Alton Brown at 2011 Texas Book Fair, Austin (Larry D. Moore/Wikimedia:  CC BY-SA 3.0)

Alton Crawford Brown (born July 30, 1962) started his film career as a cinematographer and producer. In 1997, after graduating from Vermont’s prestigious New England Culinary Institute, Alton began focusing on cooking shows. His first venture, “Good Eats”, lasted for fourteen seasons from July 1999 to May 2011. In his second culinary series, “Iron Chef America”, which aired its first season in January 2005, Alton serves as a presenter. “Iron Chef America” filmed its 176th episode in its tenth season, 2011 to 2012. Alton’s third series, “Feasting on Asphalt”, broadcast the first episode of its first season on July 29, 2006 and the first episode of its second season on August 4, 2007. Its third season, entitled “Feasting on Waves”, featured Caribbean cuisine.

Alton’s culinary expertise includes basic recipes, such as scrambled eggs. His tips for perfecting this sunshiny breakfast icon are clear and easy, so that quickly inexperienced cooks have confidence in creating perfect scrambled eggs.

Alton Brown’s Tips for Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

3 large eggs

pinch of kosher salt

grind of black pepper

3 Tablespoons whole milk

Utensils:

medium mixing bowl

Tablespoon measuring spoon

spatula, rubber or silicone

10- or 12-inch nonstick skillet

serving plate

Preparation:

Whisking eggs

1)  In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, salt, black pepper, and milk, and whisk until fluffy.

• Alton recommends adding a liquid, whether it be light, such as water, or heavy, such as cream, in a proportion of 1 Tablespoon of liquid per egg, to improve texture and increase volume.

• Alton recommends setting an oven safe plate in a low oven or in hot water while preparing scrambled eggs, so that, when finished, the eggs are transferred to a warm plate, not a cold one, which sucks out the heat.

Adding eggs to pan

2)  Over medium heat, deposit 1 Tablespoon of butter into the nonstick skillet and heat about one minute, until the butter bubbles.

3)  Lower heat to low and empty egg mixture into center of pan.

• Pouring eggs into center sends butter to the edges, which need it.

Scrambling eggs

4)  Slowly stir with spatula until eggs begin to form big, soft lumps known as curds.

5)  Raise heat to high; coordinate gently shaking pan with lightly folding curds over from edges inwards to expose liquid, which converts to steam over high heat to increase egg volume lightly and fluffily.

• Per Alton, overcooking scrambled eggs on high heat is responsible for servings of dry clumps of scrambled eggs drowning in water; overheating induces an extensive coagulation of egg proteins that squeezes out all internal moisture; the constant movement of the pan and the spatula discourage clumpy piles and encourages free circulation of liquid for conversion to steam.

Transfering to plate

6)  When no more liquid is swirling around pan, immediately and gently transfer eggs to warm plate and allow the scramble to sit to finish cooking, about one minute, prior to serving.

7)  Serve perfect scrambled eggs now with confidence and enjoy with gusto.

sunny beauty of scrambled eggs (Kilbourne123/Wikimedia: Public Domain)