Can James May cook better than AI?

Presenter / Channel

• Presented by James May (in “Bugout Bunker Kitchen”).
• Mentions a long-time follower/helper named Will (TV production company), who suggests cooking approaches.
• References a prior video and contrasts it with an earlier AI-generated recipe.

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Ingredients (with quantities/substitutions as stated)

Potato fritters

• Smash instant mashed potato granules (packet contents implied; mixed into fritter batter)
• Water + chicken soup
  • Uses half a tin of chicken soup, then adds hot water to thin it
• Tiny bit of mustard (added to the Smash/chicken soup mixture)
• French’s Burger mustard (to taste; mentioned as “a bit”)
• Gin (mentioned in the potato/mash context as helping improve color)
• Hot water in kettle (preheated/ready)

Meatballs + topping

• Spam (chopped; split roughly 2/3 for meatballs and 1/3 for a topping)
• Corned beef (chopped; split with Spam in the same proportions)
• No egg or other binder
• Smash granules used in the meatball mixture to add texture/coating for frying rather than as a classic binder

Sauces / toppings / sides

• Cream of chicken soup
  • Mentioned as an ingredient; context suggests the “chicken soup” tin used in the fritters
• Branston pickle
  • Used as pickle juice (“just the juice not the lumps”)
  • Used as a dollop in the Spam-and-beans mix (pickle juice is used after washing off lumps so it behaves like “onion” flavor)
• Baked beans (also used as the base for a variation)
• Spaghetti Hoops in tomato sauce (later used as “pasta with meatballs”)
• Tomato soup (warmed; also used for a “Bloody Mary” side)
• American mustard (tiny splash; referenced with the Bloody Mary component)
• Black pepper (added at the end)
• Gin (used for)
  • “Bloody Mary on the side” as a dipping/pouring element for fritters
  • “Baked bean hummus” / variation
• Salt
  • Not explicitly mentioned; only “to taste” style cues are implied

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Equipment / Prep Steps

• Kettle: hot water already prepared
• Mixing bowl: for Smash batter and the meatball mixture
• Oven: only one oven + one ring; used to warm fritters and/or meatballs while other components cook
• Pan/frying area: for frying fritters and cooking Spam/beans topping mixture
• Shot glasses: for serving the “Bloody Mary” accompaniment
• Chopping board: used for controlling fritter thickness and shaping meatballs
• Fork: requested for separating beans and for mashing/mixing in the hummus-like prep

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Method (step-by-step with technique cues / timings)

1) Make potato fritter batter

1. Mix Smash with hot water + chicken soup (instead of just water).
   • Use half a tin of chicken soup, then add water to thin.
2. Add:
   • a tiny bit of mustard
   • a tiny splash of gin (paired with notes that mustard + gin improves color)
3. Mix until batter reaches an “about the right consistency” level—enough to form fritters.

2) Fry potato fritters

1. Pre-form on the board, then fry in the pan.
2. Make them thicker like potato pancake/fry discs.
   • Thicker fritters help them hold together.
   • Thinner ones may fall apart.
3. Once fried, move fritters to the oven to stay warm.

3) Chop and stage Spam + corned beef

1. Chop Spam and corned beef.
2. Split roughly:
   • 2/3 for meatballs
   • 1/3 for topping

4) Form meatballs without a traditional binder

1. Combine Spam + corned beef in a mixing bowl.
2. Add Smash granules to improve texture and help the mixture fry successfully (since there’s no egg).
3. Shape gently (meatballs are described as delicate).
4. Make some slightly smaller as a test (“mini meatball” idea).

5) Fry meatballs

• Handle gently so they stay intact.
• Compare/try meatballs with Smash coating vs plain approaches.

6) Transfer to warming oven

• Because there’s only one oven, meatballs are transferred there to keep warm while everything else finishes.

7) Make Spam + beans + Branston pickle topping (for one fritter)

1. In the pan, add:
   • a spoonful of Branston pickle
   • pickle juice (aimed at onion-like flavor without lumps)
2. Cook briefly: “half a minute or so.”
3. Add spam + corned beef mixture, then baked beans.
4. Keep the flavor concept: pickle juice substitutes for missing onion.

8) Make “pasta with meatballs” using Spaghetti Hoops

• Add remaining meatballs into spaghetti hoops in tomato sauce.
• Ensure some baked beans are included in this “pasta with meatballs” portion (not necessarily all beans).

9) Make “Bloody Mary” side (gin-tomato-mustard-pickle)

1. Mix in a bowl:
   • tomato soup + hot water (added roughly “about as much again”)
   • tiny dribble of mustard
   • pickle juice (optional; just the juice not lumps)
   • fairly generous dollop of gin
2. Serve in small shot glasses.
3. Cue of mist/chill indicates it’s served immediately/cooling.

10) Variation: “Baked bean hummus with gin”

• Mash/blend a hummus-like mixture using:
  • some baked beans (a couple teaspoons set aside)
  • gin
  • fork to mash/mix until hummus-ish.

11) Warm tomato sauce and plate

1. Warm tomato soup further as a sauce/drizzle.
2. Assemble plates/components:
   • spaghetti hoops with meatballs
   • potato fritters with meatballs
   • one fritter topped with the Spam/beans/pickle “onion substitute” mix
3. Drizzle warm tomato sauce around fritters and a little over meatballs.
4. Finish with black pepper.
5. Serve the Bloody Mary accompaniment in shot glasses.

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Chef Tips / Observations / What Worked

• Chicken soup in the Smash makes the fritters smell much better (“chickeny”).
• Thickness matters for structural integrity in the pan.
• Meatballs without egg can still work:
  • requires careful handling
  • they stayed together “remarkably”
• Branston pickle as onion substitute:
  • explained as standing in for diced onion (no onion available)
• Smash improves texture:
  • chef surprised it doesn’t turn cardboard-like
• Bit of oil helps (specifically mentioned regarding Smash texture)

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Common Mistakes / Cautions Mentioned

• Implied critique of a generic AI-style approach: dumping everything into a bowl and baking like a casserole.
• Meatballs are delicate, so transfers/handling matter—especially with only one oven.

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Plating / Serving Notes

• Served as a tapas-style spread with multiple components:
  • spaghetti hoops with meatballs
  • fritters with meatballs
  • one fritter with Spam/beans/pickle topping
  • gin-tomato “Bloody Mary” served in shot glasses
  • tasting alongside experimental bean-gin “hummus”

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Variations Discussed

• Spam/corned beef meatballs
  • Tried Smash-coated vs plain meatballs
  • Tried mini meatballs to compare cooking performance
• Bean hummus variation
  • “Baked bean hummus” made by mashing baked beans with gin
• Portioning baked beans
  • some beans used in spaghetti hoops/meatballs
  • some held back for other components

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Closing Outcomes (taste results)

• James and Will conclude:
  • Spam & beans mix works
  • meatballs stay together and taste good
  • fritters are “perfectly edible” despite being made from instant Smash rather than real potatoes
  • bean hummus is controversial: tastes like beans; gin is lightly present but beans dominate
  • Bloody Mary side tastes essentially like Bloody Mary with gin and mustard

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Sources / Referenced Materials

• No external cookbooks cited.
• Uses ingredients from “bugout bunker kitchen” and references a prior episode featuring an AI recipe:
  • “hearty gin infused spam and corned beef casserole,” described as shepherd’s pie–like.