Scrambling eggs

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by Sum1Else

What methods do you employ when making scrambled eggs? Does it depend on the ultimate use of the product?

Do you add anything to when beating them? (water, milk, other)

How long do you beat them? (gentle, medium (until lighter color), until frothy, other)

Do you put them in a hot pan dry or with something?

What do you do while cooking? (leave them set, move around lots, etc.)

Scrambled eggs are the first thing I learned to cook in 7th grade home arts class in the early 1990s (required, then, as was industrial arts, i.e. shop). I still make them in essentially the same basic way.

1. I was taught to beat them with a tablespoon or so of liquid...we used water, now I use a splash of half and half.

2. I beat them until they are homogenously blended, with a fork.

3. I usually mix in a dash of pepper and some dried herbs. If I'm making them for folks that like cheesy eggs, this is where I add in some shredded cheese.

4. They go in a medium high heat pan that has had butter melted in it to the point of the butter foaming, but not browning.

5. I let them be until they start to set, and then gently push them with a rubber spatula until they are the texture I like (midsize curds, not too moist).

[elston]

My daughter-in-law makes the best scrambled eggs I have ever eaten......she uses a fork to gently beat the eggs with a tiny bit of water....TINY....then melts butter in a pan.....real butter.....then she cooks the eggs over low heat......gently stirring and folding them with a rubber spatula, as they start to come together.....they come out in large curds. She serves them while they are still moist and passes salt and pepper after they are plated.

I have been copying her technique with good result. The most important words....are slowly and gently and low heat.....don't rush perfection.

[rdflk]

1) melt a pat of butter in pan or non-stick spray oil if you want, but I use butter
2) while that's melting
3) crack eggs in a bowl, whisk or beat with a fork enough to blend the white and yolk, but not until frothy. It just doesn't need to take that long. I'm usually ready to eat and want to get going.
3a) during the whisk phase add pepper, and any cheese, ham or whatever you like
4) pour eggs in fry/saute pan....stir and fold eggs while they fry
5) cook to desired firmness...I like firm but not too hard.

I personally do not add milk or water, but don't have an issue if I'm a guest somewhere and that person does. It's not that big a deal really, is it?

I also am not crazy about separated whites in scrambled eggs.

[ChessieMom]

Originally Posted by MidwesternBookWorm

crack the eggs into a bowl (figure about 1 1/2 per person, unless you're feeding a football team), a

LOL! My son perfectly scrambles his eggs every morning...SIX of them.

[Nancyhartman]

Scrambled eggs make a delicious and quick meal, but there is a little science to getting them just right. The secret to successfully scrambling eggs is slow cooking (you need low, gentle heat).

Beating the eggs: The American Egg Board describes well-beaten eggs as "frothy and evenly colored." This generally takes about 20 to 35 seconds of beating - do not over beat. You want to get them to a uniform color and texture with minimal amounts egg white showing. A fork works as well as a wire whisk but requires a slight bit more time and more energy. Use a bowl that is deep enough to support vigorous whisking. Do NOT add salt yet, as the salt will cause the eggs to toughen.

Melting the butter: Heat a medium-sized non-stick frying pan over a medium-low heat to warm it up. Do not use a pan that is too large, as the eggs will spread out too thinly and cook too quickly. Melt some butter (approximately 1 teaspoon butter per egg) in the frying pan. When all the butter is melted, reduce heat to low and add the beaten egg mixture.

Cooking the scrambled eggs: Cook eggs at a low temperature. The biggest mistake people make is turning the heat too high. Using a high heat to cook the eggs will cause them to will turn out to be quite rubbery and dry.

Stirring eggs while cooking: Do not stir immediately. Wait until the first hint of setting begins. Using a silicone spatula or a flat wooden spoon, push eggs toward center while tilting skillet to distribute runny parts. Some people like really soft scrambled eggs and other people like really dry scrambled eggs. Just keep gently stirring the eggs until they look like what you desire.

Adding other ingredients: When the eggs are cooked enough for your taste, season lightly with salt and pepper. Now is the time to add any other ingredients (such as herbs, shredded cheese, chopped scallions, sautéed mushrooms, chopped tomato, or anything else you desire).

IMPORTANT - Stop the cooking process - Residual Heat or "Carry Over Heat."
Always remove scrambled eggs from the heat when they are almost set but still appear shiny and a bit underdone, approximately 1 minute before you think the eggs are done. The eggs will continue to cook even though they have been taken away from the heat, due to the heat from the pan and the "carry over heat."

Serving scrambled eggs: After the scrambled eggs are done to your liking, immediately transfer them to the individual serving plates and serve immediately.

Hints & Tips:

Holding cooked scrambled eggs: If it is necessary to hold scrambled eggs for a short time before serving, it helps to avoid direct heat. Place a pan of hot water between the pan of eggs and the heat source.

Add cream (optional): After removing the pan with the scrambled eggs from the heat, add a teaspoon of cold light cream for each four eggs and stir fast for a second. This is to stop the cooking, which would otherwise continue for a few minutes by the internal heat retained by the eggs. Without this last step, the eggs would be overcooked and dry.

Scrambled Eggs Turning Green: Sometimes a large batch of scrambled eggs may turn green. Although not pretty, the color change is harmless. It is due to a chemical change, the formation of ferrous sulfide from iron in the yolks and sulfur in the whites, brought on by heat and occurs when eggs are cooked in an iron skillet, cooked at too high a temperature, or held for too long. Using stainless steel equipment, using a low cooking temperature, cooking in small batches, and serving as soon as possible after cooking will help to prevent this.
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Eggs/ScrambledOmelette.htm