The ultimate convenience food, eggs are powerhouses of nutrition packed with protein and eggs benedict casserole range of 18 vitamins and minerals. Eggs bind mixtures together as well as enriching the flavour. Beaten egg whites provide volume by trapping air. Read our guide on the health benefits of eggs.

It’s a good idea to crack each egg into an empty bowl before adding it to your mixing bowl, just in case it’s bad. If you’re in any doubt about how fresh an egg is before you crack it open, drop it in a glass of water. A fresh egg will drop to the bottom of the glass and stay there. When baking, use eggs at room temperature to avoid your mixture from curdling.

Beat them first before adding them to the mixture. Read more about the health benefits of eggs. Whole eggs will last for around three weeks after laying if kept in the fridge in their box or in a separate covered compartment. You can store whites for up to three weeks in a container and cover. Yolks will last up to three days, and should also be covered and chilled. Keep eggs away from strong-smelling foods as they can become tainted. Fresher eggs work best for boiling, poaching or frying, while older eggs can be used in baking, glazing and for whipping up the whites into meringues.

For individual servings, such as when frying or poaching, size doesn’t matter so much. Never buy eggs that are broken or cracked. The colour of the shell isn’t an indication of quality or the bird’s feed, it’s dictated by the breed of bird. The way in which the bird that laid the egg is reared is also an important factor in making your selection. Free-range is next, then barn eggs.

Read more about standards in egg production at British Egg Information, the official site for British Lion Quality eggs. This website is published by Immediate Media Company Limited under licence from BBC Studios Distribution. Find out about the different varieties of eggs, how to buy the best, and top tips for cooking them. Please log in with your username or email to continue. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. How is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together.

Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 30 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 119,059 times. Eggs are packed with protein and are a truly versatile food that can be cooked in many ways. Here are just a few of the most popular methods. Spray a medium skillet with cooking spray.

Set the skillet on the stove and heat it for several minutes over medium heat. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and add the milk, salt, and pepper. Beat well by hand with a wire whisk until all of the ingredients have been combine and the mixture appears mildly frothy. The eggs are the only essential ingredient, so you can choose to opt out of the milk, salt, and pepper if desired.

Milk creates a richer taste, however. If you beat the eggs lightly, the final result will be fairly dense. If you beat the eggs significantly, though, you will beat more air into the mixture and your scrambled eggs will have a lighter texture as a result. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Add the beaten eggs to the hot skillet and allow them to cook until they begin to set around the edges. Cook the eggs on medium heat to avoid overcooking or burning them.

Note that the eggs should still look liquidy along the top surface when you prepare to turn them for the first time. Turn and fold the eggs until thoroughly cooked. Once the eggs begin to set around the edges, use a heat-resistant spatula to carefully pull the eggs toward you, flipping them over so that the bottom portion comes to the top while the liquid underside gets swapped to the bottom. Pull the eggs toward you by scraping the spatula beneath them from the side opposite you and dragging the spatula toward you so that the eggs are flipped over.