How Do You Crack and Empty Eggs?

[Chris Amirault]

I'm a two-handed, flat surface, sweep the interior with your finger to get all the white sort of guy. I don't really know why I do it this way; I can do the one-handed thing and don't really need that last two grams of white. But it's what I do.

You?

[Gregg]

Lol...I'm a one handed, smash it on the counter, dump it in the bowl and sling the shell at the trash with a little tail of whites wiggling behind it kind of guy. My technique has room for refinement.

Edited March 11, 2011 by Gregg (log)

[Shelby]

Lol...I'm a one handed, smash it on the counter, dump it in the bowl and sling the shell at the trash with a little tail of whites wiggling behind it kind of guy. My technique has room for refinement.

Ditto.

Unless my cats get to it first. They love eggs for some reason.

[alanjesq]

Flat surface, two thumbs, and pull apart!

[Mjx]

I'm a 'tap on edge of bowl, pry halves apart using both thumbs, shake shell-halves slightly to get most of white out' sort. It's always worked, but here, because the shells seem remarkably crumbly and fragile, there is the added step of fielding loose shell fragments and swearing (the fragility of the eggshells here bewilders me, since the water is so calcium-laden, I think it actually sounds louder hitting the bottom of the sink).

[CFT]

Mjx, a tip to fishing shell fragments out: use the empty shell halves as a scoop.

[C. sapidus]

One hand, whack sharply (but not deeply) on the edge of a bowl to drive a manageable quantity of pathogens into the egg, toss in trash w/o wipe.

[mkayahara]

I'm a 'tap on edge of bowl, pry halves apart using both thumbs, shake shell-halves slightly to get most of white out' sort. It's always worked, but here, because the shells seem remarkably crumbly and fragile, there is the added step of fielding loose shell fragments and swearing (the fragility of the eggshells here bewilders me, since the water is so calcium-laden, I think it actually sounds louder hitting the bottom of the sink).

This is me, too - down to the details. The thing that I've noticed since switching to free-run eggs, though, is how resilient the membranes under the shells seem to be. I'm convinced that I could shatter the shells to dust, and still not be able to get the egg out of its membrane. And then, of course, you have those eggs where you gradually increase the pressure to break the membrane, and it just won't give... and then suddenly it does, and you have egg all over your hands.

[Chris Amirault]

My brain once decided, through lore, superstition, or a bad experience, that cracking on the edge lead to a greater number of shell fragments.

[ElsieD]

I rap the egg on a hard edge, pry apart using my thumbs, let whatever falls out fall out, and dump the shells in the trash. I seldom have any bits of shell in my egg(s).

[dcarch]

More importantly, what do you do with the Chalaza after you crack the egg??

Wasn't there a thread showing various silly egg crackers?

dcarch

[mkayahara]

More importantly, what do you do with the Chalaza after you crack the egg??

Depends on what I'm using them for: if I'm just cooking them to eat, I eat the chalazae. If I'm making ice cream, I strain them out after the custard is made. If I'm baking with them, I usually just leave them in.

[Peter the eater]

If people are watching I do what I saw Jamie Oliver do ten or so years ago. Hold your egg in a loose fist wide end down and slightly exposed. Slam egg down onto counter with enough force to startle the audience and fracture the shell without an albumen spill. Remove hand and leave your egg freestanding and erect until ready for use.

[DanM]

I throw my eggs whole in the Kitchenaid with the paddle attachment and then strain out the shells with a fine mesh strainer.

Just kidding.

I use a flat surface and two hands. Shells are dumped into the garbage disposal.

Dan

[heidih]

If people are watching I do what I saw Jamie Oliver do ten or so years ago. Hold your egg in a loose fist wide end down and slightly exposed. Slam egg down onto counter with enough force to startle the audience and fracture the shell without an albumen spill. Remove hand and leave your egg freestanding and erect until ready for use.

This makes me want to get a dozen at the 99 cent store and practice

[BadRabbit]

If only an egg or two, I crack on a flat surface and then separate the shells with one hand. I virtually never have shells I have to fish out. I attribute this to the flat surface cracking and the fact that one hand opening does not apply much pressure to the cracked area (unlike the two handed style which generally has people putting their thumbs into the cracked area).

If I have lots of eggs to crack, I do them two at a time (one in each hand) and load the empty shells into the old carton as I go.

[Kerry Beal]

Edge of whatever is around, then two thumbs. One handed only if I really have to for some reason.

[runwestierun]

I'm a flat surface basher but I don't like the little albumin print I sometimes leave so I almost always bash mine on the inside wall of my sink and then I'm about 50/50 one hand /two hands. Two hands if I just have an egg or two, one hand if I have alot or I need speed. All the shells are tossed into the sink and they get dumped into the trash all at once.

[Mjx]

My brain once decided, through lore, superstition, or a bad experience, that cracking on the edge lead to a greater number of shell fragments.

I'll have to try this; intuitively, it always seemed to me that the crack would be more localized/there would be les crushing if it created with a narrower surface was used, but next time, I'll try the counter (I don't have the shattering problem with US eggs, even now, just with Danish ones).

[andiesenji]

If I need a lot of shelled eggs, I crack the eggs on the flat "step" at the top of the handle on Pyrex messures and drop the eggs into the measure.

If I'm separating the eggs, I have a separator that rests on top of the measure that is catching the whites and a measure for the yolks next to it.

If it's just one or two eggs, I use the shell-to-shell separating method but I have many recipes that require many egg whites and using the separator is much faster.

I usually plan on making something that uses a lot of yolks (lemon curd, for instance) whenever I am preparing something that needs a lot of whites.

I also have a yeast bread recipe that calls for 8 yolks.

[Shalmanese]

The key to cracking on the counter is to use your fingers to modulate the force, not the stroke. Too many people attempt to hit the egg onto the counter with just the right velocity and end up with either a broken egg or not enough cracking. Instead, hold your fingers about 25% up the egg shell and then hit it against the counter with convincing force. Your fingers will hit the counter hard and You'll get perfect crack every time.

Edited March 11, 2011 by Shalmanese (log)

[OliverB]

edge or the flat inside of my mixing bowl, or the cutting board/counter if dirty already. One handed only if someone is watching

But usually I crank some nice hard rock or metal in the kitchen, so I'm left alone. Doesn't work as well as it used to though, now the kids come in with song requests! :laugh:

The trick to use the shell halves to fish out the occasional piece of shell is one of the most useful kitchen tricks I've ever come across by the way, works like a magnet!

[BadRabbit]

I really think some people are ignoring the benefits of one handed opening (besides looking cool). When you open with one hand, you put pressure on the egg at the ends (i.e. away from the cracked area). Though it can be done when opening with two hands most people instinctively grab at the cracked area with their thumbs.

One handed means less shells in your food.

Edited March 11, 2011 by BadRabbit (log)

[andiesenji]

I really think some people are ignoring the benefits of one handed opening (besides looking cool). When you open with one hand, you put pressure on the egg at the ends (i.e. away from the cracked area). Though it can be done when opening with two hands most people instinctively grab at the cracked area with their thumbs.

One handed means less shells in your food.

Before I had arthritis in my hands I did that with no problems. However I no longer have precise control over my hands and when I try that method, I tend to end up with my fingers in the egg and the yolk in my sleeve.

[gfweb]

I'm convinced that a flat surface crack yields fewer shell frags in the egg. I can't see why this should be, but for me the difference is striking.

Edited March 11, 2011 by gfweb (log)