The incredible, edible egg! Who remembers that slogan? If you grew up in the '70s, you most likely remember the catchy tune that went with the slogan, which was created in 1976 for the American Egg Board. I'm talking about more than just scrambled eggs on the blog today.
So, it's Sunday, and you'd like eggs for breakfast. Before you get crackin', I wanted to let you in on some egg secrets. These are some eggcellent (sorry, couldn't resist) tips on how to make the best eggs.
My number one tip, get a non-stick pan. Nothing is worse than trying to clean stuck on egg in a frying pan. No matter how long you soak it, it never comes off. It takes a Brillo pad to get the egg crusted pan clean. You will never complain again about cleaning the pan with a non-stick pan. If you're afraid of non-stick, don't be. Non-stick pans have come a long way since the 1970s. The chemicals that they used to make the pans back then are no longer used. Look for 100% PFOA free pans. I recommend these brands:
All-Clad, Zwilling Forte, Scanpan, and Calphalon.
Photos by Williams-Sonoma
The second important tip is for scrambled and sunny side up eggs. The secret to cooking perfect eggs this way is to cook them low and slow. Yes, that's right! Cook them at a medium-low to low temperature. For scrambled eggs, don't rush them and move them around a lot. Cooking them this way makes them soft and tender, not tough and dry. You get little curds of eggs that are like pillows of eggy goodness!
Cooking on low heat and a gentle stir with a spatula creates little curds.
Slowly cooked eggs are like pillows of eggy goodness!
Use residual heat to finish the cooking process.
Use the same low heat method to make sunny side up eggs. Crack the egg in a separate bowl, then slide the egg into the pre-heated pan, on low temperature. Cover pan, cook for about 5 minutes, or until whites are firm and the yolk is starting to set.
Just before the eggs are done, take them off the heat. This is tip number three. The residual heat will continue to cook them. So, if you have stragglers to the breakfast table, as I do, take the eggs off the heat after you've called out, "Breakfast is ready!", and the eggs will be ready to eat and still hot when they come to the table.
Moving on to tip number four. My trick to less eggy tasting scrambled eggs is to add a bit of cream to the raw egg mixture. Some people will argue this, but I like cream in my eggs, so I do it. This will make them creamy and light tasting. I also add a tablespoon or two of unsalted butter, depending on how many eggs I'm making, to the pre-heated pan. This little bit of extra fat contributes to the creaminess. And don't forget to season your egg mixture with some Kosher salt.
However, for an omelet, you do not want to add cream or milk. Some say this will toughen the egg. Instead, add a little water to the egg mixture, about a tablespoon for every egg. When making an omelet, cook at a medium-high to high temperature. The water will start to evaporate and will help make the eggs fluffier. Also, if you are adding vegetables to your omelet, make sure you cook them first. Too much moisture from uncooked vegetables will make your eggs soggy. As the egg sets, move the cooked egg to the center and tilt the pan to allow the uncooked egg to fill in. When the egg is cooked, but still a little glossy, add the veggies or cheese, then fold one half over the filling, and slide the omelet out of the pan. A note on salting your omelet, according to Serious Eats, you want to salt the egg mixture within 15 minutes of cooking them. Salting them at the end will make them tough.
Tip five, don't throw away eggs that are past the expiration date. They will last several days after that date. And, did you know older eggs are easier to peel? So, this is the best time to make egg salad. To me, the best egg salad is made with the simplest of ingredients. Chopped hard-boiled eggs, Hellman's mayonnaise, and Kosher salt to taste. That's it! To make perfect hard boil eggs place them (right from the fridge) into a pot of cold water. Bring the water to a boil, remove the pot from the heat and cover. Set a timer for 12 minutes. After the eggs have finished cooking, place them in a bowl of ice water, and then let them sit for about 5 minutes. Crack the shell (the fattest part of the egg has the air pocket, and it's easy to start peeling from there) with the back of a spoon and peel away. If you want that gooey center of an egg, then you're going to want to make soft boiled eggs. I highly suggest this recipe from Bon Appétit.
My last piece of advice for cooking eggs is for you egg white fans. You are all so healthy for eating your egg white omelets and scrambled eggs this way, but that small amount of fat you're saving is sacrificing the texture of them. You need to add some fat back in so they aren't dry and rubbery. Try cooking them with a touch of olive oil, and cook them slow and low. This will help retain some of the moisture too. If you're adding veggies to your egg whites, just as for scrambled eggs or an omelet, they should be pre-cooked. Otherwise, the water they release while cooking will make your eggs soggy. Blah!
Here are some of the best chef scrambled egg recipes and their methods.
Making eggs for a crowd? You can't go wrong with a casserole egg dish. Here are a few of my favorites.
I hope this was helpful information and you try some of these recipes.
Until next time, friends. XO!