Alton Brown Has a Quick and Simple Strategy For Perfectly Cooked Rice

Although some Food Network cooking shows feature complex recipes from celebrity chefs, others seem simple to make at home. Even for somewhat easy recipes or dishes, we could all use tips to improve or speed up the cooking process without sacrificing the same great taste. White rice is an inexpensive staple in almost every kitchen and makes a great side dish or can be mixed with your favorite protein or veggies for a quick meal. However, it can sometimes be a struggle to cook white rice perfectly. Luckily, celebrity chef, Alton Brown, shares his secret to quickly and easily cooking white rice every time.

Alton Brown’s quick & easy way to cook rice

Following the package directions for cooking white rice, you add the right ratio and water to a pot and bring it to a boil. However, all home chefs at some point may have experienced mushy, gummy, or burnt rice. Follow Brown’s quick and easy way to cook rice to help avoid dinner disasters when preparing the kitchen staple.

Reviewers of the recipe on Food Network’s website prove that his method results in perfectly cooked rice, with one writing, “Finally, a recipe to cook rice that works!! I tried five methods and this is the only one that produced perfect, fluffy, and tasty rice.” Another reviewer calls it a “Great foolproof way to cook rice. It comes out perfectly done.” 

The key to Brown’s “perfect” rice cooking method is using an electric kettle and saucepan. First, pour water into an electric kettle, place butter into a medium saucepan, and set it to high. Then, gently jiggle the pan until the butter bubbling ceases and it begins to brown. At this point, you want to turn on the electric kettle. While you wait for the kettle to heat, add the rice and salt to the hot, buttered saucepan. You will stir the rice constantly until the kettle clicks off or the rice begins browning. Carefully pour the heated water into the pan, stir the rice, and cover. Lower the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. After finished, remove the pan, let stand for five minutes, and uncover. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve. 

Other cooking hacks & fan-favorite recipes from the well-loved Food Network chef

As the creator and host of Food Network’s Good Eats, Brown became known for his culinary tips and tricks. Home cooks everywhere try his hacks to save meal prep time or add a new spin to classic dishes. Brown’s unconventional rice cooking method is only one of many tips fans have come to love. His pasta cooking hack saves home chefs time and water, while his secret to perfectly fudgy brownies is a fan-favorite baking tip.

Brown’s simple recipes are some of the most popular among fans, such as his baked brown rice and scrambled eggs unscrambled, both having a 4.9-star rating on foodnetwork.com. Another fan-favorite and kid-approved recipe is Brown’s baked macaroni and cheese, in which he adds an egg to the sauce to make it extra rich and creamy. 

Brown’s journey to becoming a celebrity chef

While Good Eats was Brown’s rise to food star fame, he originally studied film at the University of Georgia. He was the cinematographer for many late 1980s and early ’90s music videos, with R.E.M.’s “The One I Love” being one of the most notable. However, Brown’s dissatisfaction with American cooking shows inspired him to follow a passion of becoming a TV chef, graduating from New England Culinary Institute in 1997.

The following year, the first episode of Good Eats aired on PBS. The show’s success led to Food Network picking up the show and Brown becoming a well-known face of the network. He also has hosted and commentated on Iron Chef America and Cutthroat Kitchen. In addition to his TV appearances, Brown is a best-selling author for his food and cooking books.