Over the years I've cooked many an egg, and have finessed my own personal method of how to scramble an egg. Truth be told, I prefer my eggs to be scrambled, but I rarely order them that way when I eat out. I like my scrambled eggs--soft with an almost creamy consistency, salty and buttery but not too heavy.
I spent Christmas with family--all of them very discerning with their food preferences. One of my sisters swears she hates eggs, but she'll eat my scrambled eggs every time I make them. I whipped up a large batch of scrambled eggs on Christmas morning. My mom marveled at them and said, "These are the best scrambled eggs I've ever eaten. What did you put into them?" My answer, which was the simple truth of the matter: "Butter and love."
I hesitate to describe my method of cooking scrambled eggs for the simple reason that the debate over how to "properly" cook an egg has a long and tempestuous history among culinary professionals and enthusiasts. I flatly refuse to engage in any conversation that argues the points of egg cookery (the only exception to date being a humorous and informative exchange of information on the topic with Harold McGee). Lifetime grudges have ensued from passionate disagreements between chefs on this topic. Battle lines have been drawn in kitchens on this point. It isn't pretty.
And so I put forth this method not as *The* best method, but as *My* best method to make scrambled eggs--the eggs I enjoy cooking, and eating, and serving to family and friends. I do this for my Mama, who called me this morning and asked me to walk her through making scrambled eggs, which I did. And just so you can make them again, Mom, here you go.
My Best Scrambled Eggs
2 large eggs at room temperature*
3-finger pinch of kosher salt (NOT iodized)
a bowl big enough to beat the eggs in (one that holds at least 2 cups)
a fork to beat the eggs
1 tbsp butter
love
7" or 8" non-stick frying pan
rubber scraper spatula
a plate to remove the eggs to when they are done cooking
a fork (different from the one above) with which to eat the eggs
It is very important to have all of the things listed ready to go before you start cooking. Making scrambled eggs is a very time sensitive business. If you don't have a plate ready to remove the eggs when they are done cooking, you will have overcooked eggs, which are not my best scrambled eggs. On this point I can not be too emphatic of the importance.
*If you keep your eggs in the refrigerator, take two out before you go to bed and let them sit at room temperature overnight. Don't let the FDA or USDA scare you--eggs in their uncracked shell keep quite well for a few weeks at cool room temperature (68F to 73F). If you are uncomfortable with the idea of leaving your eggs out, you can bring them up to temperature by placing the eggs (in their shells) in a bowl that holds at least 6 cups, then running hot tap water (up to 120F--any hotter and you may scald yourself) into the bowl and letting the eggs sit for 5-10 minutes.
To see if the egg has warmed up sufficiently, hold it in the palm of your hand and gently cup in with your fingers for about 20-30 seconds. If you can discern the egg shell becoming cooler in that time, the inside of the egg has not sufficiently warmed up. Return to the hot water bath, refreshing with more hot water if necessary, until the egg held in your hand feels at least as warm as room temperature.
Once your eggs are ready, and you have assembled all of the above ingredients and equipment, you are about three minutes away from having scrambled eggs ready to eat. If you attempt this method, I would suggest you try it exactly as written just for the first time. The directions are written in a very specific order for purposes of timing. You will find that once the eggs hit the pan, they will be cooked enough to remove to the plate in a little less than a minute. If you move steps around or don't have ingredients/equipment ready, the eggs may overcook and become rubbery.
First, crack the eggs into a bowl big enough to beat them in (one that holds at least two cups). Discard the egg shells.
Place the skillet over medium high heat.
Add a three-finger pinch of kosher salt to the eggs. (A "three-finger pinch" employs your thumb, index and middle fingers. Reach into a container of kosher salt and "pinch" with those three fingers. What you get goes right into the egg bowl). Beat well with a fork until salt is well mixed, and yolks and whites are well blended. This should take you about 30-45 seconds.
Set the bowl aside and test your pan. If you hold your hand flat and bring it to about one inch above the bottom of the pan, it should feel extremely warm but not uncomfortably hot. When the butter goes into the pan you want it to melt but not sizzle; It should definitely not brown. To take out a little insurance, you can get your hand wet from the faucet and shake a few drops into the skillet. The should land in the pan and sort of simmer. If they turn immediately to steam, you have heated your skillet too long.
So add the butter to the pan when the skillet is ready. Let the butter melt and tilt the pan so the butter spread around to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the butter has must melted, pour the eggs into the pan.
The eggs should begin to set very quickly, within 5-10 seconds. Using the flat side of rubber scraper spatula, gently pull the cooked part of the egg away from the side of the skillet and toward the center of the pan, letting the still liquidy uncooked part of the eggs slide beneath the cooked part to the bottom of the pan. Do this at the 10 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock points of the pan, working quickly (it should take you no more than 15 seconds). Then remove the pan from the heat source. (Yes, you read that right. The carry over heat from the pan and in the eggs will continue to cook them).
Continue stirring the eggs, folding them over if necessary. Cook them until they still look a little moist then transfer them to a plate. (Yes, you read that right. If you wait until the eggs look cooked in the pan, they will be overcooked and rubbery on the plate. If you've done it the way I do it, the eggs will have been in the pan for about 60 seconds.)
If you think you might want toast with your eggs, put the bread in the toaster before you start the egg making process. When you get to the part where you crack the eggs, start the toaster. The toast will be ready for buttering when you plate the eggs, and the minute it takes to butter the toast will allow the eggs to "coast" to the perfect temperature and doneness.
Et voilà! My best scrambled eggs. Can you taste the love?
