Key Takeaways
- Julia Child’s trick is to reserve two tablespoons of raw beaten egg to mix in at the end of cooking.
- The reserved eggs cook in the residual heat from the eggs.
- This gives your scrambled eggs a creamy, decadent texture and prevents them from becoming dry or rubbery.
I eat two eggs almost every single day for a meal that I refer to as “mom brunch.” Try as I may, as a mom of three, getting myself a proper breakfast first thing in the morning is nearly impossible.
If I’m lucky, I grab some sort of bar or frozen waffle on the way to school drop-off (always late, of course) to tide me over to a time of day that is slightly less chaotic. Around 11 a.m. my older kids are in school and I finally have a moment to make myself eggs. Some turn to meditation for midday self-care, but I turn to a soft scramble.
I’ve tried almost every trick for scrambling eggs. Adding a dollop of ricotta to the eggs before cooking never disappoints. For a dairy-free upgrade, salting the beaten eggs 15 minutes ahead of cooking also yields soft and fluffy eggs.
Recently, however, while thumbing through my well-loved copy of “The Way to Cook,” by Julia Child, I was reminded of one of the easiest ways to upgrade my morning eggs.
Julia Child’s Easy Method for Perfect Scrambled Eggs
Julia Child whisks her eggs in a bowl and cooks all but two tablespoons of the egg mixture low and slow in butter (of course!), using a spatula to gently scrape the egg mixture from the edge of the pan to the center until the eggs form soft curds. This is the most vital step when cooking scrambled eggs. High heat causes eggs to seize up into dry, squeaky, unappealing curds like the ones you find on an overpriced breakfast buffet.
Once the eggs become custard-like in the pan, she stops the cooking by adding the reserved raw beaten egg, allowing the residual heat to cook the newly added eggs. This ensures the eggs will not be overcooked and dry.
I finish my scramble off with chopped fresh chives, and I enjoy them piled high on toasted sourdough bread.
Julia’s Optional Finishing Step
What I love about this tip is that it epitomizes Julia’s ability to elevate everyday recipes. It doesn’t involve any fancy cooking techniques or extra ingredients. Simply adding a small portion of the raw egg mixture at the end of cooking makes a huge difference in the final texture of the eggs.
This one simple step makes the eggs impossibly creamy on their own, but if you really want to treat yourself, Child’s classic recipe suggests finishing them off with a bit more butter and a splash of heavy cream. After all, one of the greatest lessons Child’s ever taught me was, “Fat gives things flavor.”
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