Cracking eggs ... a silly question

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Foodbme)

Sat, 07 May 2011 15:39:08 GMT

From Saveur Magazine - The Essential Egg Techniques:
Learn how to boil, scramble, crack, fluff and peel an egg! WOW!
http://www.saveur.com/article/Techniques/Essential-Egg-Techniques?cmpid=enews050611

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Scorereader)

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:54:48 GMT

so, last night, was breakfast for dinner night in my household. I decided to try my one handed cracking technique. I cracked 8 eggs in total, left hand (which, admittedly, is my dominant hand), on a flat surface, and dropped into pan. Broke not a one...until all eight were in the pan and I broke out the fork to scramble them ...I figured I experiment the procedure with a dish that didn't matter if they broke - still, I felt good that I still have it in me - next time, Ill try to flip an egg with my right hand...that could be a disaster!

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Scorereader)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:14:15 GMT

Foodbme

Scorereader

annpeeples

Well, I just crack them with 2 hands, on the stove next to the pan, then open eggs up into the pan.100% success rate.Didnt think there was a "procedure". But then again, I was a short order cook in the 70s at Waffle House and Lums.

that's what we did at Big Boy's, too. not pan though, we had a flat grill. Usually opened with one hand while I flipped another egg over easy with my right hand.

You're a multi-tasker huh?
IMHO, Fried Eggs should never be cooked on a flattop. Only in a pan. When eggs are cooked on a flattop, the whites tend to spread too far. In a pan, the whites of the eggs are kept from spreading, allowing for a more evenly cooked egg and a better plate presentation. Same goes for Scrambled Eggs and Omelets. Never had fluffy scrambled eggs or an omelet cooked on a flattop.

never had that problem, and for omelettes, flat top was great because I could make the tri-fold omelette more easily. If you want the half moon look, pan works. I like to present omelette in a tri-fold fashion. Although, we may have used a small pan for fried eggs...I don't recall now. I did try to forget a lot of what happened at that place. My fondest kitchen memories was making three meals a day in a mess hall atmosphere, at a summer camp. While some people remember summer camp food as being pretty bad, the food at our camp was very good. I remember 1st year counselors who came to us form other camps would comment that it was the only summer camp they recall where they may have gained weight, because they ate fulll meals and sometimes seconds because they lied it so much. Well, it was either that, or they drank too much bug juice.

Later on in college, working at the grill, we used small pans for fried eggs, except for the eggs used in sandwiches, which were cooked on the flat grill using those contraptions that make 8 perfect circled eggs (patented by some McDonald's worker, I believe), And we had an omelette station much like you see at most buffet places. Frankly, I don't care for small pan omelettes - the eggs are almost always too dry because they cook the egg by lifting the edges, then flip the whole thing over. I hate dried out eggs.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (pnwchef)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:06:01 GMT

mar52

Eggcellent!

(Sorry, too many years of selling Big Green Eggs)

I'd eat that, poison and all.
Now, please post a video of you flipping the fried eggs and omelets. They are beautiful. Keep posting the step by steps! Please.

Mar, next time I'm in LA, I'll bring you an egg pan..............I still owe you lunch

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Michael Hoffman)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:00:17 GMT

Don't encourage him.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (mar52)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:58:53 GMT

Eggcellent!

(Sorry, too many years of selling Big Green Eggs)

I'd eat that, poison and all.
Now, please post a video of you flipping the fried eggs and omelets. They are beautiful. Keep posting the step by steps! Please.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Michael Hoffman)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:40:47 GMT

Damn! Can't argue with that.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (pnwchef)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:39:10 GMT

Michael Hoffman

Why do you add poison to your omelets?

because if I didn't put mushrooms in the omelet, you would want one............

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Michael Hoffman)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:31:47 GMT

Why do you add poison to your omelets?

