Scrambled eggs

Scrambled eggs

Simple scrambled eggs
Main ingredients	Eggs

Scrambled eggs is a dish made from whites and yolks of eggs (usually chicken eggs) stirred or beaten together in a pan while being gently heated, typically with salt and butter and variable other ingredients.

Only eggs are necessary to make scrambled eggs, but nearly always salt is used, and very often other ingredients such as water, milk, butter, cream or in some cases creme fraiche or grated cheese may be added. The eggs are cracked into a bowl; with some salt, and the mixture is stirred or whisked: alternatively, the eggs are cracked directly into a hot pan or skillet, and the whites and yolks stirred together as they cook. More consistent and far quicker results are obtained if a small amount of thickener such as cornstarch, potato starch or flour is added; this enables much quicker cooking with reduced risk of overcooking, even when less butter is used.

The mixture can be poured into a hot pan containing melted butter or oil, where it starts coagulating. The heat is turned down and the eggs are stirred as they cook. This creates small, soft curds of egg. Unlike pancake or omelette scrambled egg is virtually never browned. A thin pan is preferable to prevent browning. With continuous stirring, and not allowing the eggs to stick to the pan, the eggs themselves will maintain the pan temperature at about the boiling point of water, until they coagulate. A thick pan will not allow the eggs to regulate the pan temperature.

Once the liquid has mostly set, additional ingredients such as ham, herbs, cheese or cream may be folded in over low heat, just until incorporated. The eggs are usually slightly undercooked when removed from heat, since the eggs will continue to set. If any liquid is seeping from the eggs (syneresis), this is a sign of undercooking, overcooking or adding undercooked high-moisture vegetables.