Posted on 04/17/2021 1:32:39 PM PDT by be-baw
Scrambled eggs are just one of those foods. You know, the type that seem simple enough in theory, and yet have somehow generated many tutorials, hacks, and recipes — each only slightly tweaked from the last but still garnering their own loyal following. Perhaps Chrissy Teigen’s recipe is your holy grail, or you swear by Anthony Bourdain’s. Well, I’m sorry to tell you that there’s a new contender in town: J. Kenji López-Alt’s viral recipe that promises the fluffiest, creamiest scrambled eggs with the help of one unexpected ingredient. Maybe it’s time to reconsider your favourite?
The American chef’s secret trick? Adding starch. In an article for the New York Times, López-Alt explains that he stumbled upon this hack by way of Mandy Lee, a Vancouver-based Taiwanese food blogger who runs the website Lady & Pups. Cooking for her sick puppy, Lee found that adding cornstarch to her eggs allowed them to remain silky and soft. Multiple experiments with starch were able to replicate this result, even when the eggs were cooked over high heat.
In fact, the use of starch to enhance egg recipes is not entirely a new phenomenon. It is a common ingredient used in Chinese cooking to keep omelettes fluffy on the outside while crispy on the outside.
But how does this figure into your morning scrambled eggs? López-Alt claims that applying this technique speeds up cooking time, writing that, “it takes on new life when combined with Mr. Boulud’s cold cubed butter and my own modest evaporation method of gauging proper pan temperature...now even my weekday morning eggs can be as velvety and tender as I’d like.”
Without further ado, here’s López-Alt’s recipe.
What you’ll need: two teaspoons of starch (potato, tapioca or cornstarch will do), four tablespoons of cold unsalted butter (cut into quarter inch cubes), four eggs and a pinch of salt.
He then adds the starch to one and a half tablespoons of water to form a slurry. He adds half the butter cubes, eggs and salt to this slurry and whisks it till it’s combined and frothy.
To properly gauge the heat of the pan, he adds a little water — roughly a tablespoon — to it. The water helps to regulate the heat of the pan, and once it’s almost fully evaporated, that’s a sign that your pan is at the right temperature, just above 100 degrees celsius or 212 degrees fahrenheit.
In the pan, melt the remaining butter until it is almost fully melted, which should take about 10 seconds. Take caution to ensure the butter doesn’t brown. Add the egg mixture to the melted butter, and using a spatula, push and fold the eggs. Do so until they just slightly underdone compared to how you usually take your eggs, because the remaining heat will continue cooking them. It should only take about a minute or two, depending on your preferred doneness. Et voilà — scrambled eggs!
It sounds simple enough doesn’t it? And it looks delectable too — López-Alt pairs his luscious eggs with two slices of toasted bread. A perfect breakfast. Why not give it a try? You can thank us later.
00 Flour is the smoothest for pasta, and works well for scrambled eggs. Doesn’t clump-up.
Slowing down a tad, I’m 75.
That sounds interesting...I’ll have to try that!
I don’t like fluffy eggs either.....in fact I don’t whip them at all, just crack the eggs right into the pan and gently stir until done....I like them moist..but I don’t add milk or anything except butter.
He’s exactly right.
You’re here on FR, so you will always be a step faster than most everyone else the same age as you are. ;-)
Thanks for the tip!
Adding a quarter stick of butter to breakfast’s eggs. Yea, no.
Its fun to say tapioca.
” I got in trouble as a young teenager doing dishes and I scooped out the grease and washed her skillet!”
Heh. The same thing happened to me when I was a kid. Cast iron skillets are relatively inexpensive but are the best when you have yours properly seasoned. The last couple I got, 6 times each I put a thin layer of flaxseed oil on them and put them in oven set at a high temp. I don’t remember how long but it was quite a while. When I finished, I got a nice smooth black lacquer finish. I think I can fry eggs in them without them sticking but I haven’t tried yet.
Right you are. Almost as fun as saying chimichanga.
I use about a tablespoon of heavy whipping cream and beat the crap out of it, then cook in unsalted butter. Super fluffy, and I control the salt content.
That’s just how I like them, but I’ll consider adding a starch instead for a different texture.
Its very simple. Use bacon fat to grease the pan instead of butter. mmmmmmmm
I'm actually rather stunned to find out that apparently is not the case.
“I’m actually rather stunned to find out that apparently is not the case.”
Sure we do. But there are good scrambled eggs and bad. I like knowing how these professional chefs make them. If you want to put some butter in the pan. Throw in 3 or 4 eggs and move them around some until they’re to your satisfaction, go for it.
But I like my scrambled eggs creamy and smooth. And I can’t stand scrambled eggs that are overcooked and dry and clumpy.
To each his own, my FRiend.
A little bit of butter in a pan, add a couple of tablespoons of milk or water to mix in the eggs; medium heat. The milk or water will steam the eggs. Best and easiest way to do it.
“The milk or water will steam the eggs. Best and easiest way to do it.”
That sounds like it has potential. I’m gonna try to make them like that. It sounds like it gives a good scrambled egg dish.
Thank you for the link to Jacques Pepin and Julia Child.
Will be watching with my granddaughter the next time she comes over.
And then doing as we make scrambled eggs over and over.
I have a grown son who loves to cook in cast iron.....but it’s not always so good for my taste because I can taste the iron.
Nope!...but I'm sure as a Marine you might want to think...Maybe “Gunny” does have a better way to approach this...Its worth a try!....*wink*...after all..its only scrambled eggs...
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