All Episodes
Previous Next
June 20, 2025 - Dr. Oz Podcast
42:43
Cheap Chicken Dangers? What You’re Really Eating | Dr. Oz | S10 | Ep 161 | Full Episode
| Copy link to current segment

Time Text
An Oz food investigation.
What went wrong here?
Chief chicken at your supermarket.
There are options that won't break the bank, but you have to steer clear of a few issues.
What to look for so you don't get conned at the cash register.
This is the most overlooked chicken in the supermarket.
It gets no love.
Invite the neighbors.
The dish crew is cooking up backyard barbecue favorites.
You can grill them, toast them, butter them and grill them, whatever you like.
Coming up next.
Oh, oh, oh.
Yeah!
I love you, Dr. I. We all want the healthiest, cleanest meat.
It comes to feeding our families.
But when you're on a budget, it can feel like you don't have many options.
So today, America's Test Kitchen's Julia Collin-Davison is here to help us investigate cheap chicken to find out what you are really getting and what can you pay less for.
So a lot of folks think you've got to spend a lot of money, a ton, in order to get good quality meat.
But you're arguing, not true.
There's a secret, and the secret is that there are lots of good, cheap chicken options at the supermarket, which is really important because I often say you should buy organic, you should buy free-range, air-chilled.
And that is the gold standard for buying chicken, but it's also the most expensive, and quite frankly, that's not always in the budget.
I don't know why it has a bad name, but canned chicken gets people very skeptical.
It is!
It is the most overlooked chicken in the supermarket.
It gets no love, right?
And it sits there on the shelf right next to canned tuna, which plenty of people like.
But as you said, people are skeptical of chicken in a can.
But the good news is it's inexpensive and it's a good product.
Well, they get tuna in a can.
Why is tuna fish okay in a can and chicken's not?
Yeah, they're both very lean meats.
And the thing is, when we looked, peeled off the label, when we looked at what's inside, the good news is not a lot of ingredients.
Now, some of the other ingredients, yeah, a few cans had a few other things, some food starch and maybe some preservatives and some water.
But on the whole, this is a good picture.
So this is a decent product.
I love this.
Yeah.
So we challenged some chicken lovers to come up with their most creative canned chicken recipes.
They could only use canned chicken.
Paula, who had never tried canned chicken before, look how skeptical she is.
Look at that.
Look at that look.
I was a little skeptical, but I don't believe in food shame, so I decided I'm going to give it a go.
So I started that.
Do you want to try it?
What'd you make?
So basically, it's a chicken tortilla soup with canned soup, and it's easy to make.
Yum!
And it's easy if you have children under feed or if you have young kids at home.
So everything's a division of one.
So there's one carrot, one celery rib, one onion, garlic, a couple of cans of canned beans, and then that canned chicken.
It's good.
It's really good.
I love it.
Do you like the chicken yourself?
Good job.
Nice job, Paula.
That's impressive.
Now, Tina, I hear, was a canned chicken tuna lover, but actually canned chicken and canned tuna.
You like both?
Yes.
So that part was okay with you, but you wanted to take it to a new level.
Yes.
I don't see the chicken.
Where's the chicken?
The chicken is in the crust.
The crust is actually chicken.
What?
Yes.
Oh, you've taken, like, a cauliflower crust to a whole new level.
This is chicken?
It's chicken parmesan cheese.
Oh, it is chicken.
You can smell it.
And an egg.
And it makes a crust.
Mmm.
Yeah, it's so unique and different.
And I have a hungry teenager at home who wants protein.
This is such a smart idea.
Well done.
Thank you.
This is delicious.
One more time.
How do you crust a chicken down in this very thin crust?
You bake the chicken into almost like flakes for just a few minutes.
Then you put it in a bowl with the egg and the cheese.
It forms a dough.
And then you bake that for about 10 minutes until it's crispy.
Put your sauce, your cheese, and that's it.
And you use low-fat cheese.
And it has a meaty flavor.
I love it.
You know, the next time, you know, they always ask you what the exotic food tastes like.
You say chicken.
And the next time they ask you what the dough tastes like, say chicken.
The pizza tastes like chicken.
Thank you, Sheila.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right, next cheap chicken that we're investigating is chicken in a pouch.
It's the exact same aisles where we're seeing the canned chicken that we just were bragging about.
What are your thoughts on this?
It's just packaging.
Much like tuna has gone from the can to the pouch, chicken is doing the same thing.
But the pitfall here is that a lot of the pouches are flavored.
And when you start adding flavorings, that's when you add a little bit of some nasty ingredients, some preservatives, some other issues.
This is all the things that you found?
Yeah, you can find all of this in...
And it can be hard to find plain pouched chicken.
So that's the trick here.
If you want to buy it in a pouch over a can, look for plain.
The next chicken, chicken vacation tip is for chicken backpacks.
I always thought I'd buy the whole chicken.
Probably the cheapest way of doing it.
Yeah, sometimes it is.
But now I'm seeing these bags with, you know, every chicken breast that you could ever find.
