Eggspert Advice, Part IV

About author / Lauren Braun Costello

The competent cook; food stylist; cooking instructor; graduate French Culinary Institute. To die for dish? Maple glazed bacon wrapped roast turkey. Yep, bacon wrapped.

You asked for it, so you got it: more Eggspert Advice. In this fourth and final installment, we will take a look at the art of frying eggs and the chemistry of cooking with eggs.

Sunny Side Up, Over Easy, Over Hard
Fried eggs come many ways, but the common characteristic should be "tender and tasty." Ultimately, frying eggs is easy. But it is important to remember a few key steps to ensure desirable results. First, use a non-stick skillet, or a very well seasoned cast iron pan or griddle. Second, make sure that the pan and the fat are hot. If the pan is not hot enough the egg will not seize immediately and this causes sticking and prolonged cooking, which can toughen the egg white. Last but not least, always use fresher eggs when frying. Older eggs will spread out in the pan and not hold their shape, becoming thin and loose.

Fried eggs are cooked in stages: sunny side up, over easy (runny yolk), over medium (soft yolk) and over hard (firm yolk). Once the butter (or any other fat that appeals to you; bacon drippings are delicious) is melted over a medium heat and the pan is hot, crack the egg directly into the pan, holding it as close to the bottom of the pan as possible so that the egg does not spread out too much. Once the egg hits the hot pan, the white seizes and its shape sets. Season with salt and pepper, then lower the heat to medium-low so that the eggs are cooked more gently to ensure tenderness.

A sunny-side-up egg is cooked on one side until the whites are firm and the yolk is runny, about 4-6 minutes. The whites can be basted with the hot fat, or the egg can be steamed by adding a few drops of water to the pan and then covered with a lid (a technique often used at diners on the griddle); this will also cook the yolk without it touching the heat directly.

If you want to turn the eggs, carefully flip them using a spatula once the whites have set. For over easy eggs, cook for a mere 30 seconds or so, just long enough for a thin film to form over the yolk without coloration. For over medium eggs, cook for about 1 minute, or until the yolk develops a thick skin. For over hard eggs, cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the yolk is firm and golden brown.

Egg Chemistry
The chemistry of eggs is too complex to cover in detail in this format. However, there are some points worth discussing that are helpful for the home cook. Eggs serve many purposes in recipes, ranging from emulsification to aeration. When eggs whites are whisked, they trap many millions of air bubbles, holding air and therefore lightening mixtures to which they are added. When cooked this microscopic lattice structure sets, which stabilizes and increases the volume of the food. Many recipes are based on this unique trait, such as meringues and soufflés.

Eggs are sticky and moist, which makes them excellent binders. Ground meat is often combined with eggs (i.e., meatballs and hamburgers). Croquettes, griddle cakes and fish cakes all call for whole eggs to bind the remaining ingredients. Omitting an egg from a crab mixture, for example, would be problematic if you are making crab cakes. Without the egg, the lean crab mixture would not hold together when the cakes are formed. A hamburger, on the other hand, may have enough fat and stickiness, in which case an egg would be superfluous. The egg's sticky property also makes it the universal undercoating onto which an outer coating can adhere, such as bread crumbs.

Whole eggs are excellent thickening agents when beaten and added to soups and sauces. The combination of the egg's protein content and textural properties thickens liquids when heated. As eggs heat, they disperse and suspend themselves in the liquid. This is the foundation of a custard or crème anglaise. If the mixture is overheated, however, the eggs will curdle, which is a scrambling of sorts. A double boiler can be helpful in this respect.

The emulsifying power of eggs is best exemplified by the miracle of mayonnaise (perhaps the inspiration for one famous brand's name?). Without eggs, mayonnaise would be oil, seasoning and some form of acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice. When oil is slowly added to the egg while being beaten, the egg grabs and suspends the oil, changing the color, texture and taste of the product. The acid aids in maintaining the emulsification and balances the flavors.

In the last several weeks we have covered many topics within the world of eggs. I hope these tips and explanations have lived up to your eggspectations!