Alton Brown Relied On These 3 Ingredients For His Good Eats Recipes

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Alton Brown is passionate about science-based cooking. His likes and dislikes vary widely, as Brown is a huge fan of Kraft grated parmesan cheese, and the ingredient he disliked most on "Chopped" was calf liver. He may have plenty of store-bought ingredients that he loves, but what's more important is keeping those components consistent throughout your cooking. 

According to Meghan Splawn, who wrote for The Kitchn about her decade of experience working with Brown beginning as an intern for his production company, there were three ingredients Brown always kept to the same brands while working with "Good Eats" recipes. As a chef firmly rooted in science, it makes sense that Brown would prioritize consistency of ingredients, as multiple brands can vary widely and have different outcomes in recipes. That meant he stuck to the same brand with his staple ingredients for both savory and sweet cooking: Salt, butter, and flour. 

In terms of salt, the "Good Eats" kitchen was solely stocked with Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Ina Garten uses the brand in all her recipes, and it's often the preferred brand for professional chefs. Sold in large, three-pound boxes, Diamond Crystal contains no additives and therefore won't alter the taste of your food, aside from enhancing the flavors. You can swap out common table salt for Diamond Crystal, but be aware that you'll only need to use half of the amount of table salt compared to the popular brand. Because of its size and texture, as well as containing less sodium than other salts, Diamond Crystal is easy to use more liberally with less risk of over-salting. 

Alton Brown recommends that bakers splurge on butter, as it usually has a higher percentage of butterfat, yielding a better taste and texture. However for "Good Eats," they weren't importing high-end European butter for daily use. Brown's kitchen was usually stocked with Land O' Lakes butter instead, and this is a commonly found brand at most grocery stores and therefore easy for home cooks to use as well. Land O' Lakes butter fell midway in our ranking of popular grocery store butter brands, with more pronounced sweetness than other brands of butter and a good texture, and it's sold at a reasonable price point.

A man of learning and discipline, Brown knows that it pays to stick to the same brand of all-purpose flour. As he always uses King Arthur flour, a widely used and available brand, he's making sure that recipes work the same every time, which is especially challenging for baking. Consistency in flour is important for the science of baking, as flour is usually measured by weight, and all-purpose flour is exactly that, great for all uses.

Meghan Splawn shared a few other key takeaways from her time working with Brown, including the need to question everything and to think about all aspects of a recipe, like the presentation or ease of eating. She also learned the classic mindset that's a phrase uttered in many professional kitchens: "Cook smarter, not harder."