Yeah, so some markets are just selling this.
And this is just raw chicken that's been packaged bulked together and frozen.
So it winds up being less expensive than individual items you'd buy from the butcher counter.
But the thing is that this chicken can also turn out very dry.
And freezer burn.
So according to the USDA, freezer burn does not present any safety issues.
But according to me, freezer burn is nasty and you should avoid it at all costs.
It puts the chef at risk.
Yeah, exactly.
People will not like you.
It does not taste good.
So there's a few things you can do to avoid it.
And one is you can look for ice glazed, which is really interesting.
They take each piece of chicken and they glaze it with ice before they combine it and put it in the package together.
That ice presents the moisture from evaporating, but it also prevents the chicken from sticking together so you can get out a portion or two.
The trick here is you've got to rewrap it really well after you take a portion out, because any air is where you'll get freezer burn.
Ice glaze.
Ice glaze.
Sounds like a dessert.
All right.
Jill is here for some frozen chicken that she cooked, and she wants to know why is it When you pull it out, why does it get all this juice around it?
Yeah.
Well, so frozen chicken is often injected with broth or water and salt, and that keeps the chicken breast moist and juicy during the freezing process.
But they leach out during cooking, so you get this.
And there's some other things that might be going on here.
So I'm going to give you four more tips to think about when cooking chicken.
First, make sure you thought all the way.
A whole day in the refrigerator.
That might have been part of the problem.
Oh, yeah.
If there's any ice crystals or anything left in that chicken, that's just going to come out as water.
Okay.
The second thing is you want to make sure to pat the chicken dry really well.
Let it sit on a paper towel for a good five minutes.
Get all that excess moisture out before you cook it.
The third thing, don't overcook it.
160 is the magic number for chicken breasts.
If you overcook chicken, that heat is just pushing out the excess moisture so it's in the pan, not in the breast.
No extra credit for overcooking.
No.
And there's one more trick here.
You've got to let the chicken rest before you cut it.
Because all that moisture that was pumped out, as the chicken rests and those muscles relax, that moisture might get reabsorbed.
So let it rest for at least five minutes.
Will do.
Thank you.
Nice to meet you.
Jill from Philly.
-Yes.
-Hope that's helpful.
-Pleasure.
-Up next, how to pick out the best, the best, That is right.
With the street chicken, buying hacks, they're there when we come back.
One of the most shocking mass murders in American history.
Jim Jones did over 900 of his followers to their deaths.
Congresswoman Jackie Speier is here, revealing how she survived Jonestown.
Plus, an Oz investigation.
ongoing undercover to buy a variety of underwear to find out if contaminated products are still being sold.
In your sample, we actually detected Next, Oz.
That's coming up tomorrow.
*Applauds*
We've been investigating cheap chicken.
Now America's cheapest and tastiest ready-to-eat chicken has been making headlines this past year for its low cost, the rotisserie chicken.
Now, we're going to reveal the secrets to picking the tastiest one that will give you the most bang for your buck.
Everyone loves rotisserie chicken.
But first, some supermarkets are selling this rotisserie chicken for as little as $4.99.
That easily feeds a family of four.
For a little over a dollar each.
So, Julia, what is the catch?
How are they doing it?
Why so cheap?
Yeah, it's just marketing.
And supermarkets, big and small, are cashing in on this.
From Costco to my little local market, in fact, Costco, their $5 chickens, it reportedly sell over 6 million of them a year.
That's a lot of chicken.
And my local market down the street every Thursday is a $5 clock.
It's the same idea.
$5 clock.
Isn't that a good name?
Yeah.
Now, the thing is, they're selling this at a loss, right?
It's at or below or around.
So they're not making any profit on this, and that's called a loss.
But the idea is they're just luring you into the store with good, cheap chicken, and it works.
Well, if you can get good chicken and it tastes good, and you're not paying for it, why not?
Yeah, and the name for that is Loss Leader.
So this is a classic Loss Leader for most supermarkets.
But not every $5, five cluck duck?
What was it?
Five buck cluck.
Not every five buck cluck is worth it.
Not every rotisserie chicken is going to be paid at equal, so Jimmy's got some insider tricks to pick in the best one.
First off, you've got to pick the kind you can actually watch with your eyes as it goes.
Yeah, the goal here is to buy the freshest chicken on the table, right?
So if you see that they're roasting them on-site in the rotisserie, you know it's a short distance from that rotisserie to that table, and they're replenishing that table throughout the day.
So that's going to be fresher than if they're roasting them off-site.
All right.
And finally, a skin check.
Yes!
So I got two birds here.
One of them you think is ideal, the other one not so much.
That's it.
And I think actually it's pretty obvious of it.
This one looks better.
It's more evenly brown, but you can tell the skin is wrinkly.
That means, remember, it's been sitting under That means that breast meat isn't as plump and the skin's wrinkling.
So, go for the plumper bird.
And if you want to make sure that you're eating the healthiest revolutionary chicken of all, look for the one made without marinades, right?
