Bobby Flay's Pro Tip For Perfectly Cooked Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs are an essential part of brunch, according to celebrity chef Bobby Flay. And while everyone has their own preferences regarding the ideal texture of the dish, the chef has been pretty vocal about his own opinion. In a YouTube video to promote his cookbook "Brunch At Bobby's," he shared an important tip for perfecting the texture of the protein. "The key to scrambled eggs, to me, is to make them nice and silky and fluffy and light," Flay said. "You want to continue to stir as soon as the eggs go in the pan."
This consistent stirring motion allows the eggs to take shape as they cook, creating a softer texture in the eggy curds. The movement around the pan also prevents parts of the egg from resting in one hot spot for too long, which can halt any risk of overcooking and browning.
Your spatula maneuver determines small or large curd formation. Faster stirring will yield smaller results while slower, broader motions will make for bigger chunks. Flay revealed in a TikTok video that his ideal egg texture is "just like custard." So while there are plenty of ingredients that will crisp up your scrambled eggs, it's safe to say he simply stirs the egg mix more quickly in order to achieve a softer, more silken mouthfeel.
Slower cooking can yield better results
Though his stirring motions might be quick, Bobby Flay does caution against letting the eggs heat up too rapidly. He pours the whisked egg mix into a cold pan, allowing it time to gradually heat up once he turns the stove on. This heating method can ensure that every part of the egg heats a little more evenly. Pouring the eggs into a hot pan, meanwhile, makes the exterior cook a little faster than the interior, resulting in an uneven finish.
If you find that the eggs are cooking too quickly while you're stirring them in the pan, try turning the heat down. Heating the dish low and slow is essential to achieving the ideal texture of the scrambled eggs. You can also remove the pan from the direct heat altogether to slow the process.
The pan should be taken off the stovetop when the scrambled eggs are mostly cooked – though not completely. The residual heat in the pan and eggs will continue the cooking process to set the final texture of the dish. So if the eggs look mostly cooked with a few runny spots, don't worry — they'll likely solidify by the time they reach your plate.
Flay has other egg-cellent scrambling tips
When it comes to crafting the perfect scrambled eggs, Bobby Flay has a few more tricks to share. Firstly, he says to whisk the eggs completely to an even yellow color. Yolks cook at a slightly higher temperature than egg whites, so thoroughly combining the two will make it easier to cook the dish to a uniform texture. And, whisking can add some air into the mix, creating a lighter, fluffier texture.
To cook his eggs, Flay uses two separate dairy products: butter and crème fraîche. The cream tastes a little tangy and sour with a hint of nuttiness. It also has roughly 30% fat content, which contributes to the thick, creaminess of Flay's eggs. If you don't have it on hand, you can transform sour cream into crème fraîche by adding some heavy cream to the mix. The combo will add a silky, rich texture to the eggs, making for an indulgent way to start the day.