What’s the proper way to scramble eggs? Scramble them in a bowl then pour into the skillet, or just plop the eggs in the skillet and scramble them there?
Not a mind boggling question, I’m just curious as to how you do it.
I mix them up in a bowl first and add a shot of milk or cream, and maybe some shredded cheese. Then into the pan. Once they’re cooked, I give 'em to everyone else and fry myself up a couple over-medium. I don’t like scrambled eggs.
Here’s Gordon Ramsay’s method.
Don’t know if it’s the best way, but it looks good.
I definitely scramble them in the bowl first. Two reasons:
First, if you’re using a non-stick pan, scrambling them in the pan with any metal implement will eventually ruin the non-stick coating. I guess it’s not a problem on stainless steel, but then you need to use way too much butter. EDIT: I should add - if you’re scrambling them in the pan with a plastic spatula, then you aren’t making scrambled eggs. You’re making stirred eggs. Blech.
Second, if you beat them so they’re nice and frothy before cooking, they’ll be very light and fluffy, with an even texture. Otherwise, you wind up with rubbery bits of mixed yellow and white.
I crack them in the pan and mix them there. There should be some white pieces in there and it should be broken up. I hate that homogenized yellow lump they bring you at restaurants/diners.
Also, don’t throw your whipped up eggs into a scorching hot pan. Faster is not better when it comes to scrambled eggs. Let your pan heat up on a medium low burner for a few minutes before you add them to the pan, (or cool down slightly if you’ve used to pan for bacon or sausage.) Turn off the heat when they are thisclose to being done. By the time you dish them up, they’ll be perfect.
Hm. Purd Thanks for the link. They do look delicious!
DC, you have a point there. Other things I put on eggs: Dill weed and Accent. Try it!
(I got the dill weed tip on the 'Dope. I don’t remember who posted the tip, maybe Manny.)
In our house, “scrambling” happens in a bowl with cream, “scrabbling” happens in the pan with salt, pepper, and butter. You are making scrabbled eggs.
Scramble in a bowl, and add water rather than dairy. Your eggs will turn out fluffier that way.
This.
I usually like ol’ Gordo, but this is fucking idiotic. Scrambled eggs are breakfast food. Who the hell has creme fraische and goddamn chives just sitting around the house at 6:00AM, not to mention the energy required to execute such a ridiculous recipe?
Correct way: tiny amount of butter in pan. Crack eggs into pan over medium heat. Scramble. Mix in some milk or sour cream to your preference. Remove from eat and keep scrambling until done. Pepper. The end.
Let the frying pan cool a few minutes after taking up the bacon, then crack them in and stir rapidly with a fork. Add the cheese and the jalapeño peppers once all egg-parts are congealed.
Doesn’t mess up my cast iron one bit.
I use a nonstick pan and a silicone whisk. Seem to scramble up just fine that way. Though I do tend to add stuff anyway, like yesterday I added spinach and sun-dried tomatoes and cheese. So I end up with a scrambled omelet that is always delicious!
Yep - method learned from my grandmother: Break eggs in bowl, add a teaspoon to a tablespoon of water (obviously, more water for more eggs, but not very scientific,) whisk together with fork or wire whip. Scramble in cast iron skillet. (Bonus if you’ve just made bacon in same skillet - use bacon drippings instead of butter. Never, ever use anything except bacon drippings or butter, unless you hate America and kick puppies for fun. Okay, sausage renderings will be all right, if that’s how you swing.)
My method: butter or bacon drippings, crack eggs into grease, scootch around with spatula (using a non-stick pan), add shredded cheese, plenty to salt and pepper and serve.
I agree with SylverOne about turning off the heat before they’re done. I don’t like them overdone, and I certainly don’t like them underdone (egg yolk-yeech).
But if you whip them up beforehand, you might as well make an omelet. Scrambled should be scrambled-together eggs, not batter.
This works best for me too, just a little bit of water, maybe a tablespoon, if that. They’re also fluffier if I don’t overcook them. I turn off the heat while they’re still kinda wet. I stir with a rubber spatula, and I don’t stir a lot. I get nice fluffy chunks that melt in the mouth.
ETA: I see I’m not the only one with this method!
No water, no cream, no milk. I just whisk them in a bowl, grind some black pepper in 'em, pinch of salt, and pour them in a pan heated to medium. Keep the pan moving as well as the spatula, start folding them when big curds start appearing. Dump them onto a plate while they’re still just underdone, and maybe sprinkle some fresh chives on top if I have 'em. Add tobasco or salsa, nom, nom, nom.
They’re always fluffy and tender. I never add things to the eggs prior to them cooking unless I’m making omelettes.
One thing I have found though, to my tastes at least, is if you OVER beat your eggs (like until they froth) they can be a bit tough after they’re cooked.
I used to crack them into a bowl and add things and then dump them in a pan, but I’ve been trying to improve my eating and cooking lately, so I no longer do it that way.
I still crack them into a bowl, but only because I suck at cracking eggs and want to keep shells out of the hot pan. Once they’re in the pan, I lightly stir the eggs and break the yolk with a spatula. I rotate the pan above the burner to make sure the eggs are spread evenly. I season with salt and pepper.
Usually I leave them like this until they crisp up on the edges and loosen from the pan on their own, and then tri-fold them and serve. But sometimes I feel like having lots of bits of eggs (like for fried rice), in which case I chop it up with the spatula when they’re still mostly uncooked.
I crack the eggs into a glass bowl, and add a small amount of water and a small amount of milk. I also add a small amount of pepper and sometimes some grated cheese. I mix it in the bowl with a fork. I tried a wire whisk once, and didn’t like it.
I’m enough of a hack that I wildly guess on the heat level - luckily I’ve found that it doesn’t seem to matter too much.
If I have any bacon grease handy, I put a small amount in the pan. If not, I use nothing - I never thought to use butter, as many in this thread do, but it seems to be fine without it.
Keep 'em moving with a wooden spoon until they look done - preferring to err on the “overcooked” side. Pray that the other stuff I’m making is done at about the same time; it not, set the eggs on a plate and stick them in the microwave when breakfast is finally ready(!)
It’s probably obvious that I’m not much of a cook, but these are one of the few things I can whip up and be confident that I’ll like. My technique sounds iffy, based on the other replies, but I’m pretty happy with what I get.
Recipe as a song:
Perfect Scrambled Eggs by Negativland