Alton Brown's Quick Trick To Turn Dry Saltines Into A Worthwhile Snack
If you have an upset stomach (or worse, the stomach flu), saltine crackers can come to the rescue. The trouble is that they often come in a large box that contains several sleeves of crackers. While it's great to have provisions when you're sick, you'll seldom need to eat that many crackers to feel better.
Saltines are a fine cracker to pair with cheese or charcuterie, but in reality, there are far more interesting crackers you can add to your charcuterie platter or cheese plate. Saltines can be nicely crumbled up and put into soups or stews, but they can really shine when you give them a second life by turning them into a delicious, flakey, buttery baked good.
If you're on the internet anytime around the holidays, you're likely to see videos of people creating desserts with saltines by combining them with melted butter, sugar, and chocolate, which turns them into an almost toffee-like treat. However, kitchen-hack-king, Alton Brown has a savory recipe that plays on the same idea and turns plain 'ole saltines into a flavorful snack that requires zero meat and zero cheese.
How to upgrade saltines
In Alton Brown's "Pantry Raid" video on upgrading saltine crackers, then it's clear that he's not a fan of them right out of the box. But with just a few ingredients added and a bit of time in the oven, these simple crackers transform into a delicious snack.
To upgrade your saltines with Brown's Spicy Saltine Crackers recipe, you'll want to first combine some of your favorite hot sauce in a bowl with a bit of dried mustard. Then, add two tablespoons of melted butter per sleeve of saltines. Whisk the butter into the hot sauce and seasoning and then add the crackers into the bowl until everything is well combined. Next up, you'll want to lay the crackers on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. What you're looking for is for the crackers to turn a nice golden brown and have a good crunch. If they come out of the oven soggy, give them another three to five minutes, and then check them again. Be careful not to burn them.
Once they come out of the oven, give them time to cool on a wire rack so you don't burn your mouth. For storage keep them on the counter in an airtight container. Most baked goods will remain fresh for about five days in an airtight container on the kitchen counter.
Variations on a theme
While Alton Brown's hot sauce and dried mustard hack is an inspired way to improve saltines, why stop at hot sauce and mustard? You could mix a small amount of many kinds of sauces and seasonings with melted butter to create flavored saltine snacks. Try mixing your favorite buffalo sauce with butter and a bit of ranch seasoning, or use celery salt to create a buffalo saltine. Mix your favorite marinara sauce with butter and oregano for an Italian-inspired variation. Even soy sauce with dried ginger would be a nice flavor combination.
It's important to remember that you'll be baking these, so avoid using anything with a high sugar content, as it could burn. Avoid using teriyaki sauces or similar glazes that contain sugar. Jellies and jams also could burn or take on a sticky, congealed consistency. You might also want to avoid sauces that are best consumed cold or raw, such as salsas. Try using sauces that are meant to go into the oven for baking, such as tomato sauce, pesto sauce, buffalo sauce, or even a béchamel.
While Brown's recipe doesn't call for any toppings, you could top your version of these crackers with cured meats, cheeses, dips, sauces, and your favorite garnish. Using Brown's technique you can turn the plain old crackers sitting in your pantry into a delightful snack the next time you're craving something new or the next time you're hosting loved ones.