The art of cooking food such as eggs is easy to master in some ways, but also complicated in others. Cooking any food requires an understanding of proper temperature and cooking time requirements, though many foods can be cooked with relative ease. Eggs, for example, may be cooked by themselves, or they may serve as the main component in other foods such as omelets and crepes. There are also many different ways of cooking eggs, from simple scrambling to boiling, poaching, frying, and other techniques.
Basic egg cooking is also probably something that should be learned by every bachelor or bachelorette.
Of course, cooking eggs is only one of many skills that anybody who cooks on a regular basis should know.
Basic Egg Cooking Techniques
There are four basic egg cooking techniques that are relatively easy to learn, and that almost everybody that loves to cook and eat eggs should consider learning.
1. Scrambled eggs: There’s almost nothing simpler than cracking an egg, emptying it into whisking or mixing bowl, mix the eggs up, and then placing them in a heated pan and scrambling. Egg aficionados also maintain that there are two preferred methods of scrambling and cooking eggs: low and slow, hot and fast. Low and slow scrambled eggs are produced under a medium-low heat with butter added and using slow mixing or scrambling motions, while hot and fast scrambled eggs require a medium-high heat and rapid mixing or scrambling.
2. Fried eggs: Fried eggs, which are actually free of most of the oil or fat they’re fried in when cooked correctly, are also easy to cook. First, heat an 8 to 10-inch non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Crack the egg into the heated pan and allow room for each egg that’s going to be fried so they can all cook separately. Fried eggs can be cooked sunny side up, over easy, over medium or over well, which requires a firmer yolk by placing a lid over the cooking pan and allowing the egg to cook to desired consistency.
3. Poached eggs: Poaching eggs requires a bit more skill than novice cooks usually possess, but with a little practice, any individual can produce quite tasty results. Use the freshest eggs possible for poaching, with none older than a week. To poach eggs, fill a 12-inch stainless steel pot or a skillet with about three inches of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once water is boiling, turn the heat to low, add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar and allow the water to simmer. Break each egg you intend to poach into a separate container and then carefully slip it into your pan’s water, allowing the eggs to simmer for three to five minutes slowly. Once your eggs have poached to the desired yolk consistency, remove them from the simmering water using a slotted spoon or spatula, and then immerse in freshwater to remove any vinegar.
4. Hard-boiled eggs: These frequently act as a very easy-to-make “on the run” breakfast component. To hard-boil eggs, place them into a large skillet or pot and add water until they’re covered by about an inch. Bring your eggs to a slow boil using medium-high heat and then allow them to simmer for one minute. After a minute, remove the eggs from the once-boiling water and then let them sit for 10 to 12 minutes, after which you should transfer them to a colander and then rinse under cold water until they’re cool. Once you’ve cooled your hard-boiled eggs, let them sit at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes and then feel free to peel them.
There are differences between low, medium, and high heat, and it’s important to know the distinctions when cooking eggs.