Because the ones with marinades have a ton of salt in them.
You can also take the skin off.
I don't like to do that personally.
I don't think it's a big headache.
However, if you're worried about the calories, it can shave off 170 calories per serving, at least up to that amount.
Julia?
I love your insights.
Oh, so nice to see you.
God bless you.
Thank you.
Make sure to check out America's Test Kitchen's newest book, Air Fryer Perfection.
It offers 75 new recipes for one of the hottest cooking gadgets out there.
Julie, help make it.
You'll love it.
We'll be right back.
Nice job.
Coming up, an investigation into those fun pool floats that you like to relax in.
But could they be dangerous?
Summer is just around the corner and no pool party is complete without one of these inflatable pool floats.
We all have them.
They come in every size and shape.
Just look at these.
And celebrities are obsessed with them.
Vanessa Hudgens posted this photo with her inflatable swan.
Reese Switherspoon is hanging out in this donut.
Looks pretty cute like that.
Even Justin Bieber got in on the fun with this flamingo, which has become quite popular.
But before you blow up that float for your next summer party, we're breaking down a new study that says you and your kids could be inhaling dangerous chemicals while relaxing on one of these floats.
Mara Schiavacampo has more on this study.
And first off, let's talk about how popular these floats have become.
These are very popular with a wide range of ages.
Everyone from little kids to their grandparents enjoys playing with these things in the pool.
And as you just pointed out, they've also become a really trendy prop on social media.
They're whimsical.
They're cute.
People really like them.
But here's the thing.
They make a lot of money.
One company estimated that they were selling $20,000 worth of pool toys every day.
So this is big business.
So what is this study showing?
What's the headline of it?
Classic pool toy smell.
It almost smells almond-like or rubbery.
Well, this study took a look at the source of that smell and found that it's coming from chemicals that could be harmful to children at very high concentrations.
All right, so the test was done.
The study's results showed that there were very specific chemicals that they were worried about.
Yeah.
So this test was conducted by German researchers, and what they did was they bought four pool toys in stores and online.
And they found that all four were made of polyvinyl chloride, which is PVC.
It's commonly known as PVC.
Most people have heard of this from being used in pipes in home construction.
But it's also used in a lot of consumer products, from rain boots to credit cards, even food packaging.
That's what this stuff is mostly made of.
So PVC, again, as a reminder, is a chemical-resistant synthetic resin.
It comes in two forms.
There's the rigid form.
You see it in pipes and sheeting material.
Construction stuff has it.
And then there's the flexible ones.
Like we were talking about with these plastic toys that you put in the pool floats.
Shower curtains have.
You ever smell the shower curtain?
That little smell, right?
These are plastics that can be bent.
So a lot of you are familiar with that plastic-y smell.
It's not an accident.
And that smell comes from adding certain chemicals to that foundation of PVC.
So what are the health dangers potentially?
That means chemicals.
Yeah, so there are three chemicals that are of concern, and they were found in three of the four products that were tested.
One is a suspected carcinogen, which means it could cause cancer.
One is suspected of causing genetic mutations, and one is believed to be harmful if inhaled, which is exactly what's happening when you're smelling something.
You're inhaling it, right?
Now, all of this does sound very scary, but we have to keep in mind that this is a very, very small study.
They only looked at four toys.
Even the researchers of this study said, we need to study it more.
So the takeaway here is not that these pool toys will make you sick.
It's just that we need to look into them.
Luckily, Tamiya Anthony.
Tamika Anthony fits the bill for both.
She's the director of Camp Wakanda, and she's here with some of her camp kids.
Tamika, can you put your toxicologist hat on for a second?
Explain to us why some of these chemicals added to PVC could be potentially harmful, especially to kids.
Sure.
In order to make these PVC plastics, we need to add plasticizers in order to make them more soft and flexible so they can make toys like the ones you see here.
These plasticizers are usually phthalates.
Phthalates are endocrine disruptors.
So our endocrine system pretty much regulates all the hormones in our body.
So interfering with that can lead to anything from reproductive issues, obesity, in the case of the children, developmental issues as well.
So the issue with the chemicals is we don't really know what the exposure can be like.
Meaning that we know that they smell a little strange, but we don't know what that translates to as far as toxicity.
Especially because you're outdoors with these pools, toys usually.
Okay, so Tamika's going to do a little experiment with the kids.
Take it away.
All right.
They're so cute.
So, Madison, can you tell us what this beach ball smells like?
Take a whiff.
What does that smell like?
It smells like balloons and plastic, and it doesn't smell good.
Oh, thank you, Madison.
Hey, Bryce, can you tell us what those toys smell like?
These toys.
The toys smell like plastic, and they smell weird, and they smell good a little bit.
Okay, thank you.
You're a tiny little scientist.
My goodness, Tamika, it's your whole generation.
Thank you.
Malika, you've got a huge cupcake there.
Can you tell us what that smells like?
It smells like...
It doesn't smell like a real cupcake, it just smells like a real cupcake.
