Separating Egg Whites: Back to Basics | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!
Today, we head into our test kitchen as I showcase a few tips on easily separating eggs. One of them even uses an empty water bottle. Yes, you heard correctly! Who knew separating eggs could be so fun! Before we get started, let’s set the foundation for first, cracking your eggs:
Where should I crack my egg:
· Always crack your egg on a flat surface, like your countertop, and not on the edge of the bowl. Cracking your egg on the rim of the bowl can easily break and shatter the shell making it hard to “fish out” of the eggs in the bowl below.
I see chefs cracking their eggs in one hand, how do I do that?
· Practice my friends, lots of practice!
How do I get a shell shard out of my eggs?
· Use a clean spoon or your clean finger to remove the shell. Sometimes even a fork works! Whatever you do, don’t use the egg’s shell to remove the shard as the shell could be contaminated. Where do you think the shell sat after it came from the chicken? Just saying!
How should I store my eggs:
· In the carton they came in or in your refrigerator’s provided egg tray. The best option is keeping them in the carton they came in as eggs quickly take on neighboring flavors and the carton helps to act as a shield and buffer.
Alright, enough of that. Let’s get crack’n…pun absolutely intended! Here are a few of the best methods for quickly and efficiently separating your eggs! I encourage you to try them all, after all, breakfast for dinner is so in vogue right now!
Using your Hands:
What you will need:
· 3 bowls: 1 for egg whites, 1 for yolks and 1 for discarding empty shells.
· Counter space: Clean!
· Clean Hands: Don’t use fragrant soap as the aroma can impart flavor into your eggs.
Steps:
1. Clean and dry hands.
2. Crack eggs, one at a time, on a flat surface.
3. Transfer entire egg, yolk and white, into the palm of one hand and teeter back and forth between both hands allowing the whites to seep through your fingers into the bowl designated for whites below. Be gentle or you could break the yolk.
4. Repeat with the remaining eggs, composting the shells and thoroughly washing your hands to follow.
Shell to Shell:
What you will need:
· 3 bowls: 1 for egg whites, 1 for yolks and 1 for discarding empty shells.
· Counter space: Clean!
Steps:
1. Working with one egg at a time, gently crack the egg on a flat surface, like your countertop.
2. Gently teeter the egg back and forth between both shells, allowing the egg white to fall in the bowl designated for whites below.
3. Repeat with the remaining eggs, composting the shells and thoroughly washing your hands and counter to follow.
Using an Egg Separator:
What you need:
· Egg separator, like the one pictured above from OXO ($5.00 at Sur La Table).
· 3 bowls: 1 for egg whites, 1 for yolks and 1 for discarding empty shells.
Steps:
1. Place the egg separator over the bowl designated for egg whites.
2. Working with one egg at a time, crack an egg into the separator. Watch as the whites quickly seep through the spacing along the edges leaving the yolk intact.
3. Transfer the yolk to the bowl designated for yolks, and repeat this process.
4. Repeat with the remaining eggs, composting the shells and thoroughly washing your hands and counter to follow.
Using a Plastic Water Bottle:
What you need:
· 1 clean and empty plastic water bottle with the cap removed.
· 1 plate
· 3 bowls: 1 for egg whites, 1 for yolks and 1 for discarding empty shells.
Steps:
· Starting with one egg, crack an egg on to the plate below, ensuring the yolk is still intact. Note: As you get the hang of it, you can do several eggs at one time.
· Using your empty water bottle, squeeze the sides of the bottle and gently place the mouth-tip over the yolk. Slowly release the pressure from squeezing the sides of the bottle and watch as the release of pressure works as a vacuum sucking up the yolk into the bottle and leaving the whites behind.
· Release the yolk from the bottle by gently squeezing the sides of the bottle into the bowl reserved for yolks.
· Repeat this process, “vacuuming” more than one yolk at a time as you get more comfortable.
For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, including numerous recipes featuring eggs like my chocolate soufflé, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!
P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!
Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!
Sincerely,
Tiffany Lewis
Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!