How Alton Brown Takes Green Bean Casserole To The Next Level
Leave it to Alton Brown to come up with another unconventional way to cook something. He doesn't wait for the water to boil before he adds in the pasta, and he makes his tuna salad sandwiches without the bread. His ways may raise a few eyebrows, but the celebrity chef's cooking methods still manage to be more effective than you'd expect — and his green bean casserole is no different.
The original recipe for green bean casserole, which was invented by a Campbell's Soup employee, calls for Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup as a main ingredient. The traditional dish has been beloved by American families since 1955, but according to Alton Brown, it's well overdue for an upgrade. As the "Good Eats" host wrote in his blog, the easiest way to take green bean casserole to the next level is by swapping out the canned mushroom soup for mushroom soup made from scratch. It may take a few extra steps, but the taste and texture is well worth it.
Homemade cream of mushroom soup is actually easier to work with
Being that it consists mainly of green beans, mushroom soup, and fried onions, green bean casserole seems simple. However, as Allrecipes explains, there are quite a few ways to mess it up. Without the right proportions of seasonings and ingredients, it can easily end up tasting too salty, too soggy, or just too processed. While you could tweak the toppings and be extra judicious with the cooking process, using fresh mushroom soup will give you better control over the flavor and texture. That way, you can avoid troubleshooting from the get go.
Per Alton Brown's instructions, start by browning fresh mushrooms, then add half and half, butter, flour, and sherry vinegar to create a creamy stock. Simmer the mixture down, and you'll have the perfect mushroom soup. Add this to your next green bean casserole and you might never go back to the kind from the can.