A little dirty?
It was in storage.
It's a very sensitive nose.
He can pick it up.
I want our toys dusted from now on.
So, Tamika, what's your takeaway?
I mean, they smell things, but we don't know if those orders are a problem, right?
We just, we know that...
What are your recommendations for families at home?
Right, so I don't want to, like, alarm a lot, you know, a lot of people because the study was kind of small.
But, you know, PVC plastics, because they're endocrine disruptors, they can be potentially harmful.
And because we can't know just by looking at a toy, like, what the level of toxicity is, the odor can sometimes help us along with that.
So when you're going to the store and you're picking out a toy, you know, especially a beach ball, can I borrow this medicine?
You know, take a whiff of it.
If it smells kind of strange, it's kind of like that nail polish, glue, amady, strange.
Plastic smell, then it probably has some kind of chemicals in it.
So when you take it home, the best bet is to kind of take it out and air it out before you actually use it.
Now, I know you guys are probably thinking, like, if it's toxic, why do we have the kids smell it?
So the toxicity is increased with the amount of exposure.
So prolonged exposure to plastics like these can be potentially harmful.
So it's okay that we have them kind of smell it today.
It might be okay in the pool, too.
And the amount that we get exposed to might be okay no matter where you are with it.
We just don't know.
Which is why it's good to ask these questions.
So, good advice for everybody is don't be scared of the pool floats.
I want you out there having fun.
Thank you much for bringing the kids as well and for the camp.
Congratulations.
We wanted to talk to the Vinyl Institute, and they did send us a statement.
They were very thoughtful about it.
They said odor alone is not the best indicator of a health risk.
In addition, the study uses a very small sample size, only four items, which is insufficient to produce statistically significant data.
And then they go on to say that PVC, which we've been talking about, it's inert, it's odorless, it's safe to use, and additives used in some flexible PVC products can produce deodorant, maybe that the kids are smelling here, does not mean that pool flows can cause harm.
We're going to put the full statement online so you can all read it.
Up next.
A lifeguard, a real lifeguard, weighs in on what your family needs to know about these floats, and this has nothing to do with the smell.
Here's some tips from my green expert, Tony Harris, on how to enjoy pool floats safely.
If you're worried about chemicals in pool floats, here are a few simple tips to reduce your exposure.
If you're worried about the smell, just take them out of the package and let them degas for a few days before you use them.
Don't use your mouth to blow them up.
Use a pump or electric-style air machine like you would use for your car tires.
Never leave pool floats out in direct sunlight when you're not using them because it could create more fumes.
If you're looking for greener solutions for pool floats, consider these.
Pool noodles are made from polyethylene, which some believe may be less damaging.
And if you worry they're not as Instagrammable as blowups, just get a little creative.
Where do we go when we die?
We're unraveling this medical mystery and examining the last moments of life.
That's coming up Friday on Dr. Oz.
We're taking a deep dive to learn more about these pool toys and now a safety warning from a lifeguard.
George is one of our med unit interns on the show, but for nearly 10 years, he was a certified lifeguard.
These pool floats are very popular.
A lot of parents lulled into a false sense of security.
Let's start off with explaining the difference between a pool float and a flotation device that the lifeguard might tell you to put on if you're on a boat, for example.
Yeah, so a pool toy, as we can see, we've got quite a few here, are just that.
They're toys.
They actually even have a label on them that says this is a toy not to be used as a personal flotation device.
On the other hand, personal flotation device, better known as like a life jacket, is something that has to go through US Coast Guard approval.
That being said, neither one of these substitute for So you hear that?
Parents, audience, everyone home.
Even if there's a lifeguard on duty, sometimes we don't have the eyes in the back of our head.
There could be hundreds of children in the water.
And we need your help because we want to keep children safe.
So one thing I had not thought of is these pool toys may actually be a hindrance.
They may make problems more of an issue.
Absolutely.
So for instance, sometimes there's floaties that go on kids'arms, or even these, they Another thing, I know as soon as one of these big boys went in the water when I was younger, we'd all start pushing each other off of it, try and play King of the Hill.
Not you, but other people.
Oh yeah, not me.
Other people who didn't become medical students.
Mom put a pretty quick end to that.
So drowning, on a serious note, is the second leading cause of accidental deaths for kids under the age of 14. It's common.
So let me show you what can happen when a child is on a pool float, whether they're wrestling or not, and it becomes an issue.
So let's just say this sort of bowling pin is your child, right?
And there's nothing to hold on, as often there isn't on these toys, or they're playing King of the Hill, or they bang into the side, right?
And it flips over.
And when it flips over, now you've got a couple issues going on.
The child's in the water.
Depending on how deep the water is, the child is now trapped beneath the float sometimes.
But more importantly, out of sight.
That's the thing that's so important.
Some of these larger floats that people have, they limit your view.
So you're seeing the pool, it looks pretty calm, but underneath here, there's really a big issue.
You're distracted.
So a child's drowned without us even noticing it.
