Alton Brown's Tip For Making Rice Fast

Alton Brown is a household name for foodies and ameteur home cooks alike. Whether Brown is sharing his flavorful way of upgrading his dirty martini or the controversial way he drinks wine, the "Good Eats" host is constantly challenging us to think of the food and liquid we consume in a different light. Brown told Chemical & Engineering News, "Cooking is a switchboard to everything. There is nothing about human existence that doesn't tap into food or that doesn't pass through food." Brown went on to further explain, "I've gone into biology classes where we dissected a chicken instead of a fetal pig. Why? Because you'll see it again. Knowing how to cut up a chicken actually matters. When will you see a fetal pig again?" It's a fair question.

But it's also a glimpse into the way Brown thinks when it comes to food preparation in general. Brown is all about using methods that are practical, make sense, and will produce delicious food. That's why we can't stop talking about his tip to make rice fast. The celebrity chef revealed to Food Network he uses a simple small appliance to speed up the cooking process for rice in a manner that will change the way you make this staple in the future.

Alton Brown doesn't cook his rice in the traditional manner of allowing his water to boil and then adding the rice (via Delish). No, per a Youtube video, Brown starts cooking his rice on the stovetop with a little bit of fat, aka butter, and a generous pinch of salt. He notes this will impart a nice flavor to this grain. But while he is cooking his rice in the butter, Brown is also boiling water in an electric kettle. Once the rice has all been coated with the butter, Brown pours the hot water into the pan in which he was sautéing the rice. He places the lid on the pot, and let's it cook for 20 minutes. The end result is nice, fluffy rice. 

According to Food Network, Brown's style of cooking rice is known as the pilaf method. The food site goes on to share that boiling your water in a kettle is going to help you have a little more control over the amount of water you use when making your rice. Why does this matter? Food Network says this is a critical part to the rice-making process, particularly if you're using Basmati or jasmine because you want it to be fluffy.