Eggs: Difference between revisions

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{{#addbodyclass:tag_food}}
 
 
 
 
 
==How to cook an egg==
<!--
Everyone has their method. It works, but most of it's copied rather than reasoned.
I wanted to know :)
 
 
An egg solidifies when exposed to over 63 degrees Celsius (145 farenheit).
 
-->
===Boiled===
<!--
As in, don't break it, and peel it afterwards.
 
Heat diffuses from outside to inside, so the white will solidify before the yolk.
If you want the yolk to be runny, then basically you're done when that edge
 
The time it will need depends on
* size
: let's say all our eggs are medium, and particularly large or small would remove or add a minute.
 
* starting temperature
: let's say room temperature, and that from-the-fridge adds a minute (actually less)
 
Then:
* soft-boiled (runny yolk) takes ~3-4 minutes
* hard-boiled (solid yolk) takes ~7 minutes (though people are often happy a little earlier)
 
 
 
People typically add eggs to already-boiling water.
For a good part that gives times more meaning, because otherwise you have to consider ''how fast'' you heated the water.
 
 
Putting it in cold water is probably more energy-efficient.
 
As is turning off the heat once it boils and assuming it'll stay above 63 for a while -- this makes the timing a little more complex but you can assume it takes 10 minutes longer.
 
 
 
 
The gray-green yolk edge comes from cooking an egg very fast, and/or leaving it on longer than necessary.
More specifically, it happens when the yolk temperature rises above 70 degrees Celcius.
It's harmless, but people don't like the look.
 
 
 
 
See also:
* http://newton.ex.ac.uk/teaching/CDHW/egg/
 
-->
====Peeling====
<!--
 
It's common to dump eggs in cold water, roughly until you can handle them.
 
 
Note that peeling new eggs is always trickier than old eggs.
 
 
-->
===Poached===
<!--
 
Paching and egg means cooking it outside the shell (poaching = cooking via hot liquid), rather than e.g. boiling it.
 
 
You probably want that water to be still,
or you will get a suspension of lots of small parts of egg in water.
 
 
There are various ways of doing this.
 
Dump into recently boilded water - and enough of it so that the heat capacity means
it won't drop below 63 before it's done
 
Bain marie
 
 
 
Note that dumping it into water that is initially but which gets no further heat
will quickly stop doing anything, as the temperature drops below
 
 
 
The 63-degree egg refers to an egg poached in 63-degree water for up to an hour or so.
 
The motivation seems to be is to have the white and yolk have the same consistency,
 
 
 
 
http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/a18290/secret-to-poaching-perfect-egg-15008435/
 
-->
 
===Unsorted===
<!--
 
 
http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/10/sous-vide-101-all-about-eggs.html
 
 
 
-->




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(side note: The below is more about what industry has settled on because it's easier, but there are further methods of preserving eggs - some of which you may care for if you keep chickens.)
{{comment|(side note: The below is more about what industry has settled on, not least because it's easier to explain to consumers. There are further methods of preserving eggs - some of which you may care for if you actually keep chickens.)}}




'''Salmonella background'''
'''Salmonella background'''


The reasoning is mostly related to salmonella.
The reasoning is mostly related to salmonella.  
 


There's a few distinct factoids that are important context:
While salmonella doesn't pop up a lot, safety measures have to assume it will.
There's a few distinct import factoids:


An egg can  
An egg can  
: contain salmonella if the hen is infected,
: contain salmonella if the hen is infected,
: contain salmonella (or other bacteria) if it can penetrate the eggshell after being laid,
: contain salmonella (or other bacteria) if ''after'' being laid can and has penetrated the eggshell
: have salmonella (or other bacteria) sit on the surface, regardless.
: have salmonella (or other bacteria) sit on the surface, without also being inside.


Eggs have their own protection
Eggs have their own protection
: the cuticle (a layer around the actual shell) largely blocks bacteria
: the cuticle (a layer around the actual shell) slow most bacteria a lot
: the egg white itself slows bacteria for a few weeks  
: the egg white itself slows bacteria for a few weeks  


When contaminated with salmonella,  
When contaminated with bacteria like salmonella,  
: storing eggs below 4°C (40°F) slows growth of bacteria, like salmonella. More pronounced in the freezer, but with more footnotes.  
: storing eggs below 4°C (40°F) slows growth of bacteria/salmonella. More pronounced in the lower temperatures of the freezer, but that comes with more footnotes.  
: cooking eggs to at least 70°C (160°F) kills any bacteria present.
: cooking eggs to at least 70°C (160°F) kills any bacteria present.




At larger scale:
 
Unless you are dealing with salmonella in some way or other, you ''will'' have the occasional outbreak.
At a country scale, unless you are dealing with salmonella in some way or other,
Yet there are different viable ways to control salmonella.
you ''will'' have the occasional outbreak.
 
There are a few different viable ways to control salmonella - and the measures of some barely overlap with others.