So in a situation like this, how long does it take for a kid to drown in a pool?
As you can see, it just takes seconds for them to become submerged.
In two minutes, a kid can become unconscious, and within five minutes, they can suffer from irreversible brain damage due to lack of oxygen.
So let's give some rules of the road.
Rules of the pool, we'll call them.
First, limit the amount of kids per float.
I know it's hard to do.
Do your best.
Don't buy too many of these oversized floats.
It just invites more problems.
And designate a parent to keep their eyes on young swimmers at all times.
Don't trust them in the lifeguard.
You take responsibility.
It never hurts to have a belt and suspenders, both you and them, checking it out.
You can take turns throughout the day so you're not just staring at the pool for your entire afternoon.
George, thanks very much.
Nice job in the med unit.
We'll be right back.
We are gearing up for the unofficial kickoff to summer this weekend.
And what is Memorial Day without the perfect backyard barbecue?
Today we are grilling up my simple but delicious big fat Greek burgers.
Oh, jeez.
Oh, yeah.
And margarita marinated ribs.
We're getting all up in your grill, so stick around.
Bye-bye.
If there's one thing that brings us all together, it's food.
So we're calling everyone to the table to dish on everything.
From the latest food hacks and trends to everyday recipes you can make for dinner tonight.
It's simple, it's celebratory, and most of all, it's about having a great time in the kitchen.
What is going on?
I'm trying to help.
Let's Ditch.
Welcome to The Dish on Oz.
And we are gearing up for the unofficial kickoff the summer this weekend, and we have some backyard barbecue recipes.
You're going to add to your menu no matter where you are.
My daughter Daffy's here with her foodie friends.
TV host and best-selling cookbook other Maria Menudas, bringing us the best of Greek tradition, former professional boxer, cooking and lifestyle champ, Layla Ali's back in the kitchen.
Oh yeah, I like it.
She's on some of the biggest Food Network shows, and she's a superstar in many ways on TV and off.
Daphne, what's on the menu today?
First up is a simple and delicious backyard barbecue all day long today on The Dish.
First up are Maria's delicious barbecue Greek burgers.
I cannot wait to try these.
We can host burgers, people.
We're traveling with our food today.
Then we have margarita marinated barbecue ribs.
What?
With a surprise guest who's bringing the perfect side.
And then we're going to give you an inside look at how a chef shops the big box stores to find the very best food, okay?
It's Pat's show today.
So, before we get cooking, let me ask you one thing.
In one word, tell everybody what is the best thing about a backyard barbecue.
For me, it's the smell.
Because that smell of that charcoal going, like, that's how you know whose house you're going to.
It's like, they cook it.
Follow the smell.
Follow the nose.
Okay, I like that.
I just think of sauce.
Ooh!
I love the sounds of kids yelling and screaming.
That's what I like.
They compete and do things to build up an appetite so you can feed them.
I like that too.
Sauce, sound, smell.
Maria?
I just like being outside.
And so for me, it's just being outside and hosting people and having everybody jumping in pools and then grabbing a burger and then jumping back in.
You know, hopefully not drowning.
You love to entertain.
Everyone comes to your house.
I love that!
For me, it's eating with my hands, with a bib sometimes, but at least leaned over.
You're getting it in!
You're putting a bib on?
If you invite me to your saucy, outside, smelling, sounding, don't drown pool parties, I am there.
I'm there, and I am there for the win.
Taking that picture and posting it.
Make sure these are not, like, burning over here.
Well, you live in L.A. too, but Maria lives in L.A., and your family does love to use your backyard barbecue all year round, which I'm so jealous.
Oh, yeah.
We got this cute picture of you.
Cooking, like, the business.
That was actually Thanksgiving dinner because we were renovating our house and we didn't have a kitchen to cook Thanksgiving in.
So my mom said, well, we'll cook outside.
So I didn't realize, guys, you can cook anything in there.
We made lasagna in the grill.
I love that.
Like the first Thanksgiving.
Exactly.
Took us back to the beginning.
Yeah.
The grill can do so much.
And today you're going to show us your world-famous Mykonos burgers.
Yes.
Talk me through this recipe.
So a Mykonos burger, it's a lot more exciting than just your average burger.
Got some feta cheese, some parsley, some Dijon mustard, garlic powder.
You can use fresh garlic if you want fresh garlic, but I like to give you the option of the powder because it's in your cabinet generally and it's usually there, so that's nice.
So you mix that all together.
And then you add this little ingredient, which is a Worcestershire sauce.
Worcestershire.
I don't know how to say it properly.
Worcestershire.
Worcestershire?
Yeah.
There's no way those letters come together in Worcestershire.
Anyway, Worcestershire.
The British is Worcestershire.
The Turkish is Worcestershire.
No, the Turks don't have Worcestershire.
It's got vinegar, garlic, and onions, and all this good stuff, but the real secret ingredient, ha, enjoy.
Wait, anchovies are in Worcestershire sauce?
Yes.
Read the label.
Now.
