# What are the best ways to separate egg yolk from egg whites? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 20, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-ways-to-separate-egg-yolk-from-egg-whites/656179 "2013-04-20T00:37:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-ways-to-separate-egg-yolk-from-egg-whites/656179/21 "2013-04-24T15:34:26Z")
I use a separator. Shell-to-shell has led to too many broken yolks in my experience. I do agree with the advise to use a separate container for the current egg white - if a smidgen of yolk DOES wind up in that container, you haven’t ruined the whole bowlful of whites. Separator annoyance though: none of them are really shaped right to rest over a container. One had a slit on the edge so it could hang over a cup - but fit none of my cups. Like this: O|==== Another one has a slightly rubberized handle, and a bit of a lip on the “bowl” portion, but it’s not enough of a lip to be stable and it’s too easy to knock over - like this: =O==== The damn thing needs to have a 3ish inch extension on BOTH SIDES of the egg-holding portion, like this: ====O==== I must say, [this one](http://www.amazon.com/Birchstone-Studios-Snot-A-Mug-Egg-Separator/dp/B0000CFGP6/ref=sr_1_14?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1366817811&sr=1-14) does look like fun :D. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-ways-to-separate-egg-yolk-from-egg-whites/656179/22 "2013-04-24T16:46:26Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > We have seedless grapes, seedless watermelons, seedless oranges. > > Why can’t we breed chickens to lay yolkless eggs? Or yolk-only eggs? > > We could propagate said chickens from cuttings. Think of the egg as a single cell. Think of the yolk as the nucleus. That’s the starting point from where you must travel to get to the yolkless (or yolk-only) egg. On a different subject, I kinda want to separate a couple of eggs this way, then cook the whites in one pan, and the yolks in another pan, and plate them together. Just to see how it would look and taste. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-ways-to-separate-egg-yolk-from-egg-whites/656179/23 "2013-04-24T16:50:17Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > I must say, [this one](http://www.amazon.com/Birchstone-Studios-Snot-A-Mug-Egg-Separator/dp/B0000CFGP6/ref=sr_1_14?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1366817811&sr=1-14) does look like fun :D. Oh yes, it does. I _especially_ like the suggestion that it would make a terrific Mother’s Day gift. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-ways-to-separate-egg-yolk-from-egg-whites/656179/24 "2013-04-24T16:57:33Z")
I just saw some gadget advertised on TV this morning that works like the soda bottle. I’ve always used the egg shell method. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-ways-to-separate-egg-yolk-from-egg-whites/656179/25 "2013-04-24T17:05:16Z")
I’ve never had any issue with the shell or hand method. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-ways-to-separate-egg-yolk-from-egg-whites/656179/26 "2013-04-25T02:17:51Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I get the fast and nice thing, but… more sanitary? Very little food is prepared without touching it with your hands. Assuming you wash your hands first, and after handling raw meat, and you don’t have big open cuts or anything like that, your hands are plenty sanitary. I think he meant “clean” instead of “sanitary.” You don’t have to wash your hands after using an egg separator. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-ways-to-separate-egg-yolk-from-egg-whites/656179/27 "2013-04-25T03:13:16Z")
I used to do the pass it back and forth between the half-shells until I saw Meryl Streep in **The Hours**. She just used her hands and I thought, well, that makes more sense. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Mood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@Blue\_Mood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Mood)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-ways-to-separate-egg-yolk-from-egg-whites/656179/28 "2013-04-25T17:14:07Z")
I use the back-and-forth shell method, but will have to keep this ingenious solution in mind for next time: > [@fifty-six](#): > > It is super easy if you hard boil them first. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-ways-to-separate-egg-yolk-from-egg-whites/656179/29 "2013-04-26T00:36:41Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I used to do the pass it back and forth between the half-shells until I saw Meryl Streep in **The Hours**. She just used her hands and I thought, well, that makes more sense. Yabbut, how does she do it in _Julie & Julia_? That would strike me as the more authoritative role model… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-ways-to-separate-egg-yolk-from-egg-whites/656179.md?page=1)