Eggs

Structure of the Egg Albumen: egg white

o Will be come thinner as eggs age o The fresher the egg the cloudy-white it will look

Yolk: yellow portion o Flatten as ages o Color depends on hen’s dieto Red spot near yolk mean that one or more

small blood vessels in the yolk have ruptured Chalazae: two, thick, twisted stands of

albumen that anchor the yolk in the center of an egg

Nutrients in egg Whites & yolks

o Protein & vitamin B12, vitamin A, iron, calcium Yolks

o Contain more vitamins and minerals than white o One of the few natural source of Vitamin D o Fats and cholesterol

• Eat yolks in moderation 80 calories per large egg Brown Vs White

o Breed of the hen – determine shell coloro Color not related to – nutrients, flavor, or

cooking quality

Buying Eggs Grades

o AA, A , B o Same nutritional value o Grade AA & A thicker white suitable when

appearance is important o Grade B – used just for baking

Size o Medium, large, extra large, and jumbo o Always assume large egg

Storing Eggs Highly perishable – place in frig right away Don’t wash – removes protective coating

and allows bacteria to enter Keep in original carton rather than tray in

frig – door will be warmer than carton Shells are porous – they will pick up

aromas of food in the frig o May lose quality after too much exposure

Discard – dirty, cracked, or leaking eggs

Storing Eggs cont. Refrigerator

o Raw eggs – 4 weekso Egg mixture – use within 3 dayso Hard boiled egg – use within a week

Freezing o Place egg white in ice cube tray • 2 egg whites equal one egg

o Do not freeze cooked eggs – they will be rubbery and tough

o Yolk – need to add salt and sugar o Never freeze whole egg in sell may burst

Egg Substitutes Frozen or refrigerated liquid forms Made of – egg whites, veg oil, tofu, nonfat

dry milk powder, chemical additives, emulsifiers, stabilizers, antioxidants, artificial color

No egg yolk – no cholesterol or fat and lower calories

More expensive than eggs

Egg Science Eggs act as a binder, thickener, leavening

agent & emulsifier o Because of high protein content

Coagulate: egg becomes firm, changing from a liquid to a semisolid or solid state o Helps with the binding of ingredients o High heat and overcooking cause an egg’s

protein structure to tighten and push out water• Make the protein tough and watery

Egg Science cont. Emulsifier: hold together two

liquids that normally won’t stay mixedo Water and oil

Foams – when you beat egg whites, a foam forms (leavening agent) o Adds volume and lightness to

baked products o Angel food cakes & meringues o Soufflé: folding stiffly beaten

whites into a sauce or pureed foods

Preparing Eggs for Cooking

Separating eggs o Break into an egg separator o Use your hand o Rock the egg yolk back and

forth in the shell Cracking the shell

o Hold in one hand and tap on counter or side of bowl

o Crack all eggs individual into small dish in case there is any shell that falls into the batter

Preparing Eggs for Cooking cont.

Beating egg whites o No yolk – the fat can keep a foam from reaching full

volume o Bowls – glass or metal

• Plastic and wooden absorb fat • Aluminum darken the whites

o Allow eggs to set at room temp for 20 minutes to reach full volume • Protein does not break down as readily to create

foam o Acidic – cream of tartar, vinegar, or lemon juice

• Helps stability o Sugar – will help stabilize but increases beating

time – added at the end of beating process o Salt – decrease stability – add to other ingredients

rather than whites

Preparing Eggs for Cooking cont.

Beating egg whites cont. o Peaks – lift the

beaters out of the mixture • Soft peak:

gently bend over like waves

Stiff peak: stand up straight

Preparing Eggs for Cooking cont.

Beating egg whites cont.o Overmixing – foam turns

dry, hard, and lumpy – making it fall apart

o Folding – do gently • Stirring and beating

causes loss of air and volume

• White on the top – cut down into the middle - flip upside down – turn bowl – repeat

Cooking with Eggs White cooked until firm Yolk should be thickened, not runny Never eat raw or undercooked eggs,

contain salmonella

Egg Cooked in the Shell

Single layer of eggs on bottom of pan Add water to 1 inch above eggs Cover pan and bring to a boil Turn heat off as soon as boiling begins Let eggs stand

o 12 min for medium o 15 min for largeo 18 min for extra large

Immediately pour off hot water and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process

Cracks – because of overheated or overcooked o Single layer

Egg Cooked in the Shell cont.

