Cooking: Eggs

Use organic, pastured, free-range eggs.
- Labels can be deceiving and misleading but "pasture-raised" is likely your best bet.
eggs yolks should be cooked as lightly as possible (heat kills the nutrients).
- that said, heat also kills bacteria/salmonella so don’t undercook!
finish with a few drops of acid (i.e. lemon juice) to enhance the flavour.
to test egg freshness, place in bowl of water. Old eggs = more air (because egg shells are porous) = will float.
in Canada and the United States (unlike Europe), most eggs are washed before sale. This cuts down on contamination, but it also removes a protective coating, meaning they need to be refrigerated.
Scrambled (Curds)
- Whisk the eggs for at least 30 seconds to ensure an airy, fluffy, and homogenous result.
- Add eggs to the pan as soon as the butter stops foaming.
- Push eggs from sides towards center to maintain large curds
- Add a tiny amount of acid, like lemon juice, to the raw eggs.
  - results in creamier, more tender eggs since acid draws egg proteins together before they can unravel and tighten (and squeeze out water) in the heat, inhibiting them from joining too closely.
  - the second reason lemon juice makes your scrambled eggs so fluffy and soft is because of the water in juice. Just like adding water or milk, the liquid slows how quickly eggs scramble. “The water in the juice dilutes those egg proteins, so they aren’t as quick to coagulate,” says Jackson. “They cook more slowly because there is more water to evaporate, and the water creates steam as it cooks, creating a softer, fluffier texture.”
- Use residual heat as much as possible. In other words, frequently take the pan off the heat and completely turn off the heat 30 seconds to 1 minute prior to desired doneness.
- Salt prior to cooking (as early as possible)
  - salt neutralizes the negative charges in the protein molecules and allows the proteins to bond (coagulate) at a lower temperature. The faster bonding also results in a weaker bond so the eggs end up being more tender and moist if you don’t cook them too hot. If you are making an omelette you probably do want a stronger bond so it would be better to not add the salt before.
- The case against adding milk/water — dilutes the taste, dulls the colour, alters the texture (more rubbery), and makes them runnier.
- Mix small cold pieces of butter into the raw eggs
- Add cornstarch and water (Kenji)
Scrambled (Runny)
- Crack eggs and sliced cold butter into cold, heavy-bottomed pot (or pan).
- Salt conservatively (will finish with more).
- Stir endlessly for ~3 minutes, medium heat; 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off.
  - this incorporates air into the eggs (good for fluffiness 👍) and ensures the eggs cook evenly and don’t overcook.
- Stir in crème fraîche (or sour cream) and pepper (optional)
- Finish with chives, flaky salt, and lemon juice.
- Serve on toast.
Sunny-Side Up
- add some water and cover to create steam that will cook the top of the egg.
- can also baste the yolk with any liquid/fat in the pan.
Poached
- simmer water, create a vortex (if doing one egg) and drop egg in the middle for 2-3 minutes.
- add a tiny bit of vinegar to the water.
  - the acid promotes coagulation/softness.
- for multiple eggs, crack into oiled saran wrap, tie, and drop into water.
Boiled
- bring pot of water to a boil (enough to cover eggs by 1 inch)
  - this is more consistent than starting eggs in cold water since time it takes to reach boil differs depending on the pot, initial water temp, heat source, etc.
- lower eggs in and maintain a boil (but not too aggressive)
- cooking time will vary by egg sizes and initial egg temperature
- immediately run under cold water to halt cooking
- crack on the duller end and peel while holding under running water
- cut in half; top with olive oil and salt
- Cooking Times:
  - soft boil = 6-7 minutes
  - medium boil = 8-9 minutes
  - hard boil = 10 minutes
Spanish Fried
- cook in lots of oil and baste throughout.