Alton Brown's Mac And Cheese Features One Underrated Seasoning

In the celebrity chef world, no one springs to mind more readily for harnessing the science behind how technique and specific ingredients affect food than Alton Brown. From searing your pot roast in ghee to adding a pinch of salt to your coffee, he's your guy. So, it's no surprise that his signature macaroni and cheese incorporates a seasoning that brings a depth of flavor that's hard to match: ground mustard.

Alton Brown has spent his career demystifying all things kitchen for home cooks. He's got countless tips and tricks up his sleeve about cooking methods, and more than a few secret flavor enhancers. Ground mustard, also called mustard powder, is one of those powerhouse ingredients. It should definitely earn a space on your shelf. It adds heat and flavor (without being spicy) to everything, from a meat rub to a veggie seasoning, and even works wonders as a french fry flavor enhancer. What's more, it blends well with other spices, and keeps for ages in the pantry.

Ground mustard helps form the flavor backbone for Alton Brown's luscious mac and cheese. It brings warmth and savory notes that are supported further by a hit of paprika, plus it helps the wonderful, creamy, butter-and-cheese sauce that coats each and every noodle blend and emulsify together. The result isn't that you taste mustard, but instead a dish that tastes more like the sum of its parts. You may find that mac and cheese tastes positively one-note without it.

Brown doesn't stop with the indulgent, rich macaroni and cheese component. He takes his version to an even more delicious place with the addition of a panko, butter, and cheese topping that keeps you coming back for more. His finished macaroni and cheese not only looks every inch the part, and is bound to become an empty dish on a potluck table, but the hearty mustard-anchored flavors may have others jonesing for the recipe. Perhaps you should double the recipe and send folks home with containers for lunch (or keep it all to yourself).