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (pnwchef)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:25:37 GMT

Ok so your still having a problem with cracking eggs ??? save the broken ones and make a Omelet.........
Chopped Peppers, onions, sliced mushrooms, spinach, shredded Colby jack & Cheddar and mozzarella cheese.........

Sautee the vegetables in some butter.....

heat the egg pan with some butter, put in two mixed eggs...

Bleed the eggs from the top to the bottom by lifting a portion of the omelet so the raw egg runs to the bottom of the pan....put in sauteed veggies when there is about 80% raw egg left on top.... you will see why I put the veggies in now..........

Flip the omelet over and put the cheese on top, the heat from the pan will be enough to cook the remaining egg. don't over cook or have any brown on the egg omelet.......

when you slide the omelet onto the plate you will have all the veggies on top for a great presentation, the cheese will be melted on the inside. The egg is tender and soft............

This is ready to eat with a good dose of hot sauce .........enjoy,,,,pnwc

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (MellowRoast)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:19:34 GMT

Yes, you're right. I believe they cook them hurriedly and at too high a temperature. When I prepare them at home, it's over lower heat. Chef Guenther Krupp, now retired, showed me, a customer, how to cook eggs back in the '70s, and I still follow his instructions to this day. By the way, I love this story:

“Master French Chef Fernand Point (1897-1955) would test visiting chefs with a challenge to show him how they fried a simple egg, declaring that the easiest dishes were often the most difficult to prepare. When the chef insulted the egg with the sizzling hot surface of a frying pan, Point would cry, "Stop, unhappy man - you are making a dog’s bed of it!" And then he would proceed to demonstrate the one and only civilized manner of treating an egg. Very slowly, very gently, and swimming in butter...”

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (pnwchef)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:51:55 GMT

MellowRoast

It's certainly frustrating. If I mention that I want the inside whites cooked, they burn the outside whites! A local food editor complains how hard it is to get soft-scrambled eggs properly prepared, too, and I agree with her on that.

I think most of the problem is they are always in a hurry during breakfast. The medium eggs are rushed and come out closer to over easy. I also agree, scrambled eggs when done right should be soft and melt in your mouth. Again, in order to do this it takes the cooks attention to turn down the flame and pay attention to do it right. There is nothing like getting them done right, right out of the pan cooked the way you like it. The front line during a busy breakfast rush is "Controlled Chaos" when you find the place that cares enough to do your eggs right, stick with them, they are far and few between......................pnwc

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (MellowRoast)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:00:44 GMT

It's certainly frustrating. If I mention that I want the inside whites cooked, they burn the outside whites! A local food editor complains how hard it is to get soft-scrambled eggs properly prepared, too, and I agree with her on that.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Foodbme)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:29:24 GMT

MellowRoast

All yolking aside, why is it when I order eggs over medium in a restaurant, the inside whites are never done? Seems like they're only done right when I cook them myself.

Getting eggs over easy, over medium, over hard is very hard to do. Too many variables, Temp of the pan, Temp of the egg. skill of the cook etc.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (MellowRoast)

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:46:53 GMT

All yolking aside, why is it when I order eggs over medium in a restaurant, the inside whites are never done? Seems like they're only done right when I cook them myself.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (mar52)

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 22:01:18 GMT

I need that pan!

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (ann peeples)

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:12:04 GMT

Very nice, PNWCHEF. Now I am going to go make some eggs...

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Michael Hoffman)

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:05:34 GMT

I cannot, of course, help you with that michegoss Maryland BBQ, but as someone who spent time at the Culinary Institute of America when it was still located off Whitney Avenue in New Haven I shall do my best to assist you in your culinary learning.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (pnwchef)

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:52:50 GMT

I'm hoping to get my degree from Hoffman Culinary Institute...... then get my Masters in Maryland BBQ

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Michael Hoffman)

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:56:37 GMT

Not bad, for an amateur.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (pnwchef)

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:54:06 GMT

Ok you want to mop up the yoke, here yah go........crack the eggs in a small bowl..

