Nowadays, most modern families own a griddle of one type or another. From stove-top to electric griddles, many of us know that they are a great way to cook meat easily and with delicious results. If you've been converted to this way of preparing food, you may be wondering whether cooking eggs on a griddle is possible at home. After all, many of us have eaten a delicious griddle-cooked egg at some point in our lives at a restaurant or diner. So, how can this be replicated in your own kitchen? What is the best way to prepare a griddled egg? Read on for our handy guide.
You'll be pleased to know that cooking eggs on a griddle is not only perfectly possible, but also very easy. In fact, it is almost identical to cooking in a standard frying pan. Whether you prefer fried or scrambled eggs, cooking them on a griddle should produce delicious results.
If you have an electric griddle, then the good news is that you can cook eggs on it with no problems at all. In fact, an electric griddle may even trump other types when it comes to cooking eggs. That's because an electric griddle can maintain an even and constant temperature throughout the cooking process. This allows for more even cooking of your eggs, whatever method you choose.
The simplest way to prepare eggs on a griddle is sunny-side up. If you want to prepare eggs in this way, you will need a griddle with a lid or cover to ensure the whites are cooked through without any burning. If not, it's probably better to cook your eggs over easy. We'll explain how to do this later. Here's our quick guide to perfectly-cooked sunny-side up eggs on a griddle.
Some people prefer to have their eggs over easy. In fact, in many countries this is the most common way to eat griddled eggs. Also, if you don't have a lid or cover for your griddle, this may well be the easiest way to ensure the white on the top of the egg is cooked. However, cooking an egg over easy is often anything but easy. There's a knack to turning them over without breaking the yolk, and it may take a little practise.
Follow the method for cooking an egg sunny-side up, but don't cover the egg. Once it's been cooking in the oil and water for about a minute, slide one half of your spatula underneath. Here's where the real skill comes in. Whatever you do, don't lift the egg up and drop it upside-down into the pan. That's a guaranteed way to break the yolk. Instead, gently roll from the wrist to turn the egg over with minimum force. The key is to avoid lifting the egg to any height. True, you may have a couple of mishaps in the early stages. Keep at it though, and soon you'll be a dab hand at cooking your eggs over easy.
Once it's flipped, you will only need to allow another 15 seconds of cooking time to achieve a perfectly runny yolk. Once it's done, very carefully slide your spatula under the egg to transfer it from griddle to plate. Remember, the yolk will still be quite delicate.
For some people, an egg over easy is perfectly heavenly. For others, it's perfectly horrible. If you don't like a completely runny yolk, you have too options. You can opt for over medium, where the yolk will be harder on the outside but still liquid in the middle. Alternatively, if you just can't abide any runny yolk at all, over hard will produce a yolk as firm as that of a hard-boiled egg.
The key to changing the firmness of the yolk is in the cooking time. For an over medium egg, cook for 30 seconds after turning instead of 15. If you want your egg over hard, allow a whole minute.
To cook a perfect griddled egg, it's really important to cook it at the correct temperature. If you're used to cooking meat on your griddle, you will need to adjust the temperature down considerably. An egg will burn if you use the same heat setting that you use for cooking meat.
If you're using a stove-top griddle, a medium-low heat will do just fine. However, if you have an electric griddle, you may be able to set the temperature more precisely. A temperature between 300-325 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for cooking an egg.
So, you prefer your eggs scrambled? No problem! Luckily, scrambled eggs are pretty easy to cook on a griddle. There are a few ways to cook the perfect scrambled eggs, and many people have a signature family recipe. Below, you'll find our favourite method for cooking scrambled eggs on a griddle.
A creamy texture is the holy grail when it comes to cooking the perfect scrambled eggs. Often, when we dine out for breakfast, what we actually receive is, at best, pallid and, at worst, rubbery. However, there are a few tips and tricks that you can employ at home to achieve that perfect, creamy texture.
In a word: no. If you don't like to consume dairy, or are lactose intolerant, you can skip the milk. Just be sure to continuously stir the eggs to keep the texture as creamy as possible. Alternatively, you can substitute milk for cream or even melted butter for a more luxurious scrambled egg. However, try to stick to the general rule of thumb of a teaspoon of milk, cream or butter for every egg.
This is enormously variable. If you don't use any additional fat, it all depends on the size of your egg. Here are the approximate calories in differently-sized eggs:
Also, you will also need to factor in the calories of whatever fat or dairy you use in your scrambled eggs. If you use just a spritz of oil and either skim or semi-skim milk, the calories are pretty negligible. However, a teaspoon of butter contains around 34 calories, while a teaspoon of heavy cream contains roughly 17.
A flat top griddle is a pretty cool addition to your kitchen, and is a great way to cook an omelette. On the other hand, a stove-top or electric griddle will also produce a great omelette. Some people prefer to add a little water or milk to their omelette mix, but we think it works just fine with eggs alone. This recipe is for a plain omelette, but you could always add onions, sliced mushrooms or any other chopped veggies. If you choose to do this, then fry them until soft and add the eggs on top. Here are our directions for the perfect omelette:
Apart from a high-quality griddle, you'll also need a heat-proof spatula and possibly a lid or cover to cook perfect griddled eggs.
An egg griddle ring can produce a really professional result if you want to create a dish with a bit of wow-factor. They contain the egg within a confined area, so it cooks in a regular shape. Most egg griddle rings are round, perfect for a sandwich, cooked breakfast or for slotting into an English muffin. However, you can also buy egg griddle rings in all sorts of cute and quirky shapes for a touch of novelty.
There are a wide variety of egg rings available to purchase in stores and online. Which one you purchase depends on your budget and the overall effect you want to achieve. However, it's well worth making sure that the model you select is non-stick, or you could spoil the neat effect trying to pry the egg away from the ring. Silicone is also a good way to go, as these rings are non-stick and flexible, making removing the eggs a breeze.
If you don't want to splash out on a specially-made egg ring, there are other options you can try to achieve a neat finish. Essentially, anything that it heat-proof and that can contain an egg in a circular shape makes a good substitute. The circular cover of a Mason jar lid will work a treat. You could even make an edible version from a ring of onion or even bell pepper. This can look very pretty.
Alternatively, you can buy small circular frying pans ideal for containing a single egg. These will produce a perfectly round friend egg.
Hopefully you now know everything you need to start cooking eggs on a griddle. This can add valuable protein to your meals and make your cooked breakfasts even more delicious. Also, you now know to cook a griddled egg in whatever way you prefer to eat them. Happy cooking!