The Best Egg Cooking Hacks, Just In Time For National Egg Day
It’s estimated that the average American consumes approximately 278 eggs per year. That’s about three-quarters of an egg each day. Since no one is actually only eating 75% of an egg every day, we’re going to go ahead and assume that people reach this number of eggs consumed in a year by eating an egg a day, just not every single day. That makes sense when you think about it. After all, think about all of the ways that eggs can be used. They can be scrambled, fried, poached, and steamed. And they can be used in breakfast burritos, cake mixes, and about a million other things. The egg is a pretty versatile food product that not only tastes good but also delivers a fair amount of nutrition as well.
Eggs are a source of high-quality protein and have all of the amino acids that the human body needs. They also deliver decent amounts of Vitamin A, E, and B, as well as minerals such as selenium and iron. They are also widely available and are inexpensive when compared to other sources of protein. That is why many people use them for their day-to-day cooking.
That is also why someone had the foresight to create a holiday named National Egg Day. This holiday is celebrated annually on June 3rd and encourages everyone to enjoy an egg or two. In the spirit of this holiday, and to show our own appreciation for the humble egg, we thought that we’d give all of our readers some of the best egg hacks and cooking tips that we could come up with. These are hacks and tips that are not only going to be used on this holiday but are also going to be used all year round.
Better Poached Eggs
One of our first cooking tips/egg hacks is a method that we borrowed from renowned chef Julia Child. She had a way of making poached eggs that were way easier and more successful than most people’s poaching methods. Let’s check out this special poached egg method.
- Step One:Â Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Step Two:Â Take a baby pin and make a small hole in the eggshell of your egg. This hole releases air that might be trapped in the egg.
- Step Three:Â Boil the egg for exactly 10 seconds. No more, no less. After the 10 seconds have elapsed, remove the egg from the water, and turn down the heat of the water to a simmer.
- Step Four:Â After a few seconds, the egg should be cool enough to pick up. When it is, crack the egg gently into the simmering water and poach as usual.
Using this method, it’s easy to see why it’s superior to every other poached egg method. The egg whites stay together during the poaching process, which makes for a perfect poached egg every single time.
Making The Perfect Sunny-Side-Up Eggs
If you’re like us, then you have problems making the perfect sunny-side-up eggs. It seems like it’s hard to get the white fully cooked while keeping the egg yolk from becoming cooked in the process. Fortunately, we have a solution for that problem and it involves using both an oven-safe skillet and an oven to make perfect sunny-side-up eggs.
- Step One:Â Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Step Two: Warm up the oven-safe skillet and add oil to it. Allow the oil to come up to the cooking temperature.
- Step Three: Add the egg and cook it until the egg white starts to set. Now transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for a few more minutes. When the skillet is removed, the egg whites will be completely cooked without setting the egg yolks.
Since this trick involves placing the skillet in the oven, we recommend using a cast-iron skillet. This type of skillet is not only oven-safe but it also does an amazing job at cooking eggs. Don’t believe us? Well, give it a try yourself sometime.
Making Scrambled Eggs Without A Skillet
Obviously, a skillet is a preferable way for most people to make scrambled eggs, but not everyone has access to a skillet all of the time. That’s where the following scrambled egg hacks come in handy. The following tips will allow people to cook scrambled eggs in other ways.
The Rice Cooker
Rice Cookers are highly effective tools for not only making rice but also making scrambled eggs. Just follow the below steps and your rice cooker will make the perfect scrambled eggs for you.
- Step One: Use cooking spray to coat the inside of the rice cooker.
- Step Two:Â Add your eggs, cheese, and other desired toppings to the rice cooker.
- Step Three:Â Place the lid on the rice cooker and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Step Four:Â Stir the eggs, and then place them on a plate. Voila, rice cooker scrambled eggs!
The Microwave
We’re not big fans of using microwaves to cook eggs, but sometimes it’s all that you have in a pinch. If you are going to use this device to make scrambled eggs, then allow us to give you some tips that will make for a better end product.
- Step One: In an appropriate-size ramekin, add eggs, cheese, and other desired ingredients.
- Step Two:Â Place the ramekin in the oven next to a small cup of water. The water will absorb some of the microwaves and help to prevent the eggs from overcooking.
- Step Three:Â Microwave the eggs for approximately 1 minute to 1 minute and 30 seconds. Serve immediately.
Making Hard-Boiled Eggs Easier To Peel
The final trick that we’re going to list is how to make boiled eggs easier to peel. If you’re like most people, one of the worst parts of making hard-boiled eggs is peeling them. They seem always to take off a part of the egg, which can ruin that perfect egg aesthetic that many people like when they’re adding boiled eggs to their salad. The following trick solves this problem easily.
- Step One: Add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to a large pot of water.
- Step Two:Â Boil the eggs as usual in the water.
- Step Three:Â Remove the shells with ease!