OT: Best scrambled eggs - your recipe or eating out

[storrsroars]

I'm an over easy guy and that's how I make eggs and order them out 90% of the time. But I made some scrambled eggs yesterday that were exquisite.

As I mentioned in the "addictive YT" thread a few days ago, at the end of a "Hot Ones" episode with Gordon Ramsey, Evans asked him to make scrambled eggs. And I was intrigued. First off, Ramsey didn't beat the eggs prior to putting them in the pan (in fact, he used a pot). He just cracked the eggs into the pot, then started moving them around with a heat-proof spatula. He took it off the heat several times to ensure they didn't cook too quickly. He cautioned to not season the eggs until they were set as that would affect the cooking. And he added creme fraiche instead of something like milk, sour cream or cream cheese. Chives and seasoning were added at the end. They looked exquisite.

So yesterday I decided to experiment. I didn't have any creme fraiche lying around and didn't want to use sour cream. But I had full fat ricotta. And we've got a bunch of chives growing - and what the hell do you use them for except eggs, baked potatoes and fish? So I took out a pot, cracked six eggs into it and went about doing my best imitation of what Ramsay did. So a handful of chives got chopped up.

Result was the best scrambled eggs either I or my wife have ever had. I wouldn't throw hot sauce on the eggs, but I made some hash browns for a hot sauce sponge and served up with some fried kielbasa.

Other than free hotel breakfast buffets, I have pretty much shunned scrambled eggs for years. But this was an epiphany. And while I'm totally satisfied with the results I got with this recipe, I'm wondering if any of y'all have tricks to up my scrambled egg game even further.

 

[8893]

Any toddler can make scrambled eggs.

My step-mother used to make them for dinner occasionally, with chopped up hot dogs. Didn’t love it, but it was better than Hamburger Helper night. Which was better than Tuna Helper night.

I’m also over easy 90% of the time. If am scrambling, it’s for an omelet, which is a whole ‘nother thing.

I did learn a lot about making omelets. Using water instead of milk was an epiphany. Learned that while participating in a demo at the Big E around 30 years ago. Tilting the pan, too.

Ever whip the ricotta and serve with meatballs over a nice green salad, O&V?

 

[Hoophound]

I melt a generous amount of Irish butter in the pan at less than medium heat. I then beat the eggs very throughly with a splash of half and half, water or milk. Then, I cook the eggs very slowly so there is no browning whatsoever. About halfway through, I add Muenster in quarter size pieces and fold it in. I then make sure to get the eggs off the burner just as the large majority of wet egg is gone. This results in very flavorful, fluffy and creamy eggs. Sometimes I add fresh salsa, sour cream, Greek yogurt, sautéed vegetables or Boars Head Deluxe ham.

Slow cooking and no browning are the key, with or without cheese. It also pays to buy organic, free range eggs. They usually have significantly better color and flavor. Definitely worth the money, for myriad reasons.

 

[Hoophound]

Any toddler can make scrambled eggs.

My step-mother used to make them for dinner occasionally, with chopped up hot dogs. Didn’t love it, but it was better than Hamburger Helper night. Which was better than Tuna Helper night.

I’m also over easy 90% of the time. If am scrambling, it’s for an omelet, which is a whole ‘nother thing.

I did learn a lot about making omelets. Using water instead of milk was an epiphany. Learned that while participating in a demo at the Big E around 30 years ago. Tilting the pan, too.

Ever whip the ricotta and serve with meatballs over a nice green salad, O&V?

I remember those Big E omelet demos. I remember having a great omelet sample. My parents bought a Vitamix that day. They still have it and use it.

 

[UofCT]

@campcalhoun2009 needs to weigh in

 

[8893]

I melt a generous amount of Irish butter in the pan at less than medium heat. I then beat the eggs very throughly with a splash of half and half, water or milk. Then, I cook the eggs very slowly so there is no browning whatsoever. About halfway through, I add Muenster in quarter size pieces and fold it in. I then make sure to get the eggs off the burner just as the large majority of wet egg is gone. This results in very flavorful, fluffy and creamy eggs. Sometimes I add fresh salsa, sour cream, Greek yogurt, sautéed vegetables or Boars Head Deluxe ham.

Slow cooking and no browning are the key, with or without cheese. It also pays to buy organic, free range eggs. They usually have significantly better color and flavor. Definitely worth the money, for myriad reasons.

Good eggs make such a difference. My wife gets them from a woman she works with who has chickens and they are awesome.

I remember those Big E omelet demos. I remember having a great omelet sample. My parents bought a Vitamix that day. They still have it and use it.

We had been at the UConn-Yale football game at the Yale Bowl all day and then went to the Big E. I was not close to sober and got separated from the people I went there with. IIRC it was supposed to be some kind of double date with twin sisters, so it was the sisters, my roommate and me. They found me on stage making omelets.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Definitely an over easy guy.

Also was working some phenomenal red snapper omelettes last week.

Key to scrambled eggs is the low heat. I usually have mine off the range and on a hot pad once they are about halfway done.

 

[Fishy]

Good eggs make such a difference. My wife gets them from a woman she works with who has chickens and they are awesome.

