How to Make Soft-Scrambled Eggs
Learn how to make soft scrambled eggs and reap the rewards of luxurious creaminess every morning – no cream required. Eggs can easily go wrong, end up gummy, stick to the pan, or (impressively enough) become too dry and oddly watery at the same time. After years of running a high-end boutique resort kitchen, chef Jason Aldous knows how to make sure his eggs turn out well: “All you need is egg, salt, and less time than normal.” This is his basic recipe for soft scrambled eggs, which he says is the only way he makes them.
What you need (materials, tools, ingredients, cooking utensils etc.)
before you start
Prepare all your tools and supplies before you begin, Aldous says, because you don’t have a lot of time with this method — you’ll end up overcooking the eggs turning to get something. Also, have a trivet handy so you can take your pan off the heat right away.
Step 1: Heat a carbon steel skillet over medium-low heat.
One of the keys to Aldous’ Boiled Eggs is to heat the pan before you begin. By waiting until the pan is already hot to add the butter, he finds that the fat stays on the surface of the pan, which keeps the eggs from sticking to the pan as they cook. Let the pan heat to “just below medium” while you cook the eggs so it’s already hot when you add the butter.
Step 2: In a very large bowl, whisk and salt the eggs.
Crack your eggs into a much larger bowl than you seem to need for three eggs (or however many you make). This keeps clutter down and gives you room to “be rough with them,” as Aldous instructs. He whisks the eggs quickly to break up the “hard white stuff,” which he says might give a chewy bite later. The aggressive beating also whips air into the eggs, making them fluffier.
Aldous then adds his salt. He acknowledges that many people find this makes the egg watery, but he has found that this is not a problem with this preparation.
Step 3: Add butter to the already hot pan.
Add the butter to the pan, making sure it melts all over the surface, including the edges and sides, as that’s where the egg gets to during cooking and you don’t want it to stick. You want to get the butter ready to melt and fluffy, but keep the heat low enough so it doesn’t burn – Aldous sets his stove to 4.5 out of 10 heat.
Step 4: Pour in the eggs and start beating them.
Pour your eggs into the hot pan and let them set a little curd before stirring, just like a traditional scrambled egg, says Aldous. Then start stirring, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom with your spatula so there aren’t any dry bits at the end. Keep stirring with a gentle folding motion so that the curds absorb more and more of the raw egg.
Step 5: Boil until only a little watery liquid remains.
Keep whisking and cook the eggs until there is only a little watery liquid left and the rest forms as curds, then remove the pan from the heat and set it on the trivet. The pan and eggs are still hot and the carryover will cook the rest, so just keep folding until there’s no liquid left but the eggs are still a bit on the wet side. If you need more heat, you can put it back on the burner.
Step 6: Add more butter, pepper, and other toppings.
If there is no water left but the eggs still seem a little moist, this indicates they will be ready in seconds. Now add more butter: “It coats the eggs a little more,” explains Aldous. “Makes them a little bit more shiny, makes them a little more buttery.” He then adds white pepper because it doesn’t detract from the color (he also says never to use Maldon or flaky salt in eggs because deep down you feel always asks if a crunch is actually an eggshell). You can let your creativity run free and spice up your egg with crème fraîche, herbs, microgreens, fennel pollen and/or Espelette pepper. Aldous sometimes uses leeks, which he sweats because they match the softness of the eggs and add texture without distraction.
Final Thoughts
Once you learn how to make soft scrambled eggs, breakfast goes from the waffle house to the French laundry, jokes Aldous. But fear no tweezers or scolding cooks here, nor do you need the heavy cream that is often added, or believed to be added, to achieve such a desirable texture. Using the same ingredients and just a little more attention than the average scrambled egg method, soft scrambled eggs add a richness that feels expensive and tastes rich, ready to serve just as is or dress up with fun flavors.