There are dozens of ways to make scrambled eggs, and plenty of debate over which one is best. Some chefs say not to whisk the eggs beforehand, others argue you should never salt them until the end, and some swear by doing the exact opposite.
Everyone seems to have a different method, but one professional chef has revealed a simple trick that he says takes scrambled eggs from average to “out of this world”. And surprisingly, it has nothing to do with the ingredients or how you stir them, it all comes down to how you treat your pan.
In a YouTube video shared on the popular cooking channel Epicurious, professional chef and culinary instructor Frank Proto shows viewers how he makes silky, buttery scrambled eggs using a few easy techniques.
Frank begins by taking the eggs out of the fridge around 15 to 20 minutes before cooking, saying this helps them whisk better and cook more evenly.
He mixes them gently with a fork, just until combined, to avoid adding too much air, which can lead to fluffy rather than creamy results.
He also stressed the importance of being fully prepared before starting. “Scrambled eggs can take under a minute to cook,” he said. “So it’s really important to have everything laid out.”
But the biggest game-changer is something most people don’t consider: pre-heating the pan.
Even though Frank uses a non-stick frying pan, he says the eggs will still stick if it’s not properly heated.
“Believe it or not, if you don’t preheat this, the eggs tend to stick,” he says. “I like to preheat my pan, get some oil or fat in there, and then cook my eggs.”
Once the pan is hot, he adds a generous knob of butter, just enough to coat the base. Then he pours in the eggs and adds salt straight away, arguing that seasoning early allows the salt to melt into the mixture properly.
He gently stirs the eggs across the pan, creating soft curds, and takes them off the heat just before they’re completely set.
A final knob of butter is stirred in at the end for extra richness and shine.
In the end, Frank said: “Fluffy scrambled eggs are overrated. Try my buttery scrambled eggs, and you’ll never go back.”