We simply could not be more different.

 

[8893]

We simply could not be more different.

We’ll always have Lagavulin. And Green Spot.

And lobster rolls.

 

[storrsroars]

Any toddler can make scrambled eggs.

But not any toddler can make ethereal scrambled eggs. These were several notches above what I'd be fed before.

Honestly, I never really thought about them much as my mother's version wasn't much better than that at a Holiday Inn Express. I really never bothered with them, but something about what Ramsay was doing flipped a switch.

As it's very apparent you enjoy good food, I'd take another look at technique and ingredients and see what happens.

 

[superjohn]

I'm an over easy guy and that's how I make eggs and order them out 90% of the time. But I made some scrambled eggs yesterday that were exquisite.

As I mentioned in the "addictive YT" thread a few days ago, at the end of a "Hot Ones" episode with Gordon Ramsey, Evans asked him to make scrambled eggs. And I was intrigued. First off, Ramsey didn't beat the eggs prior to putting them in the pan (in fact, he used a pot). He just cracked the eggs into the pot, then started moving them around with a heat-proof spatula. He took it off the heat several times to ensure they didn't cook too quickly. He cautioned to not season the eggs until they were set as that would affect the cooking. And he added creme fraiche instead of something like milk, sour cream or cream cheese. Chives and seasoning were added at the end. They looked exquisite.

So yesterday I decided to experiment. I didn't have any creme fraiche lying around and didn't want to use sour cream. But I had full fat ricotta. And we've got a bunch of chives growing - and what the hell do you use them for except eggs, baked potatoes and fish? So I took out a pot, cracked six eggs into it and went about doing my best imitation of what Ramsay did. So a handful of chives got chopped up.

Result was the best scrambled eggs either I or my wife have ever had. I wouldn't throw hot sauce on the eggs, but I made some hash browns for a hot sauce sponge and served up with some fried kielbasa.

Other than free hotel breakfast buffets, I have pretty much shunned scrambled eggs for years. But this was an epiphany. And while I'm totally satisfied with the results I got with this recipe, I'm wondering if any of y'all have tricks to up my scrambled egg game even further.

I've been making them like that for years. Seems so simple but most people overcook scrambled eggs, they are supposed to be creamy and fluffy. Use good eggs and Irish butter.

 

[storrsroars]

I've been making them like that for years. Seems so simple but most people overcook scrambled eggs, they are supposed to be creamy and fluffy. Use good eggs and Irish butter.

You could be a three-star Michelin chef!

I think in addition to judicious heat application, not beating the things before putting them in the pan/pot made a world of difference. Like even with a fluffy omelette when you separate the whites from yolks and beat them separately before recombining, you could do that here for scrambled and it would still pale in comparison to the end result using Ramsay's method.

 

[superjohn]

You could be a three-star Michelin chef.

No, I just saw the same video you did but years before.

Youtube also taught me the best way to cook a steak.

 

[auror]

I'm in camp salt and beat ahead of time.

But you need to do it several minutes before you cook them and wait for the eggs to darken in color. At this point the eggs will retain more moisture.

How to Make Fluffy Scrambled Eggs

Do you have to add milk to scrambled eggs? No, but they keep the dish more flavorful and moist. Go on, give it a try.

www.seriouseats.com

Butter and cheese always help. Sometimes I like soft and creamy, other times big and fluffy. I don't usually go for the spoonable creamy French bistro style.

 

[temery]

The best scrambled eggs are the ones never made. Scrambled eggs suck. Eggs suck, unless you're smoking pork inside.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Any toddler can make scrambled eggs.

My step-mother used to make them for dinner occasionally, with chopped up hot dogs. Didn’t love it, but it was better than Hamburger Helper night. Which was better than Tuna Helper night.

I’m also over easy 90% of the time. If am scrambling, it’s for an omelet, which is a whole ‘nother thing.

I did learn a lot about making omelets. Using water instead of milk was an epiphany. Learned that while participating in a demo at the Big E around 30 years ago. Tilting the pan, too.

Ever whip the ricotta and serve with meatballs over a nice green salad, O&V?

Regarding omelets. Once the bottom sets in a nonstick pan, I place them under a preheated broiler. Makes it puff up semisouffle style. You can add what you like to one side either before or after the broiler part. Salsa I wait until it completes cooking. Slide half off onto plate then roll the other half off by turning the pan on top of the first half. Thanks storrsroars for the scrambled tip.

 

[storrsroars]

This is essentially exactly what Ramsay did on the Hot Ones vid I referenced in the OP. I read some other posts yesterday which were very scientific in how much liquid/fat to add and advocating advanced seasoning and beating, but I'd let your taste buds determine what's delicious. And these were delicious with a texture I completely enjoyed.

 

[storrsroars]

Ever whip the ricotta and serve with meatballs over a nice green salad, O&V?

I'm not a big hot meat over cold salad greens kinda guy. That's big here (steak salads, tenders salads, fries on salad, etc) and immediately marks me as a non-native.

