5 Foolproof Ways To Separate Eggs

Whether you're in need of egg whites to make Ree Drummond's fluffy waffles or you're looking for yolks to make a rich homemade ravioli, cleanly separating eggs is a skill every home cook needs to know. Luckily, there are quite a few different methods out there that you can try until you find the one easiest for you.

Before getting into the actual techniques, it's important to do a little housekeeping. It's crucial that you begin with cold eggs, as separating them is much, much easier than working with ones at room temperature. This is because cold whites and yolks stay a bit more firm when chilled, rather than loosening up and sticking together. If you try to separate warm eggs, you may notice that the yolks break more easily, contaminating the whites. 

If you have a recipe that calls for room temp whites or yolks, simply separate the eggs straight out of the refrigerator, and then let them come up to temperature. Additionally, try not to crack eggs on the edge of the counter, or you might also break the yolk. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, it's time to learn all about five of our favorite methods for separating eggs. Whether you love kitchen gadgets or you like to just work with your hands, we have a solid method for you.

One classic method is to use the eggs' own shells to get the job done. To do this, simply crack the egg as you normally would, then carefully separate the two halves of the shell, so that the yolk and whites are held in just one of the halves. Then, pour the egg back and forth between the two shells above a bowl, allowing the whites to drip down into it while keeping the yolk intact. 

Once the whites are in the bowl and the egg yolk is alone in a shell, just dump the yolk into a separate bowl and proceed with the rest of your eggs. One issue you may run into with this method is the sharp edges of the shell accidentally poking the yolk. This could lead to getting some yolk into your egg white mixture, so transfer it from shell to shell slowly and carefully — this isn't a task that warrants rushing.

There are two different ways you can use your hands for separating eggs. One is to use the "fishing" method, in which you crack the egg into a bowl and then use your clean hands to just scoop the yolk out, letting the white drain off between your fingers. The fun thing about this technique is that you can crack a few eggs at a time into one bowl, and then go in to remove the yolks all at once.

The only issue is that if a yolk were to break in your bowl of eggs, you likely won't be able to fish it all out. While this probably won't be an issue for some recipes, it will ruin meringues or pavlovas, which (notoriously) need clean egg whites to rise. While a drop or two should be okay, an entire broken yolk that cannot be scooped out will ruin your chances of getting stiff peaks.

The second method is to crack the egg directly in to your palm, slowly parting your fingers to give the whites some space to gently drip down into a clean bowl. You can tilt your hand back and forth to encourage the white to fall through the gaps. With this method, you'll be left with a perfectly intact yolk (that's very satisfying to look at, we might add) that you can then drop into its own bowl.

If you aren't looking to get your hands messy, look no further than an egg separating tool. You can purchase all kinds of kitchen gadgets that can do the work for you, no constant hand washing necessary. There are a few different styles available, with the most popular being a small spoon-like contraption that you can rest over a clean bowl. You crack your egg into a little nook that holds the yolk, while the whites gently drip down into the bowl.

Another model of egg separator looks more like a mini jug or cup. With this one, you crack the egg into a chamber with holes in it, which holds the yolk while the whites fall into the vessel below. Larger sizes can be handy, because they allow you to crack a few eggs in at a time, saving you some precious minutes. There are also tiny, teapot-like contraptions that look like a chicken, with the body of the vessel holding the yolk. When tipped over, the whites pour out of the "beak" (that's really more of a spout).

Another method, which is similar to the hand fishing technique, requires only a slotted spoon. With this trick, you'll simply crack your egg directly into the spoon — just like you would crack it into your palm — and let the whites drip out from the little slots or holes. You'll just have to tilt the spoon back and forth a little bit, so that you can get as much egg white separated out as possible. This is just as easy as the hand method and doesn't require buying a whole new gadget, making it nice if you don't like the feeling of slimy eggs in your hands.

Finally, using a clean water bottle is another easy (and super satisfying) way to separate your yolks from your whites. To try this technique, simply crack your egg into your clean bowl as usual. Then, grab a plastic water bottle and squeeze it to expel some air, before gently touching the opening to the top of the yolk. Release your grip and watch the bottle quickly suck up the whole thing. Let any residual whites drip back into the clean bowl, and then just squeeze the bottle again to drop the yolk into a separate bowl.