Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Perfect scrambled eggs:  just about the easiest breakfast you can make—and they're packed with protein. A perfect, quick way to start your day!

So maybe I lied to you in a recent breakfast-related post. There IS a breakfast solution that's easier than a frittata, though that still runs a close second (and we're not counting boxed cereal or the drive-thru window at Micky D's). Scrambled eggs can come together in five minutes or less. They're filling and nutritious. Your body will thank you for making them.

Eggs are not the bad guys.

Yes, yes...eggs do have CHOLESTEROL. As I've mentioned elsewhere, your body NEEDS cholesterol to make cool stuff like cell walls, hormones, and vitamins—things it has to have in order to function. If you have to watch your cholesterol, leave out the yolks. Exercise is a great way offset cholesterol intake—but talk to your doctor: I am a physiologist, but I'm a PhD, not an M.D.

Back to the eggs.

• The first rule of Egg Club: never talk about Egg Club.

• Just kidding. Actually, the first rule of Egg Club is DON'T OVERCOOK THE EGGS. Brown eggs—in MY opinion—are 100% inedible. They DO make very nice superballs, however.

• Second rule of Egg Club: no ketchup. Like, EVER.

 Other than that, perfect scrambled eggs are pretty much open for interpretation.

You can eat your perfect scrambled eggs as-is with just a bit of salt and pepper. Or, you can put just about any kind of savory ingredient in your eggs: herbs, chives, cheese, bacon, etc. (don't OVERDO it). Although you don't need to, I like to add some dairy in the form of sour cream or heavy cream. It's just...I dunno...more CREAMY.

Perfect scrambled eggs: technique

First, a caveat. These are not elevated, glorious scrambled eggs like the ones in Gordon Ramsay's famous video (check it here; I DO use his technique for more special occasions, like weekends). This is an everyday scramble that, nonetheless, still manages to be quite delicious (and probably easier on the waistline because less butter comes to the party).

It's critical to whisk your eggs REALLY well so that you can't tell whites from yolks. Giving the eggs a vigorous whisk right before you put them in the pan adds air to the mixture, which amps up the fluffiness factor. If you're using some herbs or meat, stir them in and add the whole mess to your skillet.

Speaking of stirring...I remember my dad making scrambled eggs—not perfect scrambled eggs— when I was a kid: he'd stir and stir until there were itty-bitty curds of scrambled eggs (that were usually brown...ugh, gag, gag), until, finally, he'd scrape up the brown stuff that had adhered to the bottom of the pan over the (too high) heat. This probably explains why I went approximately 15 years without eating scrambled eggs. AT ALL.

When it comes to the scrambling process, I'm more of a wait-and-scrape type. As in, I let the eggs set up over low or medium-low heat (WAIT), then draw a silicone spatula through the pan to loosen and flip the eggs (SCRAPE). I only do this a couple of times, so I end up with fluffy egg pillows.

While the perfect scrambled eggs are cooking, I frequently take the pan off the heat while I'm scraping to avoid ANY POSSIBILITY of overcooking. I like my perfect scrambled eggs just barely done, even almost custardy. The trick here is to remember that the eggs will continue cooking in the residual heat after you turn off the flame. With this in mind, I take the skillet off the heat when the eggs are still slightly runny. After 30 seconds or so, they're right where I want them in terms of doneness and texture.

You'll make these perfect scrambled eggs one or two times and never look at a recipe again. And, like me, you'll probably wonder why you hadn't been making them all along. Perfect scrambled eggs are extremely versatile: they can be a simple or as indulgent as you want. Sometimes just salt and pepper is good enough for me. Other times, when I'm feeling decadent, I'll add a bit of melting cheese, which turns gooey just when the eggs are done.

The only additional note I have is that except in the case of herbs, you should not start with raw ingredients. Since the cook time is so short, meats will not cook through properly and veggies will stay raw. Veggies will also likely give off additional moisture that will ruin the texture of your eggs. If you have raw ingredients, just add a saute step and then add your egg mixture to the pan.

So that's it! Scramble away!

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Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 7 minutes

Perfect scrambled eggs are the easiest breakfast this side of the drive-thru window at Micky D's. They're done in less than 5 minutes, and can be as simple or indulgent as you want. The recipe below is my go-to, very basic scramble. You can elevate your eggs with a few snips of chives (pictured), a few crumbles of bacon, or maybe some melty cheese. If you're in a hurry, wrap it all up in a warm tortilla for an easy breakfast on-the-go.

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Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp. sour cream, (you could also use heavy cream)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil or butter, (or enough cooking spray to coat your pan)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a non-stick, 10" skillet over medium-low heat with the fat of your choice or cooking spray.
2. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl with the salt and pepper and sour cream (or cream). Pierce the yolks with a fork, then whisk vigorously until well combined and airy. Stir in any herb/bacon/cheese additions, if using.
3. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet; tilt skillet all the way around to spread the mixture evenly across the pan. Watch for the egg mixture to begin setting up on the bottom and edges. Gently run a silicone spatula across the bottom of the pan, back and forth, until you've loosened all the semi-cooked egg from the pan and created large, fluffy egg pillows or sheets. Remove the skillet from the heat, if necessary, to prevent the eggs from overcooking. Flip the eggs over to cook on the other side.
4. At this point, your eggs should still be a bit loose. Remove the skillet from the burner and allow the eggs to finish cooking in the residual heat. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g