Alton Brown’s Tip For Caesar Salad Has Us Drooling

There’s really only one person to turn to when you not only want to learn skills in the kitchen, but the science behind why certain ingredients and processes work together so well, and that’s Alton Brown. Although Brown is no longer with Food Network, viewers likely remember his face popping into their screens whenever Good Eats and Iron Chef America were on. Brown’s culinary intellect gave us a unique view of the food world and we all walked away from the couch feeling a little smarter because of it.

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When it comes to Alton Brown’s favorite foods of all time, he definitely has a classier palate than many others. He loves caviar, sea urchin, a martini garnished with a lemon peel, and a properly made Caesar salad. Now, the Caesar salad might come as a surprise. You might be thinking, “I can go down the street and grab a Caesar salad from Applebee’s. What’s so fancy about that?” Well, in true Alto Brown style, he doesn’t settle for the kinds of Caesar salads thrown together by 18-year-old workers in the kitchen of chain restaurants. He prepares his Caesar salads using a very specific method for an elevated flavor you won’t find at your favorite chain.

Alton Goes Full Umami On The Caesar

“I believe in the church of Caesar salad. I believe the Caesar salad may be the perfect food.” These were the words Brown said to the popular YouTuber Andrew Rea of Binging with Babish during a sit-down interview. For a guy who loves fancy stuff, this is a super surprising take. However, Brown goes on to explain exactly why he believes in the perfection that is the Caesar salad. He believes there’s a magical component that occurs during the construction of it, similar to a martini. The base of Romaine lettuce is essentially flavorless, according to Brown, but the rest of the ingredients work together in such a special way (especially the umami-packed anchovies) that each bite becomes something savory and irresistible. 

But, Brown has a special trick up his sleeve when he makes the salads himself and anyone who loves making their own from scratch should take notes. When making the Caesar dressing, Brown uses the oil from the anchovy can for a huge wallop of savory flavor. And, in typical brown fashion, the anchovies he uses are high-quality Cantabrian anchovies from a company called Fishwife. So if you want a Caesar salad that’s Alton Brown-approved, don’t settle for the anchovies at your local supermarket. Order some up from Fishwife and prepare your taste buds for true Caesar decadence. 

Alton Brown Knows His Stuff

Alton Brown has all sorts of tips and tricks to help elevate your cooking, and one of the coolest things about him is that he explains exactly why his advice works on a molecular level. After whipping up your own anchovy-infused Caesar salad dressing, take a deeper dive into his videos. You’ll find that elevating even simple dishes isn’t all that difficult.