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So while this treatment makes it almost certain the egg is fine ''now'',  
So while this treatment makes it almost certain the egg is fine ''now'',  
it more easily spoils ''after'' this treatment - the thinner cuticle means bacteria (salmonella or other) will more easily enter the egg.
it spoils somewhat more easily ''after'' this treatment - the thinner cuticle means bacteria (salmonella or other) will more easily enter the egg.


Which isn't much of an issue if you refrigerate them, because that slows both bacteria entering, and their grows once they're there.
Which isn't much of an issue if you refrigerate them, because that slows both bacteria entering, and their growth once they're there.






Most European countries addressed the same issue by increasing sanitary requirements,
Most European countries addressed the same issue by increasing sanitary requirements,
and in particular vaccinating hens against salmonella, making salmonella outbreaks rarer to start with.
and in particular vaccinating hens against salmonella,
making salmonella outbreaks rarer to start with.


Eggs are washed, but not thoroughly disinfected,  
Eggs are also washed, but not thoroughly disinfected,  
because if salmonella is unlikely in the hen, there won't be any in or on the egg,
because if salmonella is unlikely in the hen, there won't be any in or on the egg,
and keeping the cuticle intact means the eggs keep better, also outside the fridge.
and keeping the cuticle intact means the eggs keep better, also outside the fridge.


(it in fact seems illegal in most (but not all) of the EU to disinfect eggs{{verify}},  
(it in fact seems illegal in most (but not all) of the EU to disinfect eggs{{verify}},  
roughly because the storage habits around there would make this riskier without your knowledge)
presumably because the storage habits around there would make this ''riskier'' without your knowledge)




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US eggs outside the fridge ''might'' go bad faster.
US eggs outside the fridge ''might'' go bad faster.
In the worst case this happens within hours,  
In the absolute worst case this happens within hours,  
but typically they last ''much'' longer than that.
but typically they last ''much'' longer than that.


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...and ''maybe'' 4..5 weeks inside the fridge, but that's not certain,
...and ''maybe'' 4..5 weeks inside the fridge, but that's not certain,
and people ''really'' don't like crossing the best-by date which you should assume is the 'if kept outside' date.
and people ''really'' don't like crossing the best-by date,
which you should assume is the 'if kept outside' date.




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From a quick poll, it seems pretty much all americans put eggs in the fridge - but so do a good chunk of europeans,
From a quick poll, it seems pretty much all americans put eggs in the fridge.
with some patterns per country.
A good chunk of europeans do so too, with some patterns per country.




Line 270: Line 164:


-->
-->
==How to cook an egg==
<!--
Everyone has their method. It works, but most of it's copied rather than reasoned.
I wanted to know :)
An egg solidifies when exposed to over 63 degrees Celsius (145 farenheit).
-->
===Boiled===
<!--
As in, don't break it, and peel it afterwards.
Heat diffuses from outside to inside, so the white will solidify before the yolk.
If you want the yolk to be runny, then basically you're done when that edge
The time it will need depends on
* size
: let's say all our eggs are medium, and particularly large or small would remove or add a minute.
* starting temperature
: let's say room temperature, and that from-the-fridge adds a minute (actually less)
Then:
* soft-boiled (runny yolk) takes ~3-4 minutes
* hard-boiled (solid yolk) takes ~7 minutes (though people are often happy a little earlier)
People typically add eggs to already-boiling water.
For a good part that gives times more meaning, because otherwise you have to consider ''how fast'' you heated the water.
Putting it in cold water is probably more energy-efficient.
As is turning off the heat once it boils and assuming it'll stay above 63 for a while -- this makes the timing a little more complex but you can assume it takes 10 minutes longer.
The gray-green yolk edge comes from cooking an egg very fast, and/or leaving it on longer than necessary.
More specifically, it happens when the yolk temperature rises above 70 degrees Celcius.
It's harmless, but people don't like the look.
See also:
* http://newton.ex.ac.uk/teaching/CDHW/egg/
-->
====Peeling====
<!--
It's common to dump eggs in cold water, roughly until you can handle them.
Note that peeling new eggs is always trickier than old eggs.
-->
===Poached===
<!--
Paching and egg means cooking it outside the shell (poaching = cooking via hot liquid), rather than e.g. boiling it.
You probably want that water to be still,
or you will get a suspension of lots of small parts of egg in water.
There are various ways of doing this.
Dump into recently boilded water - and enough of it so that the heat capacity means
it won't drop below 63 before it's done
Bain marie
Note that dumping it into water that is initially but which gets no further heat
will quickly stop doing anything, as the temperature drops below
The 63-degree egg refers to an egg poached in 63-degree water for up to an hour or so.
The motivation seems to be is to have the white and yolk have the same consistency,
http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/a18290/secret-to-poaching-perfect-egg-15008435/
-->
===Unsorted===
<!--
http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/10/sous-vide-101-all-about-eggs.html
-->
[[Category:Cooking]]
[[Category:Cooking]]

Latest revision as of 16:29, 20 April 2024


On refrigerating eggs

Floating eggs

How to cook an egg

Boiled

Peeling

Poached

Unsorted

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