If you’ve ever been confused by specific terminology that pertains to cooking techniques, you’re not alone. Even when it comes to something as simple as baking french fries in a conventional oven, it turns out there’s some confusion as to what the directions on a bag of store-bought fries expect of its customers when preparing them.
This confusion came to a head in the comments section of TikToker @beheaving‘s video, where they share their shock at learning what “rotating halfway” actually means.
“This is the first time I’ve considered that this isn’t what the bag means by turn halfway through cooking,” @beheaving writes in a text overlay of her video, which shows her individually turning over each french fry she’s laid out on a tray in a pile in front of her before placing them back in the stove.
A litany of responses echoed throughout the comments section with different theories and interpretations on what the instructions on the french fries bag, along with other frozen goods that recommend “turning” halfway through the cooking process, really mean.
One user shared their example of vague cooking instructions that they just couldn’t wrap their head around, such as “folding” something into a recipe. “‘how do I fold in the cheese.’ ‘I can’t tell you everything david.’ ‘ can you tell me this one thing.’ – my mother failed me in every cooking/baking,” they wrote.
Another person said that they simply shake around their food in the tray until they all turn over: “I always just shook the pan around ??”
However, other folks believe that the truth of “turning halfway” involves the tray.
“Ok but why would it say flip instead of ‘rotate pan’” one person wrote.
Someone else had the same idea: “Wait, are we supposed to turn the tray??????”
There was one TikToker who responded to the aforementioned comment who was a bit skeptical as to what turning a tray around would do when it came to cooking french fries. “But still idk what turning the tray would do when it needs to be crispy on both sides,” they penned.
Someone else explained how this would work, however: “The back of the ovens usually are hotter and cook faster so if you turn the tray half way thru it evenly cooks.”
Others still agreed with @beheaving, arguing that you need to rotate whatever it is you’re baking onto the other side because if you don’t, you’re not going to get an even cook. “My nephew has been using a second cookie sheet on top and flipping it over to avoid turning each fry since he was 6,” someone said.
Another penned: “No cause if I flip my nuggets they get browned on both sides rotating them does nothing.”
Someone else told @beheaving they were in the right. “It definitely means that, they won’t be crispy on both sides otherwise….” they said.
@beahaving ♬ original sound – Social Repose
So what are the instructions really saying?
According to Bon Appetit, rotating or turning halfway through cooking or baking means that prospective gastronomists should flip their pan around to cook evenly throughout the oven. “Rotating your pans isn’t just a technique for baked goods and desserts—anything that you’d want to brown evenly could benefit from a quick switch. A recipe for a whole head of cauliflower, for example, where you’d want it to be golden-brown all around, may call for you to rotate your pans,” the outlet writes.
Judging from some of the comments left in response to @beheaving’s video, however, it would seem that this technique isn’t necessarily the best way to ensure that someone is getting a perfect cook every single time. But if you are looking to get crispy french fries without having to worry about turning every single one individually, or are wary of trying to old baking sheet flip trick, you might want to do what this other TikTok user suggested.
“I got an air fryer to avoid this. Just give it an unnecessarily aggressive shake,” they said.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @beheaving via TikTok comment.
