Get Episodes 3 and 4 of The Food Lab Video Series Today!

Writing articles and taking photos sure is great, but there's nothing like live action to show you how fun, fascinating, and downright delicious the science behind home cooking can be. Today we release the third and fourth episodes of The Food Lab video series. In each episode of the show, my intrepid co-host Katie Quinn and I explore basic scientific concepts in the kitchen, answering important questions like: What the heck is an emulsion and how will it make my life better? What's the best way to roast a chicken? What happens when you fling a hamburger at the wall at 45 mph, and more importantly, why would you ever want to do that (besides the obvious)?

All this stuff isn't just interesting, but will actually help you to become a better cook. And we had a blast shooting it.

In the third episode, we talk the ins and outs of boiling water. The deceptively simple nature of heating H2O means most people boil too much, too long, and with all kinds of unnecessary extra steps—even when just whipping up a simple pot of pasta. The same principles that govern a proper boil caused the formation of our very universe! Let us...boil it down for you.

And the fourth episode is all about roasting chicken. We consider what chicken has to do with tubes of toothpaste and wet mops, whether brining is really necessary, and just how to cook the clucker for maximum juicy flavor. Say goodbye to the dry bird!

The Food Lab from Serious Eats on Vimeo.

Due to popular demand, we've now added the ability to outright buy the videos in addition to renting them. Folks who rented the first two episodes will receive an emailed promo code from Vimeo in the next week allowing them to step up from rent to buy pricing (paying only the difference), should they be so inclined.

A huge thank you to all of our early supporters and Indiegogo backers. We couldn't have done it without you. You should have already received an email about how to get access to your videos (and if you were one of the folks who backed us at the prize levels, look forward to your limited-edition Baking Steels and copies of my book coming your way soon!). Check your email for details.

Editor's Note: The Food Lab video series is available to stream on the Serious Eats Channel on YouTube.