Gray-green color – sulfur in white and iron in yolk react – over cooked

Peeling eggso Gently tap the egg all

over on the counter to crack the shell – roll to loosen the shell – peel the shell

o Fresh eggs are harder to peel than older eggs

Poached Egg Water/Milk/Broth in saucepan about 2 to 3

inches Heat to boil and then reduce to gentle

simmer Break egg into small dish – one at a time Slip the egg into water Cook until white is set – 3 to 5 minutes Remove with slotted spoon Usually served over toast

Frying Egg Fry in oil, margarine, or butter Heat small amount of fat in skillet over

medium-high heat until hot enough to sizzle a drop of water

Break egg into a custard dish Slide egg into frying pan Cook until whites are completely set and yolk

has thickened Cook the top part of the egg

o Flip the egg o Cover with lid the last few minutes

Over easy egg - yolk is still slightly runny

Scrambled egg Fluffy scrambled egg – beat eggs and

water/milk in bowl o 1 tbsp of liquid per egg

Heat pan with small amt of fat Pour egg mixture into heated skills – let stand

for 30 to 60 seconds Pull inverted turner through eggs – forms

curds and allows uncooked egg to the bottom Continue until eggs are thickened and no

visible liquid o Don’t stir constantly – can create tough curds

Can scramble directly in the pan

Baked Egg Shirred eggs: baked eggs Break into small bowl Slip them into greased shallow baking dish

or large custard cup o Top with small amount of milk – to prevent

drying out Bake at 325 for 12 to 18 minutes

Basic Omelet

Omelet: egg mixture together to form a large, thick pancake, filled and then folded over before serving

Mix 2 eggs, 2 tbsp water, dash of salt and pepper with a fork or whisk until just blended

Heat 1 tbsp butter/oil in omelet pan or skillets over medium heat until hot enough to sizzle a drop of water o Pour all egg in all at once o Allow to flow to edge of pan – do not stir

Basic Omelet cont. With turner – lift just a little around the

firming edge so that uncooked portion flows beneath o Tilt pan as needed o Be careful not to break the mixtureo Continue until top is thickened and no visible

liquid egg remains Spread filling over half of the omelet Using turner, fold the omelet in half

o Tilting skills slightly away from you and folding toward the low side may help

Slide omelet onto a plate and serve

Basic Omelet cont. Omelet filling – anything you can imagine Frittata: like an omelet, but the

ingredients are stirred into the egg mixture

Microwaving Eggs Fried egg – break egg into lightly greased

dish – pierce yolk – cover & cook at 50% power for 2 to 3 minutes – let stand, covered, until white completely set for 30 sec to 1 min

Scrambled eggs – pour beaten egg into custard cup – cook on full power, stirring once or twice, until almost set, about 1 to 1½ minutes – may need to cover and let stand about 1 min

Microwaving Eggs cont.

Poached egg – pour hot water into custard cup – break and slip egg – pierce yolk – cook full power for 1½ to 3 minutes – let stand, covered until white are thickened – lift egg with slotted spoon or pour water off

Custards Custards: thickened blend of milk, eggs,

and sugar Soft custard – creamy and pourable

o Pudding or sauce o Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until

thick enough to coat a metal spoon – cool quickly by setting pan in a bowl of cold water

o Overcooked – custard will curdleo Undercooked – custard will stay thin and

watery

Custards Baked custard – firm and delicate texture

o Add water around the baking to help the custard from over cooking

o Baked custard until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean

o Quiche: pie with custard filling, contain such food as chopped veg, cheese, and chopped cooked meat

Meringues Meringue: foam made of beaten egg

whites and sugar and used for baked desserts

Beat egg whites along with cream of tarter until foamy and gradually beat in sugar, one tbsp at a time

2 styles of meringueo Soft meringueo Hard meringue

Meringues cont. Soft meringue

o Spread over precooked pie filling – needs to touch edge/crust otherwise will shrink

o Bake until peaks are lightly browned• Over baked - tough & chewy skin forms

o Poach soft meringue • Milk or water in sauce pan, deep enough for spoonful to

float• Drop spoonfuls• Custard will expand • Simmer about 5 minutes • May need to flip • Remove and drain• Serve immediately or chill for later

Meringues cont. Hard meringue

o Beat egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks

o Line baking pan with parchment paper or foil

o Drop desired amount (spoonful) • Pastry tube for design

o Bake at low temp for long time • Allow water to evaporate slowly –

leaving meringue light and crisp o If they do not dry well they

become sticky and chewy