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Hell's Kitchen Season 22 Episode 5

Recipes, foods, hints and tips from the show

The aim of this page is to help you feel increasingly comfortable in the kitchen. If you're anything like me, then you'll sit and watch Hell's Kitchen and ask yourself questions like "well, what should that chef have done about the burnt salmon?" or "if the lobster is sweet, what could that chef have done to balance that?"

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There are lots of sites that teach you about the show "Hell's Kitchen" and lots of copies of Gordon Ramsay's recipes, but I can't find any other site which gives you insight into the cooking highs and lows and lessons we can learn from this show. 

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Here, I will shout out about the culinary highs and lows of the episode and try to answer questions and provide useful hints and tips.

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The Episode

This was the fifth episode of Hell's Kitchen Season 22. The first half of the episode was essentially a test of the taste buds. The contestants sampled four stunning Surf'n'Turf dishes and for each one, they were tasked with guessing the two leading proteins in the dish. Below I identify for each dish the actual proteins and the guesses made by the contestants, with some analysis of comparative tastes and textures.

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Dish One: Venison and Oyster Surf'n'Turf

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Venison has a bold, earthy flavor with a hint of sweetness. It is lean and has a delicate texture. Many people find the flavor to be a little gamey.

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Oysters have a mild, salty flavor and a creamy texture. They are much less 'fishy' than other shellfish. 

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The following proteins were mistaken by the Hell's Kitchen contestants for Venison:

  • Ostrich

  • Lamb

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The following proteins were mistaken by the Hell's Kitchen contestants for Oysters:

  • Crab

  • Crawfish

  • Mussels

  • Clams

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Dish Two: Ostrich and Crab Surf'n'Turf

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Ostrich has a lean, mild meat - not dissimilar to beef.

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Crab has a very famous 'shredded' nature and is rarely found in chunks. It has a mild flavor.

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The following proteins were mistaken by the Hell's Kitchen contestants for Ostrich:

  • Beef

  • Elk

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The following proteins were mistaken by the Hell's Kitchen contestants for Crab:

  • Langoustine

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Dish Three: Veal and Halibut Surf'n'Turf

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Veal has a mild, delicate flavor and a velvety texture. It is much less tough than most other meats.

 

Halibut has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a firm, flaky texture. 

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The following proteins were mistaken by the Hell's Kitchen contestants for veal:

  • Pork

  • Chicken

  • Beef

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The following proteins were mistaken by the Hell's Kitchen contestants for halibut:

  • Shrimp

  • Langoustine

  • Swordfish

  • Branzino

  • Lobster

  • Snapper

  • Flounder

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Dish Four: Rabbit and Monkfish Surf'n'Turf

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Rabbit has

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Monkfish has

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The following proteins were mistaken by the Hell's Kitchen contestants for rabbit:

  • Turkey

  • Chicken

  • Squab

  • Pork

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The following proteins were mistaken by the Hell's Kitchen contestants for monkfish:

  • Scallops

  • Swordfish

  • Sea Bass

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Culinary learnings from Episode 5

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