How to cook eggs
Information for eggs in our free cooking ingredients collection.
Eggs
In addition to being a popular breakfast food, eggs are a symbol of beginnings. Primitive humans recognized the egg as the beginning of life, and it became a symbol of spring and fertility.
Eggs have four main parts:
Shell - As the name suggests, this is the fragile and porous outer covering. The shell is made mostly of minerals: calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and calcium phosphate.
Shell membranes - These are layers of protein fibers that stick to the shell. They provide additional protection for the egg’s insides, preventing mold and bacteria from getting in, for example.
Albumen - This is the white of the egg. It is almost all protein and water.
Yolk - The yellow bull’s eye of the egg, the yolk is made of a substance called “vitellus”. It can be a pale yellow or dark yellow. About 30 percent of the yolk is fat, and about 16 percent is protein. The remainder is made up of solids.
Eggs provide an inexpensive source of high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, including vitamins A and B12, folic acid, and phosphorus. They are an excellent source of riboflavin. The egg is also said to be a complete protein, because it contains a complete count of essential amino acids. The white supplies more than half the protein in an egg. The yolk supplies the fat, along with the remaining protein, and most of the calories.
Eggs are also graded and are classified by both size and quality. The best are grade AA or A, both of which are related to the level of freshness and the quality of the shell at marking. Most recipes are based on large eggs. Nutritionally, there’s no difference between brown eggs and white eggs. Different colored eggs come from different varieties of hens.
The most common egg used for food today is the chicken’s egg, although eggs from other fowl can be bought in specialty stores.
How to cook eggs
When selecting eggs, check the container for any cracked or broken eggs and eliminate them from the carton. Place the carton in the refrigerator for up to 5 weeks. Do not place eggs in the designated egg holders in the door of older refrigerators. It is too warm for the eggs there because they get a blast of hot air each time the door is opened. The egg carton helps keep eggs from absorbing odors from other foods and helps keep the eggs fresh.
When adding eggs to a mixing bowl, break the egg in a separate dish to make sure the egg is not rotten.
Serving suggestions
Eggs serve many purposes in cooking and preparing food, including a leavening agent in baked goods, a base for mayonnaise, and a thickener in sauces and custards.
Served alone, eggs can be poached, boiled (soft or hard), fried, scrambled, or made into an omelet. From a safety standpoint, it is recommended that both the yolk and the white be cooked until firm. Because they are made mostly of water and protein, eggs are best cooked over low heat.
Egg products
Table-ready pasteurized liquid eggs are found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket. The white and yolk of the eggs are mixed, then pasteurized at a temperature high enough to kill any bacteria without cooking the eggs. They can be refrigerated unopened for up to 12 weeks from the pack date. They can be used like eggs already scrambled. Pasteurized eggs in their shells are also now available.
Egg substitutes are a blend of egg whites and other ingredients such as food starch, corn oil, skim-milk powder, tofu, artificial coloring, and various additives. Because they are almost all protein, egg substitutes can become rubbery if overcooked.
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