How to Cook Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Contrary to popular belief, cooking scrambled eggs isn’t as simple as pouring beaten eggs into a hot pan and waiting for it to become firm.

Beating the eggs isn’t scrambling the eggs

Beating, the act of briskly mixing to incorporate air, is the first step toward cooking scrambled eggs. But the beating itself is not scrambling. Beaten eggs are used for a number of things other than making scrambled eggs. For instance, to bake a cake. Or to coat meat or fish prior to dredging it in flour or bread crumbs. So, beaten eggs cooked in a pan with a little oil is not necessarily scrambled eggs.

There is a difference between an omelet and scrambled eggs

Beaten eggs allowed to cook and set on its own in an omelet. To cook scrambled eggs, the beaten eggs have to be stirred and swirled as they cook so that they acquire a light and fluffy texture.

You start with beaten eggs, of course. For every egg, I like to add a teaspoonful of mayo, a tablespoonful of milk, salt, pepper and parsley. You heat a pan (start with high heat), grease the bottom with oil (I prefer butter) and, when the oil is hot, you pour in the beaten eggs.

Now, if the pan is hot enough, the eggs should start to coagulate immediately. Turn the heat down to medium-low and the moment the edges turn a bit firm, stir the mixture. Keep stirring so that the eggs are moving as it cooks. Once the eggs acquire volume, and while the eggs are still just a bit undercooked and the top is still a little jiggly, turn off the heat. The eggs will continue to cook even after the heat has been turned off.

You now have your scrambled eggs — moist, creamy and with the texture of soft curds.