Need Omelet Help Fast

Cafe Society
1

Due to an unfortunate incident with a carton of eggs this morning, I must immediately make a seven egg omelet. Here is what I have done so far: I have thoroughly mixed seven eggs, half and half, minced garlic, finely chopped green onions, cumin, black pepper, and the Kroger equivalent of Tabasco sauce. I got my good non-stick skillet down from the top shelf and confirmed that my spatula is clean and readily available. I put some of my good (reserved for special occasions) olive oil in the skillet. I cut up a moderate amount of muenster cheese and I am allowing it to reach thermal equilibrium with the kitchen atmosphere.

I have never been able to make an omelet that looks so pretty like the ones at Denny’s or Waffle House. My omelets always end up more like scrambled eggs. What is the trick to folding over the half-cooked omelet so that it looks like a nice, neat sandwich?

Also, how do you spell omelet? “Omelet” or “omelette”?

2

I spell it ‘omelette’. But I’m a weirdo.

For the two of us, I use four eggs and a 12-inch non-stick frying pan. I just use Pam instead of oil or butter, because I don’t make anything fancy. Just eggs, cream, salt, and pepper. I use a low setting (#3) on the stove, and cover the pan. This allows the top to cook as well as the bottom, without burning the bottom. Add the cheese and whatever, and then just fold it in half. I cut the disc in half with a spatula before turning, since I’m making two servings.

A diner probably uses a flat-top grill and a large spatula.

Then there’s Julia Child.

.

3

The trick is starting with the pan hot enough, then turning down the heat and having patience. I use butter because it sizzles at the perfect temperature. A cheese omelet is easy because you don’t have to cook any other ingredients first. When the butter is sizzling in the pan I’ll add the eggs and on my stove I can just turn off the heat and wait. I’ll give it some more heat after a minute but there’s no hurry, I want to make sure it doesn’t stick and stays soft. You can put the cheese on right after it starts to set.

4

How big is the skillet? 7 eggs is going to need a pretty big pan to cook thoroughly. I do about 4 eggs max in a 10" skillet, for example.

You don’t really need half & half in the egg mixture, but if you want some, no big deal.

As far as folding, you sort of use the sloping side of the pan to help, and you do the final fold when you plate it. So when it’s done, tilt the pan a little to one side, and use your spatula to fold over the side that’s NOT tipped onto the tip. Then sort of fold the omelet onto the plate and fold it once again. Hmm, hard to put in words.

It’s sort of like what’s showed in this video, but they do it with a plastic fork. I just use the spatula.

5

What’s it called when you whip the egg whites first? Then your omelette ends up much puffier.

6

Seven is a large quantity of eggs for one omelet. Maybe I will make two omelets. Should I use butter instead of olive oil? Should I just mix the butter with the olive oil? I’ve already poured the oil in the skillet. At the rate I am going I will be having omelets for supper tonight but that’s OK. I am also planning on having biscuits with so much butter that it comes oozing out the sides.

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Since it’s already in the skillet, you could use it but I would certainly never use good olive oil for an omelet. Butter is my go-to egg cooking fat but cheaper olive oil would be acceptable.

The only real trick I can offer to making a good, neatly rolled omelet is to keep it simple and thin. IMHO, most omelets fail due to over filling. Try a few practice 3-egg, plain omelets. Don’t even put cheese inside much less chunkier fillings. Master that then move onto filled omelets.

I know you didn’t ask about frittatas but they scratch a similar itch for me and are just about as simple and bulletproof as cookery gets.

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[quote=“Alpha_Twit, post:7, topic:851637”]

… I would certainly never use good olive oil for an omelet. …

[quote=“Alpha_Twit, post:7, topic:851637”]

I only used it because there was just a little bit left in the old bottle and I just bought a new bottle yesterday and I needed room in the cabinet. Also, it was Kroger brand extra virgin olive oil because that was the cheapest. Is there really a discernible difference between brands of olive as long as it is from a reputable company or is it all just labeling and marketing? On the other hand, I am sure someone could come up with an example of a really bad brand of olive oil.

9

From your first post:

To me that sounds like a top quality cold, first press olive oil from a prestigious brand. That kind of oil really doesn’t like to see a lot of heat and will lose many its fruity/floral notes during the cooking. It’s too flavorful, too expensive and too useful elsewhere to be an ideal omelet oil, IMHO.

