We use eggs in so many recipes. They seem to be a staple in the kitchen.
An egg can be cooked alone “boiled, poached, fried, and scrambled.
Or used as an ingredient in baking, batters and cakes.
Alternatively use an egg to thicken sauces or to add air to lighten dishes.
The egg is truly amazing. And without it “well our menus sure would be lifeless.
But did you know much about the egg?
Chances are that you have never even given it a thought. Well it's time you probably did.
The most critical aspect of the egg is “its air content. (I bet you thought I was going to say the shell).
When first laid, the egg has hardly any air within a tiny air pocket. Nonetheless as the shell is porous, it allows air to penetrate. And as time marches on, air moves inside the egg and the air pocket grows.
As this air pocket enlarges, the moisture in the egg dissipates. Therefore as the egg gets older the yolk becomes less plump and flatter and the white separates and spreads.
And this all impacts on cooking. Depending on how you intend on utilising the egg decides how fresh an egg you should use.
If you fry an older egg, you may end with a flat ‘pancake ‘ instead of a neat rounded egg.
The more rancid an egg the more fragile and difficult to separate it will be.
In contrast to the fresh egg, which has a tight and tough inner skin? This makes peeling the shell off the boiled egg terribly annoying. As the egg ages with skin relaxes permitting the shell to skin way easier.
If you're sufficiently lucky to have your own hens, then you know how old your eggs are. But what if you've got to buy them?
The easiest methodology of tell how old an egg is, is to put the egg in a dish of water.
If it sinks and lies horizontally, then it is terribly fresh.
If it sinks but leans barely, then it’s about 1 week old.
If it sinks but stands vertically “older, rancid.
But if it floats “it’s off and watch out not to crack the shell.
Many people would prefer brown eggs and some white. But nutritionally they're the same.
The yolks will also vary in colour relying of the diet of the hen.
Do you find your eggs crack when boiling? Well, follow these straightforward steps to get perfect eggs, ever single time.
Use 2 week old eggs and ensure they're at room temperature. Make as pin prick in the round flat end of the egg “this allows any steam that might build up to escape.
Use as little a saucepan as possible , so the eggs slot in snugly “you do not need too much space otherwise they may bounce around and crack.
Bring to the boil but only cook don't boil energetically. Follow these tips and your eggs will not crack.
So , if you're frying and poaching egg use the latest egg as practical. When the recipe needs eggs to be separated, use fresh eggs too. But if you'd like straightforward to skin eggs use the older ones. And when it comes to scrambling, fresher is best but older ones will do.
Satisfied Egg Cooking
Lisa “The Crock Cook”
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Rachel Coleman s is a writer with an interest in a wide selection of topics. Read about Poached Eggs You can visit her site for beneficial tips. Scrambled Eggs