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James is a published author with four pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary.
People have been attempting to cook chickens by slapping them for years, after learning that physics says its possible. Now a YouTuber has finally achieved it.Advertisement
A while back on Reddit, somebody asked a question in the No Stupid Questions subreddit: “If kinetic energy is converted into thermal energy, how hard do I have to slap a chicken to cook it?”
Though it clearly is a stupid question, its also sort of the best question the Internet has ever heard. A physics major over on Facebook, Parker Ormonde, did the math
“As your friendly neighborhood physics major, I decided to calculate this with a few assumptions. The formula for converting between kinetic energy and thermal energy 1/2mv2=mcT,” he wrote on Facebook.
“The average human hand weighs about .4kg, the average slap has a velocity of 11 m/s (25mph), an average rotisserie chicken weighs 1kg (2lbs) and has a specific heat capacity of 2720J/kg*c, and lets assume the chicken has to reach 205C (400F) for us to consider it cooked. The chicken will start off frozen so 0C (32F).”
He ultimately concluded that “to cook the chicken in one slap, you would have to slap it with a velocity of 1665.65 m/s or 3725.95 mph.”Advertisement
Now, thats quite a big ask given that Earth spins at roughly 1,600 Kilometers per hour (1,000 miles per hour), making it incapable of slapping its way to a roast. There are other problems with a one-punch chicken, as this simulation from a 3D render artist on Twitter shows. –
If you were to slap the chicken hard enough to cook it, it would spray itself all over the walls, and youd pretty much obliterate and cook your hand in the process too. This, combined with your arm bones being shattered and all the bleeding out, will probably distract you somewhat from serving up and/or chinning the potatoes.
With people unwilling to put the effort in to sacrifice a limb for lunch, the question turned to whether it would be possible to lightly spank the chicken many thousands of times and cook it that way instead.
As the translational kinetic energy of a body is equal to one-half the product of its mass and the square of its velocity, its not as easy as merely slapping your chicken 3726 times at 1mph and making a gravy. You also have the problem that between slaps the chicken is cooling down, meaning that your blows have to be in extremely quick succession. –
In terms of normal slaps, assuming you could deliver them at incredible superhuman speeds, would take a hell of a lot more.
“1 average slap would generate a temperature increase of 0.0089 degrees Celsius,” Ormonde calculated. “It would take 23,034 average slaps to cook a chicken.”
Thats an absurd number of slaps when the oven is right there requiring precisely zero. Nevertheless, people have tried, both using machinery and through other cheat-methods, which have the advantage that you wont cook the meat off your hand in the process.
As you can see from the video, the slapping (as are the rules of the universe) did heat up the chicken. However, the logistics of slapping the chicken have often meant that it breaks far before it will cook. As the host puts it in the video “theres just a f*****g void where there once was chicken”.Advertisement
However, YouTuber Louis Weisz was not to be defeated, and has since returned to his old nemesis the chicken. In a new video, he has shown that it is possible, with a few tweaks to his machine, which he now calls the “meatslapper 9001”. The new slapper pulls its punches, in order to not completely obliterate the chicken, while still slapping it at incredible speeds.
The chicken was moved inside a bag to help with the problem of heat loss, as well as it being sprayed across the room. He also decided to cook it for longer at a lower temperature, in order to pasteurize it without needing to take it up to unachievably high temperatures.
But it worked. It took around 135,000 slaps, and 8 hours to achieve, but it was worth it. As an added bonus, he also cooked a pretty good looking medium-rare steak and ate it while he was at it.
The idea of cooking chicken without the hassle of extreme convenience provided by the oven has been around long before the Internet. In a more scientific study in 1987 (though clearly mainly done for fun), physicists from Ohio University investigated cooking chicken with potential energy.Advertisement
“When an object is dropped from a height, its potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. Upon impact with the ground, this kinetic energy is converted into heat,” they write in their paper.
“If the change in height can be made sufficiently large, significant amounts of heat can be generated. Everyday tasks such as cooking could be made safe, simple and energy efficient.”
Naturally, they took an 11.3 kilogram (25-pound) Greaseball brand turkey, took it to the tenth floor of the administration building, and flung the bird from a ledge, before measuring the temperature of the meat.
The experiment was halted when they ran out of bananas to give their assistant, but they extrapolated from their measurements that it would have reached 400° Fahrenheit (204° Celcius) in just 46 hours using the method, and upon tasting they reported the meat to be “very tender”.
As Thanksgiving approaches, home cooks everywhere are gearing up to prepare the big bird. Roasting a turkey in the oven is the traditional cooking method, but some intrepid chefs are getting creative and trying out an unconventional technique slapping the turkey to cook it
I first heard about slapping a turkey from my cousin Mike who is known for his madcap kitchen experiments. When he told me he cooked his turkey last year by slapping it repeatedly with a wooden spoon, I honestly thought he was pulling my leg. But it turns out slapping a turkey is a legit cooking method with some science to back it up.
In this article, we’ll dive into the physics behind cooking a turkey by slapping, look at evidence that it really works, and provide some tips if you want to give this wacky technique a try. Let’s get slapping!
The Science of Cooking Meat By Slapping
Can you really cook a turkey just by slapping it over and over? It seems too bizarre to be true, but there is some solid science behind the idea.
Cooking is all about energy transfer. Applying mechanical energy through slapping builds up heat energy in the turkey through friction. The kinetic energy from the force of the slapping motion gets converted to thermal energy within the turkey. If you keep up the slapping over time, the heat builds up and starts cooking the meat.