Ew, I hate anchovies.
Are you going to just pull it out like that?
You're already adding Worcestershire sauce.
It's already in.
That ain't happening, Doc.
Don't contaminate.
We get the point.
Really?
Okay.
It's the best.
You're already adding it to the burger.
It's just the smallest form.
Why do you love anchovies so much?
Look at the Unami.
Take those taste buds.
Not the sweet and sour ones, the ones that taste real...
You're dead.
Come on, man.
Without that Unami excitement, the Mykonos burger is not the Mykonos burger.
This is making it happen.
You're welcome.
Okay, so we're going to, somebody is going to make this patty for me.
Right here, right here.
We're ready to go.
We're going to throw it on here.
Throw a little olive oil, which this is really hot now.
I've got to ask you, are you a mix with your hands kind of thank you?
Yes.
Are you a mix with your hands kind of person?
I'm a mix with my hands.
I wash my hands frequently.
I love that you're, like, totally commanding this right now.
How do we use this and make it not as hot right now?
No, don't do that.
Just blow it up in my face.
Guys, we're going to have an explosion.
No, we're going to get a little water in this pan.
We're going to cool it right down.
This is cooking with a hot grill.
That is one of the tips to making sure the backyard barbecue goes well.
Well, this is what it would look like.
You said you wanted sound and smell because of that smell right there.
Oh, yeah.
Here's what I love about this.
So a lot of people don't like to eat bread.
And this is such an interesting, delicious burger you can eat totally plain like this because of the feta cheese and the stuff in there.
And then we also make our tzatziki.
So, Dr. Oz, obviously, chopping up the cucumbers for the tzatziki.
In Turkey, this is what we eat all the time.
And we gave it to the Greeks as a present.
Thank you.
He just wants you to rise to the beat.
Are you saying you created this?
Well, you know that, of course.
I think the Greeks created everything, Dr. Oz.
I'm back out of this conversation.
We can look this up, but we got some yogurt.
We mix the pureed cucumber.
Just to be clear, so you take the cucumbers that I cut up, you mash them.
Pureem, and then you strain them.
Oh, so take some of that water out.
Yes, you have to strain them, and then you add the garlic, the dill.
The lemon.
There's some parsley in there.
And you make tzatziki sauce.
And I want to make sure everyone knows how to say tzatziki.
Guys, here's the test.
She's already dancing.
Zaziki.
Opa!
Zadiki.
Zadiki.
Zaziki.
Yes!
Yes!
Opa!
Now what you do is you can spread it on top of your burger or on your bun, and you have a Mykonos burger.
As we finish these Mykonos burgers...
You and your dad had a big hamburger tradition, Leila.
We did.
My dad used to love this little hamburger stand.
It was like a hole in the wall, but he used to take us there after school.
But their meat was always seasoned really well.
But I could tell, and I love the way you put all that salt in there, because that's what really brings out the flavor.
Well, I told you guys before, Wolfgang Puck taught me that it's all about, like, really layering in the salt and pepper.
I used to be so scared to put salt and pepper on there.
You've got to really, like, dose it to make it good.
So, you know.
That's the beauty of cooking at home, also, is you're controlling that.
You're dripping anchovy juice on me!
Oh man, I'm just heading Dad, you're ruining my burger.
Ew!
On that note, up next, Jameka's margarita-marinated barbecue ribs.
There's no anchovies in them.
Plus, actress and foodie, Dania Ramirez, is dropping by with what will be your go-to barbecue dish this summer.
You're going to love it.
I'm in.
Not on the anchovies.
I love getting to talk with you on my show every single day.
But when the cameras stop rolling, the conversation is not over.
I still have a lot that I want to talk about.
So download the Dr. Oz podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
We always get like right to the intro of that song we want to start dancing.
All right.
We are too excited to wait for Memorial Day.
So we are throwing a backyard barbecue today.
And just like in...
Just like in real life.
My dad cannot wait to eat.
He is sitting down with some of the audience members shouting down already.
Dad, how's that barbecue?
I'll tell you what, there's corn in my teeth.
You like this food?
Oh, fabulous.
It's really good.
Keep making the food over there.
All right, we got some more dishes coming up for you.
Well, my favorite thing about a barbecue is when friends drop by, so we invited a very special guest today.
She's starred in some of your all-time favorite shows, from The Sopranos to Devious Maids, and she'll be in Jumanji coming up next.
Jumanji the movie.
Danya Ramirez, welcome to the show.
I'm so excited to be here.
Nice to see you.
Hi.
So, obviously, we love food.
We all love food.
Where did your love of food start?
Well, I grew up in Dominican Republic with a bunch of families, so I grew up smelling food.
Exactly.
And then, you know, my grandmother, my aunt, everybody would cook all the time.
But it wasn't until I was like 12 years old and I was living in America that my parents both had to work.
And so it became like a chore at the beginning.
Like I had to cook one day, my sister had to cook the next day.
And then I eventually found such a love for it.
It was so therapeutic.
