Alton Brown Holds The Secret To Perfect Scrambled Eggs, And Now You Do Too

Want some mayonnaise with your scrambled eggs? No? Well Alton Brown does, and when Alton Brown approves of something, you might want to give it a go, no matter how unconventional it sounds. The celebrity chef, bestselling author, and beloved Food Network personality has made a career out of his unique, exacting approach to cooking. Brown is arguably most famous for openly despising "unitasker" kitchen gadgets, such as the garlic press, and for his unconventional and scientific minded methods (lest we forget Brown's intensive guide to brewing coffee). At first glance, many of his tips and tricks can appear quirky if not outright nonsensical. However, if you've ever tried one of his hacks, you'll know they're worth their weight in gold.

First and foremost, it's important to clarify that Brown does not use mayonnaise as a topping for his scrambled eggs. Rather, he utilizes this super popular egg-based condiment as an addition before scrambling and cooking them, adding in one teaspoon per three eggs, and one teaspoon of water, alongside a dash of salt and pepper before mixing together. The mayo acts as an additional source of fat, and helps to emulsify the beaten eggs. This will give your eggs a richly delicious flavor and soft texture that is absolutely delicious. But don't panic about your eggs tasting like mayo. Instead, as Brown explained in his book "EveryDayCook," the condiment creates a scramble "creamier than egg, or even egg and dairy alone, can produce."

While mayonnaise and eggs may seem like an unusual pairing, it actually makes perfect sense if you look at it from Alton Brown's perspective. After all, they're actually quite similar, both consisting, on the most basic level, of eggs mixed with a fat. However, mayo is an emulsion of these two components that forms a creamy condiment, rather than an egg dish. But thanks to its fat-rich consistency, it can help enhance lots of different dishes, including chocolate cake. Similar to the scrambled eggs, mayo brings a richness and moisture that, on the surface, seems nonsensical, but proves absolutely delicious in practice. However, if you simply can't get over the mayo of it all, there are other ways to make your scrambled eggs richer and tastier. 

For his part, fellow celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has his own foolproof technique for fluffy scrambled eggs. Unlike Brown, the "Kitchen Nightmares" host prefers to add a bit of crème fraiche to his eggs just as they finish cooking in the pan, providing a similarly creamy texture sans mayo. Though it is important to note that this won't replicate the unique texture of mayo infused eggs, as the condiment is typically added to the egg mix prior to cooking. One mayo-less way to replicate the added fat content is to add in one or two extra egg yolks. This will give your scramble added richness and flavor without utilizing the controversial condiment. Of course, even this isn't an exact dupe, but for those who are avidly against mayo, it'll do the job.