Did you know you’ve probably been cooking eggs wrong this whole time? But don’t despair: you’re not alone. For such a popular food, eggs are notoriously tricky to get right. Sure, everyone can make just-about-edible eggs, but from texture to eggshells to flavoring, there are a thousand possible pitfalls. Luckily, most of them are pretty easily avoided when you know the truth.
Everyone seems to have their own favorite way of making eggs. Hell, some people even scramble them in the microwave. There are certainly a lot of ways to go wrong, though. For example, by cracking your eggs on the side of a bowl, you make your life harder and increase the chances of bits of shell getting into the eggs. (Try a flat surface instead.)
We’ve all been stuck trying to peel hard-boiled eggs right away and ended up with disfigured, lumpy eggs. Turns out waiting for them to cool makes the job much easier. Similarly, high heat will make scrambled eggs tough and rubbery, while medium or low heat will get you a fluffier result. (Patience is a recurring theme in the world of eggs.) And if your poached eggs aren’t holding together, it could be because you’re adding salt to the water (which loosens egg white), rather than to the finished dish. With a bit of practice, you can master eggs and impress all of your friends with chef-quality breakfasts.