James Kenji Lopez-Alt
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Ask Kenji: When Should I Salt My Eggs?
🕑 Added 2024-05-08 07:54:23 +0000 UTCHey folks! Here's a new video. It's based on the article I wrote recently for the New York Times about whether it makes a difference when you add salt to your eggs during a scramble. Does salting them before cooking them really turn then watery or "gray" as one shouty British chef frequently claimes? (hint: no.)
Here's the full article (paywall): https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/24/dining/best-way-to-salt-scrambled-eggs.html
The article is paywalled as a NYT story, but here's the takeaway from the article if you don't have a subscription or free stories left this month:
The takeaway
For the moistest, most tender scrambled eggs and omelets, I recommend salting and beating your eggs before cooking them. If you want your eggs even more tender and moist, let the salted, beaten eggs rest until they’ve noticeably darkened in color, about 15 minutes, before cooking them. (This is about how long it takes me to get the coffee and toast ready and table set.)
Or just salt them whenever you darn well please. So long as the salted eggs aren’t languishing in the fridge for multiple days, the difference is minimal.
Comments
Punktrees
Hi Kenji, I made this, and my eggs taste so much better; my daughter even eats them. Thanks so much! Quick observation: it seems that adding the salt first allows the eggs I make to absorb a greater amount of butter. Is there something to this?
Joel Skoda
We tested it this weekend with the kids and came to the same conclusion. We thank you so much for all the time you dedicate to passing along hard-earned knowledge.
James Kenji Lopez-Alt
Yes! But bear in I’d the amount I used is quite salty for the sake of showing things visually. I’d use maybe half as much to start in a regular cook.
James Kenji Lopez-Alt
It would help bind that water and keep the eggs more tender!
James Kenji Lopez-Alt
Yeah, even a few minutes is better than none.
James Kenji Lopez-Alt
No different!
James Kenji Lopez-Alt
Not this particular experiment but I’ve done this where instead of timing I cool the eggs to the same visual doneness. The eggs salted last minute still exude more water/moisture.
Christi Genovesi
Hey Kenji, can you salt the eggs only a few minutes in advance? If you don’t plan ahead, 15 minutes can seem like a long time. Also, I noticed that you beat the the eggs very vigorously and for longer than I normally would. Is this an important component? Thanks!
Joel Skoda
Silly somewhat relevant ask, but for fried eggs would there be any variations for using salted butter vs flaky salt only at the end. Any advantage for when to apply salt for other egg variations?
Andrei
Hey Kenji, one question: does this method take into account the fact that the second batch (salted just before) may take longer to cook, and therefore the extra liquid in the bowl may contain uncooked beaten egg (not only water)?
Kali
Hey Kenji! How would adding a small bit of potato or corn starch alter the results here?
Angel
If i only do 2 eggs i assume i halve the salt? Sorry for dumb question ;)