I don't use a ton of ricotta except with pastas and eggplant parm, but am open to other ideas. But, it's a major component of my current favorite summer pasta sauce, which I enjoy far more than any pesto these days. I've been riffing off this, sometimes adding other herbs from the garden instead of/in addition to the basil (which has really been growing well this year).

 

[Edward Sargent]

I like to make my margarita eggs with some chopped fresh basil, a few chopped cherry tomatoes and a dab of ricotta. I have also scraped the topping off a left over piece of pizza and mixed it in with my scrambled eggs. Our favorite pizza is white pizza with sausage, mushroom, fresh tomatoes and spinach or sausage mushroom clams and carmelized onions either one are great scraped into an egg scramble.

 

[storrsroars]

I like to make my margarita eggs with some chopped fresh basil, a few chopped cherry tomatoes and a dab of ricotta. I have also scraped the topping off a left over piece of pizza and mixed it in with my scrambled eggs. Our favorite pizza is white pizza with sausage, mushroom, fresh tomatoes and spinach or sausage mushroom clams and carmelized onions either one are great scraped into an egg scramble.

I am a fan of creative repurposing if leftovers.Since my favorite takeout pizza place here closed due to covid, and crusts at other nearby places suck, I will keep this in mind!

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Gotta use a well heated cast iron pan. Never olive oil. Butter or just a really well heated pan. Something about the mix of egg and olive oil tastes awful IMO. Cheddar cheese, garlic salt, pepper. Sometimes pesto. Avocado if available.

 

[August_West]

I'm an over easy guy and that's how I make eggs and order them out 90% of the time. But I made some scrambled eggs yesterday that were exquisite.

As I mentioned in the "addictive YT" thread a few days ago, at the end of a "Hot Ones" episode with Gordon Ramsey, Evans asked him to make scrambled eggs. And I was intrigued. First off, Ramsey didn't beat the eggs prior to putting them in the pan (in fact, he used a pot). He just cracked the eggs into the pot, then started moving them around with a heat-proof spatula. He took it off the heat several times to ensure they didn't cook too quickly. He cautioned to not season the eggs until they were set as that would affect the cooking. And he added creme fraiche instead of something like milk, sour cream or cream cheese. Chives and seasoning were added at the end. They looked exquisite.

So yesterday I decided to experiment. I didn't have any creme fraiche lying around and didn't want to use sour cream. But I had full fat ricotta. And we've got a bunch of chives growing - and what the hell do you use them for except eggs, baked potatoes and fish? So I took out a pot, cracked six eggs into it and went about doing my best imitation of what Ramsay did. So a handful of chives got chopped up.

Result was the best scrambled eggs either I or my wife have ever had. I wouldn't throw hot sauce on the eggs, but I made some hash browns for a hot sauce sponge and served up with some fried kielbasa.

Other than free hotel breakfast buffets, I have pretty much shunned scrambled eggs for years. But this was an epiphany. And while I'm totally satisfied with the results I got with this recipe, I'm wondering if any of y'all have tricks to up my scrambled egg game even further.

Im not a scamble guy either, (over easy or poached, which is another really hard thing to get right) but enjoy them from time to time. I think the part I bolded from your post, no matter the method or ingredient additions is the key.

People cook them too hot.

Just like a perfect omelette. You cannot cook it too hot OR too low. There is a very narrow temp sweet spot for the eggs to set right but not brown.
Especially omelettes that you are filling. If you want to keep them yellow with no brown but have it cooked all the way and perfectly folded, the most important thing by far is temp management.

 

[August_West]

Gotta use a well heated cast iron pan. Never olive oil. Butter or just a really well heated pan. Something about the mix of egg and olive oil tastes awful IMO. Cheddar cheese, garlic salt, pepper. Sometimes pesto. Avocado if available.

maybe for a frittata.
I use cast iron for everything, and for frittatas you cant use anything else, but when Im cooking any type of egg whether over easy, scrambled or omelettes you gotta pull out the non-stick cookwear.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

* Turn stove on to a 6 out of 10 heat level and warm up my go-to pan.
* Stir 3 eggs in a cereal bowl with a fork. No pre-seasoning, milk, nothing.
* Once the pan is warm, put about 1-2 teaspoons of oil, just enough to cover the pan. I use meh quality olive oil.
* Pour eggs in a motion where it will cover as much of the area of the pan as possible.
* Do nothing until you start to see a slight turning on the edges. Once this happens, fold the eggs in half and then wait another ~30 seconds.
* Use spatula to divvy up into smaller segments, just to ensure that you are serving scrambled eggs and not an omelet.
* Plate and season to your desire. Here's where I salt, pepper and place into warmed corn tortillas.

 

[huskeynut]

For scrambled eggs, I use 3 or 4 eggs and milk.

While the skillet is heating up, I chop up some red onion, green bell pepper and some ham. Once the skillet is at the right temp, melt some butter on it and put the onion, pepper and ham on to cook. I put a large pot lid over the skillet to keep the contents from popping around. While the ingedients are cooking, I mix up the eggs and milk. When ready I pour the eggs over the mix and then shake on some parmesan cheese.

Use the spatula to turn the mix and chop it up and keep it fluffy. A little Frank's always goes well.