Why would you pinch egg whites when making sunny side up eggs?
At a restaurant with a window into the kitchen I saw a chef cracking eggs and pinching the top of the egg whites near the yolk before applying heat. We saw him crack many eggs and he did this every time. Why would he do this?
My best guess is that maybe it helps separate the whites from the yolk but I couldn't find any reference to this technique online.
Best Answer
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When you break the eggs into the pan, you will notice that the yolks are surrounded by a higher rounded portion of whites. The secret is to take your fingers and pinch this pile of whites gently until it breaks and the whites in this membrane will redistribute evenly in the pan.
From your description, the chef most likely cracked the eggs into a bowl rather than directly into the pan, but that shouldn't make any difference.
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How do you make sunny side up eggs not runny?
Over-Beaten Egg Whites: If egg whites are beaten past the point of stiff peaks, the matrix of proteins will begin to break down and the foam will collapse. The egg whites will become grainy, watery, and flat. They can not be salvaged.Why should we avoid over beating of egg white?
When eggs are overcooked, the protein web becomes so tight and retains so little water that the egg white becomes rubbery and the yolk chalky, a textural difference due to fat interspersed with the protein web in the yolk.Why are my sunny side up eggs rubbery?
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