According to calculations by a physics student, slapping a chicken with a force that gives it a velocity of around 1,700 m/s (3,700 mph) would generate enough heat to cook it in one blow. That’s obviously not very practical – even professional baseball pitchers top out around 100 mph. But accumulating lower levels of heat energy over time can get the job done too.
The keys are to:
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Slap fast enough to generate friction and heat, but not so fast that you destroy the meat.
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Restrict heat loss by insulating the turkey so the energy stays contained.
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Keep up the repetitive slapping motion long enough for the heat to build up sufficiently within the meat.
It’s a tricky balancing act, but plausibly doable. Which leads to the next question…
Does Slapping a Turkey Actually Cook It?
Theoretical physics shows slapping could generate enough heat to cook a turkey. But does it really work in practice?
The most compelling evidence comes from a 2019 experiment filmed by Louis Weisz and shared on YouTube. In the video, Weisz spends two months perfecting a turkey slapping device and testing different techniques until he achieves success – a fully cooked turkey made by nothing but repetitive slapping motions!
Weisz estimates it took about 135,000 individual slaps over 8 hours to finish cooking the 10 lb turkey. He used an automated mechanical arm to achieve the speed and frequency needed. The estimated energy consumption was around 7,500 Watt hours – about 3x what an oven would use for the same job.
So while far from energy efficient, Weisz proved that with the right equipment, technique and perseverance, cooking by turkey slapping is totally achievable.
If you don’t want to take Louis Weisz’s word for it, the esteemed cooking show America’s Test Kitchen also recently put slapping a turkey to the test. In their experiment, manually slapping a 12 lb turkey for 20 minutes raised the internal temperature from 40 to 120 degrees F – plenty hot enough for food safety, if not necessarily the tastiest results.
So that settles it. While absurd-sounding, ample evidence confirms that slapping the heck out of a turkey can and does cook it! Now let’s look at how to slap your bird for the best results.
Tips for Slapping Your Turkey Successfully
First and foremost, safety comes before everything else in the kitchen. When attempting this highly unorthodox cooking technique, be sure to take precautions. Wear eye protection, wrap the turkey securely to contain splatter, and wash hands thoroughly before and after.
Okay, let’s get ready to slap! Follow these tips for turkey slapping success:
1. Start with a thawed turkey
Only slap a fully thawed turkey. Slapping a frozen bird will just end in frustration and bruises. Let that turkey thaw in the fridge for 24-48 hours first.
2. Wrap it up tight
Truss up and wrap the turkey firmly with twine and netting to contain splatter and hold in heat. Wear an apron too – things may get messy!
3. Slap lightly but swiftly
Use a rigid slapping implement like a wooden spoon. Aim for a rhythmic slapping pace of around 120 bpm (beats per minute), or two slaps per second. Keep each slap light but swift, like snapping a wet towel.
4. Target the thickest parts
Focus the slapping on the thickest sections of meat, especially the breasts and thighs, to generate friction heat within.
5. Insulate that bird!
Wrap the wrapped turkey in towels, then blankets or sleeping bags to retain the heat. Avoid direct air flow from fans or vents.
6. Take breaks to check temp
Use an instant read thermometer to periodically check the internal temp. Once it hits 165F in the thighs, your slap-cooked turkey is ready!
7. Let it rest before carving
As with a traditionally cooked turkey, let your slapped turkey rest covered for 30 mins before carving it up. The juices will redistribute for moister meat.
Is a Slapped Turkey Better Than a Roasted One?
If you successfully cook a turkey by slapping it, will it actually taste any better than just roasting it the boring old fashioned way?
Opinions seem mixed on the taste factor. Some slapped turkey fans swear the technique makes the meat incredibly tender and juicy. They say the physical stress of thousands of slaps literally “tenderizes” the turkey meat.
Others argue that roasted turkeys turn out more moist and flavorful. The constant basting and slower cooking time better allows juices and flavors to develop compared to slap cooking.
Much depends on the specific cooking techniques used, of course. An unbrined or overcooked roasted turkey will likely end up drier than a carefully slapped bird.
For the juiciest slapped turkey results, be sure to brine the bird first and avoid overcooking it. Cook just until 165F, then let rest before slicing.
In the end, slap cooking a turkey seems more about the novelty and fun cooking experiment than superior flavor or texture. But it does work in a pinch!
Is Slapping a Turkey Worth the Hassle?
After learning all about the science, evidence and how-to of slap cooking a turkey, you may be wondering – is it actually worth the effort?
For the average cook preparing Thanksgiving dinner, slapping a turkey is definitely more trouble than it’s worth. It takes specialized equipment, intense effort, and extensive trial and error to get the technique right. Leave it to the cooking pros on YouTube.
However, slapping a turkey can make for an entertaining cooking experiment and Thanksgiving conversation starter. If you want to get silly with your food prep and wow your guests, then try out a small turkey breast or cornish hen using the slap method.
Just be sure to roast a back-up bird in the oven too, in case your slapped fowl fails to impress. And as always, focus on food safety above all else.
While impractical for everyday cooking, slapping a turkey can cook it through friction heat alone. If you’ve got the equipment, stamina, and sense of humor for it, slap cooking makes for a zany Thanksgiving kitchen experiment.
Just be sure to prep properly, contain splatters, and use thermometers to ensure food safety. Whether you slap or roast your bird, follow good food handling practices so your holiday dinner stays merry and bright.
Frequency of entities:
slap a turkey to cook it: 24
https://www.sciencealert.com/this-guy-on-youtube-actually-cooked-meat-by-slapping-it-a-lot: 1
https://thetrashcanturkey.com/slap-a-turkey-to-cook-it/: 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DikiwW9VA9hk: 1
