper on a pot pie.” The conclusion? Per Link, “This is not revelatory, but it is really good.”

Bland & Cold Ramen

The final round featured an original ramen recipe from Mythical crew member, Sierra. Stevie read the recipe aloud: “Two packets of ramen, only one flavor packet, cooked as short a time as possible to still be considered cooked… Strain the broth, plop an ice cube in.” Sierra explained that this recipe came from her aunt, who wanted to cool her ramen down so that she could eat it quicker. Sierra admitted she continues to make the recipe because she still likes “bland food” and that she enjoys the “cold pockets” that develop once the ice hits the hot ramen. “It’s almost perfect,” said Rhett. “It would be better if you used the full amount of seasoning and cooked it the full appointed time, and made it hot. And then it would be great. Then I would agree with you.”

While the GMMore was going on, an investigation was conducted into whether the oatmeal was burnt. To find out if it was and who was responsible for cooking it, check out today’s GMMMore!