Why Rachael Ray's Refried Beans Video Had TikTok In An Uproar

Although Rachael Ray has no formal culinary training as a chef, she has built her career from short segments on local news stations to her own cooking show on the Food Network. She has also amassed a food empire including branded cookbooks, magazines, talk shows, cookware, and pet food. And if you thought that was all, the Food Network star is known for a lexicon of catchphrases that have entered the English language, like "EVOO" which is shorthand for extra-virgin olive oil (via The Mercury News).

Staying accessible and open to learning is one of the greatest lessons Ray has learned in her Food Network career, but it also might raise questions about how much she really knows about cooking. The internet is divided on whether or not Rachael Ray can actually cook, according to a recent poll. In response to a simple yes-or-no poll from Buzzfeed, out of more than 25,000 voters, 41% think no, Ray can't actually cook in real life.

That's not the only online arena with folks who think Ray's recipes aren't up to par. The cookbook author posted a TikTok video showing off her refried beans cooking skills, but users wound up questioning the star's actual skills in the kitchen.

In the week before the Super Bowl, Rachael Ray posted a video to TikTok for a refried beans recipe, deeming it as a "Game Day PSD," or perfect side dish, for the big game. The video did go viral — though probably not how she'd hoped.

TikTok users quickly pointed out several flaws in the recipe. Ray was called out, not only for adding bottled hot sauce but also for using canned beans, both of which are not traditional even if they do save time. When she put the beans in the food processor, viewers expressed that she had gone too far, but the biggest faux pas came when she added the paste back to a hot pan.

"The refried beans look pretty refried to me. See, they're crispy at the edges, and that's what you're going for," Ray said, before pouring what some TikTokers deemed "burnt" refried beans into a serving bowl.

So far, 10,400 people have commented, many roasting the chef for how she roasted her refried beans. "YOU DO NOT WANT CRUST THIS AIN'T PIZZA" one user commented and another said, "My Mexican ancestors are crying." And someone cleverly joked the recipe should be called "Ray-fried beans" after the chef.