you need to buy a pan like this, then melt some butter in the pan

these are almost ready to flip....

nice and easy, ready, set.........FLIP
Great job they didn't break, now wait a bit and flip them back over on to the plate

I cut into the egg to show you how nice and runny the yoke is........I hope this helped, it couldn't hurt............have fun............pnwc

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (claracamille)

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 10:22:02 GMT

I always crack my eggs on a flat surface. The trick is to give then a good whack, enough so that when you pull apart the shell with both thumbs you have a cracked part of the shell to pull on. I fry eggs in either bacon grase or melted butter. Frying pan on medium heat 4-5 mintues, hold the egg close to the bottom of the pan, pull apart egg. Do not touch the egg for 1-2 minutes. For over easy, wait until you can no longer see the bottom of the pan, flip the egg away from you(so you don't get a grease burn!!). Fry 1-2 minutes more, add salt & pepper. I test the egg by touching the while closest to the yolk. It is done(runny yolk) when the white feels solid.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (MellowRoast)

Sat, 09 Apr 2011 06:01:27 GMT

I prefer eggs cooked in a pan, but one of my favorite local spots uses a flat top for eggs and omelets. While they do an exemplary job on both, it took a while before they aced the soft scramble that I often order.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Foodbme)

Sat, 09 Apr 2011 01:27:42 GMT

Michael Hoffman

At Waffle House restaurants they break the eggs to be fried directly into the skillets. Eggs to be scrambled are broken into a bowl, and eggs for omelets are broken into a mixer cup.

And that's why Waffle House RULES and Cleveland ROCKS!

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (ann peeples)

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 20:14:54 GMT

Yes, we broke the eggs directly into the pan for fried, and the others as you describe, Mr. Hoffman.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Michael Hoffman)

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:52:49 GMT

At Waffle House restaurants they break the eggs to be fried directly into the skillets. Eggs to be scrambled are broken into a bowl, and eggs for omelets are broken into a mixer cup.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (ann peeples)

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 18:49:11 GMT

God, long time ago-I worked at both in Florida in the lates 70s-thats where Bob and I had eloped to. And I agree, I did not cook the eggs on the flat top, in a pan like "chef Louis" taught me at Lums. Never could master flipping the egg in the pan..

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Foodbme)

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 18:19:36 GMT

Scorereader

annpeeples

Well, I just crack them with 2 hands, on the stove next to the pan, then open eggs up into the pan.100% success rate.Didnt think there was a "procedure". But then again, I was a short order cook in the 70s at Waffle House and Lums.

that's what we did at Big Boy's, too. not pan though, we had a flat grill. Usually opened with one hand while I flipped another egg over easy with my right hand.

You're a multi-tasker huh?
IMHO, Fried Eggs should never be cooked on a flattop. Only in a pan. When eggs are cooked on a flattop, the whites tend to spread too far. In a pan, the whites of the eggs are kept from spreading, allowing for a more evenly cooked egg and a better plate presentation. Same goes for Scrambled Eggs and Omelets. Never had fluffy scrambled eggs or an omelet cooked on a flattop.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Scorereader)

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 17:55:57 GMT

annpeeples

Well, I just crack them with 2 hands, on the stove next to the pan, then open eggs up into the pan.100% success rate.Didnt think there was a "procedure". But then again, I was a short order cook in the 70s at Waffle House and Lums.

that's what we did at Big Boy's, too. not pan though, we had a flat grill. Usually opened with one hand while I flipped another egg over easy with my right hand.

Re:Cracking eggs ... a silly question (Foodbme)

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 17:29:23 GMT

annpeeples

Well, I just crack them with 2 hands, on the stove next to the pan, then open eggs up into the pan.100% success rate.Didnt think there was a "procedure". But then again, I was a short order cook in the 70s at Waffle House and Lums.

You worked at Waffle House???? I KNEW I liked you!