It reminded me of home.
You know, food is love.
Yep.
Right?
Totally.
So it felt like the right thing for me to continue to do in life.
But you're right.
Food is love, and it's also the universal language, and it's the kind of thing that can transport you.
So if your family's missing home, it's a kind of nice thing.
But I heard the first time you cooked for your husband, which...
Things went up in smoke, quite literally.
You know, I almost set my mother-in-law's house on fire, you know, on the deck outside.
So it was my first time with the barbecue, and, you know, he's from Columbus, Georgia.
Barbecuing is very big in Georgia.
So he was outside, and he leaves me with the burgers, and he leaves me with the sausages.
And I'm texting my friend, and I'm like, it kind of smells like something's burning.
So I open up the barbecue, and sure enough, like, flames go everywhere.
I panicked.
I grabbed a bucket of water and threw the water into the barbecue.
And I have to say, I ruined the burgers, but then we ordered in and we all laughed about it.
And it made me have no fear.
That's the thing.
You shouldn't be afraid of the barbecue.
Well, I am grateful that you are doing side dishes today.
You're not on the grill.
She's legit.
She travels, and wherever she travels, she takes culinary classes.
She's a real deal.
I went to India this past November.
I spent 21 days in India.
And so this is why, and we'll talk about my special side dish a little later, I integrated some of the Indian flavors.
I love that.
So you're bringing your travels home.
So you're making a side dish to go with Jamaica's ribs?
Yes.
I don't know if they have this in India, but I am doing spicy margarita marinated ribs.
It's a cool formula when you're using booze in your mouth.
Oh, yeah, yes.
Because you have to have the acids, because that, like, break down the proteins, and you kind of roll with that, and it tenderizes it.
So I have some baby back ribs, and you put it in the spicy margarita.
I say make one for yourself first.
And you put the rest on the ribs.
And you let this marinate, you put it in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours to let all of that tequila and everything just soak into the ribs.
So then when you pull it out, you pat it dry to make sure you get all that moisture off because we want to have a good sear on the outside.
So then we'll have this going.
And then you can do a little bit more oil on the top there.
And then you just do salt and pepper because we don't have to do anything else because it has all the flavor of everything that was in the margarita.
So you'll see where I'm going with this.
I love it.
Right?
Just a little pepper.
And if you will, my Danya, my Dominican love, will you put this in the oven for me?
I love to.
Smells delicious, guys.
Because here's the important thing.
Like, remember, there is alcohol in that.
So if you're doing it on an outdoor grill, put it on, like, the cooler side of the grill because it will start to smoke.
And then you don't want to set your mother-in-law's house on fire like this one over here did.
You don't want to do that.
She's not afraid of the grill, she said.
She's not afraid.
You always have a great story to tell.
Yeah.
A great story at 911 on speed dial.
And you can have any store-bought barbecue sauce.
And my little tip to you, don't tell anybody I told you, put a shot of the margarita in the sauce.
I'm telling you, everybody will be happy.
If the kids eat it, they're going to go to sleep like nobody's been there.
You're giving some bad parenting advice today, people.
Take it with a grain of salt.
Everybody will be happy.
Trust me.
No, you just add a little hint of the margarita back to the sauce.
You baste it.
You look like you've been sweating over a hot grill all day, and you have it.
Are you guys drunk over there?
If you've been eating the ribs, are you drunk yet?
It smells good.
It does smell like margarita, by the way.
Alright, so we have the ribs.
We gotta have a side dish.
Tell us what you got.
I don't know if you guys have ever had street corn.
Of course.
Right?
It was with a queso fresco, a little lime, and we're gonna make it a little spicy.
So that's where it all came from.
That's my whole thing.
So what you want to do is take your corn cob.
Raw corn right now.
There you go, raw.
You're gonna brush the ghee.
And this is one of my India.
Oh, this is your Indian inspiration here.
Rather than butter, right?
Yeah, instead of butter.
So you're going to brush the ghee on your corn, right?
Done with that.
Okay.
And then you want to add your seasoning salt.
And then you have two kinds of chili here, it looks like.
This is the red chili.
Yes.
Chili pepper.
And this is cayenne pepper.
So I'm only going to use a little bit of the chili.
Spice little lime heat coming into this kitchen.
Okay.
See, I would be like crazy.
My corn would look so red right now.
Oh, no.
I would be like, People who are eating at my barbecue is going to have smoke coming out of every hole.
I also have kids.
You've got to be careful with ICM because you have kids.
And what happens to my mom?
Turn it.
We roll it up.
Nice.
Like this.
Goes right on the grill.
This goes over to the grill.
About 20 minutes.
You turn it.
Every two minutes.
And then you're done.
But it comes out looking like this.
And this is your finishing step, right?
You got a little lime juice right on top.
A little lime juice on top.
I didn't realize it had a little queso fresco on top.
You have some cheese, Twitter?
And then...
Now's the time.
Wait, Dad, you're over there manning the grill.
I have been manning the grill.
These are hot off the press.
