6 common mistakes when making scrambled eggs

Do you ever wonder why your scrambled eggs never come out of the pan perfectly cooked and deliciously fluffy? Do you too often end up with a rubbery or, on the contrary, slimy mess on your perfectly toasted slice of bread? Chances are you’ve made one of the mistakes below. But don’t panic, help is on the way!

Since not all of us can cook an egg like a Michelin-starred chef, almost everyone can use a little recognition and advice. These are common mistakes when making scrambled eggs, and their solutions!

You don’t store the eggs properly to begin with

Loose in one of those charming chicken-shaped baskets on the counter, for example. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, it’s best to store eggs in their original packaging in the refrigerator. In the carton, they can’t dry out (don’t forget that the shell is very fragile), you protect them from absorbing smells from other foods in your fridge (hello stinky cheese), and the cool temperature makes them best able to withstand the growth of dangerous bacteria. So they stay fresh for the longest time.

You don’t beat them with a whisk

You’re a little impatient and crack the eggs straight into the pan. Don’t. Briefly beating them in a bowl with a whisk (or, if necessary, a fork) adds the air the mixture needs to become, yes, fluffy later.

You don’t use cream

Too bad, because your scrambled eggs will taste flatter. You want the depth of some creamy fat, so be sure to whisk in a little cream or whole milk. Also delicious: a spoonful of cream cheese.

You use a metal spatula

Assuming, of course, that you would never do that in a non-stick pan, it’s not advisable in another frying pan either. Preferably use a good silicone spatula, because its thin, flexible edge helps you loosen those important edges of the egg mixture from the sides of the pan.

The heat is too high

You don’t want rubbery, overcooked scrambled eggs, so keep the heat somewhere between low and medium-low. Put butter in the pan and add the beaten eggs before the butter has completely melted, then gently stir in the melting butter.

You turn off the heat too late

Don’t wait until you have ‘crumbly’ pieces of egg in your pan; turn off the heat while everything still looks somewhat moist. The heat from the pan will continue cooking the eggs for a little while, so turn it off in time! Keep gently folding the eggs until the very last moment, when you spoon them out of the pan.

Bonus points

…for adding some fresh herbs! Save herbs with ‘harder’ leaves, such as rosemary, for something else, and finely chop soft herbs such as tarragon, chervil or chives for scrambled eggs.

Also read:

• Recipe: avocado and scrambled egg salad with a kick
• Why you shouldn’t fry meatballs in an egg carton (and how to do it properly)
• An omelet without eggs? Here’s how!