If you’re talking about Kroger brand EVOO, you’re fine. I’m sure it’s a solid, mid-range, everyday cooking oil but it’s nothing that really deserved to be featured on it’s own merits.

10

I don’t do that, but I always add some milk to the mix when making omelets (or scrambled eggs) to get them puffy.

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I agree that a good olive oil has a strong flavor that I don’t generally want in my omelets, but enjoy in other settings. – like drizzling it on a salad or dipping bread into it. Maybe my tastes are just a lot simpler than yours, but I would never have put that much stuff into my eggs. But hey, you are the one eating it, and I assume you know what tastes you enjoy together. I do wonder what the half&half will do to the texture and “workability” of the eggs.

I use butter to cook eggs because I like the taste of butter with eggs, but your olive oil should be fine. I prefer scrambled eggs and eggs over easy to omelets, so I will defer to those with actual experience re flipping and folding them. But yeah, do two batches with that much egg. It will be easier to handle and more likely to come out like an omelet. Or… make it all into a quiche or frittata instead.

12

Adding a little milk makes them easier to flip. I’m another who uses a non-stick spray.

Having a BIG spatula is important as well. The egg can’t break as you flip, because it breaks over the edge of the spatula.

You also need confidence. Just flip it quickly; hesitate, and you are lost.

FWIW: I would sautee the vegetable ingredients first.

13

My first omelet turned out OK. It was not as aesthetically pleasing as a professional omelet but at least it came out of the skillet in one piece and was delicious. I don’t think I had the skillet hot enough when I first poured because I was distracted by the biscuits getting done at the same time. This will not be a problem for my next omelet much later today because I have already surpassed my daily quota of biscuits. Thanks to everyone for their help.

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Definitely two. And use butter, like a good French chef would do. Alternatively, make it all into a frittata with potatoes and cheese.

15

Is it even realistic to expect your homemade omelet to look like those pictured in advertisements or on menus? How much time do the food photographers spend to make a perfect looking omelet? Do they even use eggs?

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Yeah. That thing is made out of injection-molded plastic.

17

Definitely yes, there is a difference.

Definitely not just marketing.

IMHO Pompeiian is a terrible brand of olive oil.

This site picks California Olive Ranch as the best grocery store olive oil. It is America’s Test Kitchen’s fave and my fave, too.

Carry on.

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I use Trader Giotto’s for most cooking, but I am well-stocked with California Olive Ranch. (Thanks to Shayna for introducing COR to me. :slight_smile: )

19

There are very few things I would claim myself as an expert at. Making an omelette is one, so listen up:

Use butter AND non-stick spray in the pan. Whisk 3 eggs thoroughly. Have all ingredients prepared, cut, ready to add in.

Once the pan is hot, pour the beaten eggs in. Don’t futz with them much. Once you see the edges solidify a bit, carefully lift an edge, tilt the pan, and let the runny egg that is floating on top run down underneath. Do this to 3 or 4 different edges. Keep the heat at low-medium. In a minute or less, poke around under the egg, tilting the pan, to ensure it is moving freely.

Add your ingredients, cheese first, and only to half of the egg circle. Visually divide the circle so that the diameter runs out from the handle of the pan - your ingredients are placed on the half closest to you (assuming the handle is on your left).

Once all of the egg is firm - and it doesn’t matter if the cheese is completely melted yet, that will happen - it’s time for the flip.

This is the important, fun, and impressive part:

Pick up the pan in your left hand and your plate in your right. Tilt the pan toward the plate so that the leading edge of your egg circle touches/latches onto the edge of the plate that is closest to you.

Once the leading edge of the egg circle and the edge of your plate are in contact with each other, maneuver both the pan and the plate at angles that will allow you to “pour” the rest of the circle onto the plate.

But you are not pouring the entire circle. Once half of it is on your plate, pull the frying pan back toward you, thereby guiding the second half of the egg circle (this is the half with no ingredients added, it’s all egg) - over and onto the first, ingredient-filled half. With an easy twist of the wrist you plop the second half of the circle onto the first and there you have it.

Believe me, it is much easier performing the maneuver than it is to explain it in words. Super easy to learn, and works perfectly every time.

Good luck!
mmm

20

(too late to edit)

This is pretty similar to my technique - start the video around 3:00

mmm