Perfectly done, as instructed by all of you.
This really tastes like a margarita.
You'll enjoy these.
Oh, thank you.
Bring it over.
Bring it over.
Give these a taste.
Did you take my margarita?
Don't all applaud at once.
Please don't all applaud at once.
I am so excited.
Hold the applause till the end.
Thank you.
Thank you very much for coming here.
Congratulations on your success.
Up next, do you ever wonder how a chef shops for a backyard barbecue?
We're revealing the ultimate shopping list to take you to the grocery store.
He'll make you a winner.
Stay with us.
One of the most shocking mass murders in American history, Jim Jones led over 900 of his followers to their deaths.
Congresswoman Jackie Speier is here, revealing how she survived Jonestown.
That's coming up tomorrow.
Yay!
We are back with a dish at a house.
He's been throwing a backyard barbecue before the unofficial start of the summer that's this weekend.
That is a huge announcement.
About what you have coming up this summer.
What is it?
Another one, besides the baby.
I'm going to be joining you guys, Gordon Ramsay, Aron Sanchez, and Joe Bastianich as a guest judge on MasterChef later this season.
I love the competition.
It's really fun.
With talented home coast competing for the title of MasterChef and the $250,000 grand prize, MasterChef is back starting next Wednesday night on Fox, 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.
And you can catch me as a guest this season.
I want the money.
A quarter million dollars.
Are you kidding me?
You're not going to win the money, Chad.
Before you head to the supermarket to gear up for Memorial Day weekend, you're going to want to steal this list.
That's right.
Just take it right off.
Jamaica allowed our cameras to tag along with her while she shopped for a backyard barbecue at Costco.
Check it out.
Hey, guys.
Today I'm going to one of America's favorite stores, Costco.
Now, there are a lot of shopping secrets to reveal here.
So I'm gonna show you what a chef is for and buys, so your dinner can be chef-worthy too.
Come on, let's go.
Let's head to the meat department.
Here's my chef's secret.
I buy choice beef, not crime.
Now, Choice is just a grade down, so it's less expensive, but it's great quality.
And if you ask me, it's actually a beefier taste than prime cuts.
And this right here is my pick, the Choice Cut Rib.
It is perfect for pan searing, and it has a wonderful fat-to-meat ratio.
Next up is rotisserie chicken.
Now, I'm not talking about these famous birds.
Mm-mm.
I'm talking about this.
It's the same delicious cooked rotisserie white meat with all the bones removed.
So that saves you and me a lot of time.
And so I can make my chicken salads, enchiladas, tacos.
You'll see where I'm going with this, right?
On to produce.
Now, these are two of my favorites, papaya and pre-cut pineapple.
Now, not having a cut pineapple saves me so much time, and both of these are natural meat tenderizers, so they go perfect in so many of my Caribbean dishes.
The bottled herbs and spices here are so much cheaper than the supermarket.
The pink Himalayan salt.
Okay, I know you're thinking, what am I going to do with this much salt?
But it lasts forever, and anything you have left over, put a little scoop in your bathtub for a soak, people.
Now we're headed to the freezer section.
My chef's secret here?
It's wild-caught gulf shrimp.
Now, they're delicious and domestic, so you can really trust where they come from, and that's important.
And at this price, I am sold hook, line, and sinker.
Ha!
I'm killing it.
I have one final pit stop.
Can I see these diamond earrings, please?
I mean, Come on.
A chef's got to look her best, right?
Okay.
I definitely need to check out now.
That's a great garnish.
Yes!
I hope you took those.
If you win MasterChef, you can buy them.
No, I'm going to take Dr. Oz's black card next time.
We're buying diamonds for everybody.
That's what we're going to do.
I know people want to know what's in your part.
The whole audience.
Okay, so tell us what we're eating because we're having this.
All right, so what I bought at the store, you saw I bought the shrimp, and this is a shrimp roll with pineapple aioli.
So think like a lobster roll, but we put shrimp with fresh pineapple in there.
It's got an aioli with like a sweet chili sauce.
Mmm, I love it.
That's really good.
I'm getting more lemon in Costco.
I am going to run wild and bring you something good.
What?
That's my diamond!
I found the diamond in my sound.
Are you kidding me?
Give it to me, yes!
There's the other one.
I buy it too, pal.
That's like a sneaky proposal.
All of a sudden, it's in your shrimp roll.
Honey, you like your shrimp roll.
Oh, I found my diamond!
I do.
Put them on me.
Thank you.
I'm happy that you showed people how you shop because every time I go to the grocery store, people are always looking at my basket to see what I'm buying.
So thank you for giving the inside tips.
I want to know what you need to do.
Do you do the tuck underneath the top layer for the secret item?
Yeah, if there's something I want people to see, like some cookies or something sweet, I don't want to stop.
I'm just glad I got a little extra minerals in mine.
There you go.
Good for you.
Loved having you all here today.
Thanks for having me.
Eat up.
Thanks for the tips.
See you next time.
▲
Export Selection