There’s a right way and a wrong way to cook everything. And Eggs may be the hardest food for a cook to get ‘right’. It’s so easy to burn them and they always seem to stick, no matter what you do. So… I’ve gathered together a few pro-cook hints that should help your Eggs egg-cel!
Ready to finish… This perfect Omelet is almost ready to serve. All that remains is
to slide it out onto a plate, garnish and present. Note: This cook has elected
to take a ‘sidewinder’ approach to the final flip, rather than employing
the classic backhand grip on the pan handle…
Eggs’ worst enemy…
High heat is an Egg’s worst enemy. It’ll burn for sure. I always cook my eggs at a temperature no higher then medium. That way, they cook through before they burn on the bottom.
Fried Eggs stick…
Fried Eggs usually stick because you haven’t heated her pan up properly before starting to cook. This takes just a minute on a gas range, but can take five minutes or longer on an electric stove. Heat the pan all the way to cooking temperature before adding Oil or Fat and swirl the Oil/Fat around the pan to cover the entire bottom and some distance up the sides. Then – and this is the important part – pour off the excess Oil/Fat. Now, get cooking!
Scrambled Eggs stick…
I always use a non-stick pan for scrambled Eggs. I’ve found no other way to ensure they don’t stick. Really. Sometimes, you just have to admit defeat at the hands of an intractable problem. It’s also very important not to cook your scrambled Eggs at too high a temperature. I do mine well below medium.
Flipping issues…
Yolks break?
You’re being too brutal with your over-easy Eggs! The gentler you flip, the greater the chance the Yolk will remain intact. This takes practice, but it’s worth the effort if you like the perfect over-easy Egg!
Eggs not burned but still ‘stick’?
You’re probably musing too much Fat/Oil. Make sure you pour off all excess Fat/Oil from the pan before adding the egg.
Sunny-side Eggs not cooked on top…
I have two ways of ensuring sunny-side Eggs get cooked properly on to without over cooking the Yolks. People who like runny Yolks are very particular about that!
First, I place a small pot lid over the egg to concentrate heat on the top surface, quickly cooking the White before the Yolk sets.
I also use the old Diner trick – if I’m cooking in a big, wide pan or on a flat-top grill – of squirting about a tablespoon of water on the the cooking surface near the Egg and slamming on a cover of some kind to keep the resulting steam in. This method, too, cooks the White without setting the yolk.
Omelets too brown on the bottom…
Showing your instructor an Omelet with even the slightest hint of brown on it will get you expelled from some really snooty French Cooking Schools. And making a perfect one as an audition with a potential Chef boss can get you the job! But there’s only one way to ensure that your Omelets will always be perfect.
First,make your Omelet in a small pan with shallow sides. There’s no shame in using a non-stick pan for this application. Even my culinary school instructor used one!
Next, pre-heat the pan before adding the Oil/Fat. Keep the heat down – just under medium works well. But no higher than medium!
Next, pour off all excess Fat/Oil before adding the egg mixture. This is really important when cooking Omelets.
Then, add just 2 oz. / 60 ml of Egg mixture and swirl it around to coat the whole bottom of the pan. If you prepared the pan properly, it should not stick.
Shake the pan gently but continuously while pulling the sides of the omelet inward, allowing the uncooked Egg on top to run down underneath and cook.
When the Omelet is almost fully cooked, place your toppings across the centre of the Egg mass and flip the edge of the Omelet closest to the pan handle up and over the toppings.
Finally… Scoot the Omelet over to the side of the pan away from the handle, take a backhand grip on the handle and roll the Omelet out onto the plate. Perfect.
If this process doesn’t work for you at first, keep trying. I still haven’t got it totally perfect after hundreds of attempts. But, once you’ve got it, you’ve got it forever!
~ Maggie J.