Room Temperature Eggs Are The Secret To A Better Breakfast

From scrambling to frying, over-easy or sunny-side-up, eggs are the quintessential breakfast food. And although eggs are simple to cook, they are tough to master. Plenty of chefs debate the best technique for whipping up fluffy scrambled eggs, or the best oil or fat to achieve an effortlessly perfect fried egg. But one thing remains true for all methods of egg cookery that you may not have thought about: It's best to let them come to room temperature before cooking. You may know that working with room-temperature eggs is vital in certain baking recipes, but this also applies to your morning fry-up.

If you crack and cook your eggs straight out of the refrigerator, they'll take longer to go from cold to fully cooked. But you could also end up with unevenly cooked eggs, and a more difficult time scrambling them properly. Next time you're getting breakfast together, think ahead and leave enough time for your eggs to come to room temperature before you get started.

If you try frying a cold egg from the refrigerator, you could end up with the yolks overcooking and hardening while you wait for the runny whites to catch up. And for scrambled eggs, cold eggs can make the task more difficult, since cold eggs hold their shape better and are more difficult to mix. Starting with room-temperature eggs eliminates these risks. And if you're looking for a perfectly shaped fried egg, try to get your hands on fresh eggs. It's not necessary, but fresh eggs have the proteins to uphold a firm shape when fried.

If you're using fresh eggs, you may wonder if you need to refrigerate them at all. Unwashed fresh eggs retain the cuticle or the protective layer that helps keep bacteria out of the egg, making refrigeration unnecessary. And while many countries don't even refrigerate or wash their eggs like in the United States, fresh eggs need to be stored at refrigerated temperatures as soon as they're washed to avoid bacterial growth.

There are a couple of ways to bring your eggs up to room temperature before cooking them. If you've got store-bought eggs and have a bit of time to spare, let your eggs sit on the counter in a bowl for about 20-30 minutes. But don't forget about them! If you leave eggs to sit outside the fridge for more than two hours, they run the risk of going bad. 

If you need to get your eggs to room temperature quickly, one trick is to place them in a bowl of warm water for about 5-10 minutes. The length of time may vary depending on the size of the eggs, how many you're using, and the temperature of the water. Just make sure the water's not too hot, since you're not trying to cook the eggs yet. This should regulate their temperature and cut down the time you spend waiting. Even taking the eggs out of the fridge first to let them sit for a few minutes while you gather your other ingredients and cooking utensils can make a difference. Just give the eggs a feel to make sure they're no longer cool, and you're ready to make a better breakfast with this one simple step.