Waking up to a beautiful brunch on a lazy weekend morning is the stuff dreams are made of. Add to that a beautiful plate of fluffy, creamy scrambled eggs or poached eggs with yolks done just right, and brunch becomes more than a mid-morning meal. It becomes the start of something beautiful.
“Brunch menus are my favorite,” says Hixson resident Ginny Minninger, adding that she often orders Eggs Benedict, found on brunch menus throughout the city.
She’s been to Stevarino’s for the Benedict served over a biscuit, Honey Seed for its Benedict on a sesame bagel and Lakeshore Grille for the Prime Rib Benedict, finding them all delicious.
“I guess I’m in a Benedict rut, trying to find the best one in Chattanooga,” she says.
Sushma Shanta says the omelets at First Watch are “amazing,” and she also loves any of the Eggs Benedict options at Big Bad Breakfast.
But if you’re making Benedicts or any other egg dish at home, and if those eggs aren’t just right, you may end up with egg on your face instead of your plate.
Chris Wyatt, East Tennessee-area director for Big Bad Breakfast, a favorite brunch spot on the North Shore, says there are several things to keep in mind when making the perfect egg.
And it all begins with the pan.
“It’s important to choose the right pan, preferably one that’s used only for eggs,” he says, adding that a Teflon-coated pan is preferential to a cast-iron or metal skillet … And forgo putting the dirty pan in the dishwasher. Hand-wash only.
Size matters, too. The cooks at Big Bad Breakfast use a 7-inch skillet for one to two eggs when frying them or making an omelet, and larger, 10-inch skillets for scrambled eggs.
The correct temperature and fat also factor in. For fried eggs, start with medium heat and use oil or butter — never cooking spray. Then add the eggs, breaking up the membrane surrounding the yolk to marry it with the outer membrane, then fry to your desired doneness.
Scrambled eggs should be cooked over medium to medium-high heat in a preheated skillet coated with oil or butter, stirring so the eggs don’t stick.
“Scrambled eggs should be constantly moving in the pan,” Wyatt says.
And, according to Neighbor of Wine Down chef Geoffrey Davis, adding a little cream, milk or water to the eggs before scrambling results in fluffier scrambled eggs.
“Just a teaspoon for two eggs is all you need,” he says.
Omelets, on the other hand, should start over low to medium heat and be either cooked in a skillet or, as done at Big Bad Breakfast, placed under a salamander or broiler to cook, a procedure that changes the texture of the eggs.
“It’s like magic that happens to the egg,” Wyatt says.
Poached eggs are Wyatt’s favorite. Break the egg into gently boiling water with a little vinegar added to help the egg hold its shape, giving the water a little stir so the egg doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Enjoy them as is or add them to avocado toast or make a Benedict.
Davis gives this tip when adding the egg to the water for poaching:
“Use a long-handled spoon or spatula and spin the water into a vortex,” he says. “While spinning, crack the egg into the middle of the vortex so it spins. You can scoop out the perfect poached egg in around three minutes.”
Local attorney Emily Ahlquist O’Donnell says she’s perfected her methods for scrambled and fried eggs. But poached eggs?
“I’ll leave that to the chefs,” she says.
Every cook has his or her preferred method for making eggs.
“And who’s to say what is perfect?” Davis asks. “The only thing that matters is the technique you perfect over time.”
Eggs All Over
How do you like your eggs? Here’s a guide to deciphering some common egg lingo.
Over easy: Cooked whites with runny yolk
Over medium: Cooked whites with creamy yolk
Over medium-well: Cooked whites with a slightly wet center
Over hard: Cooked intact whites with broken yolk
Over well: Cooked intact whites with solid yolk
Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Big Bad Breakfast’s Jack Benny is a popular item for brunch.