Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Lets Sling Some Hash

Not literally, because I don't have any hash to sling. But I am going to show you a little trick I learned from a short-order cook.

You can't help but learn something if you spend as much time as I've spent at road side cafes and hash-slinging spots. You know the kind of places where the cooks work in the open, just behind the counter and stools.

The Farmer loves his eggs over easy, but I was never able to make them without breaking one or both of the yolks. That resulted in a messy looking lump of cooked egg white mixed with cooked and uncooked yolk. Certainly not the presentation that Martha would approve of. At some point I was using the technique of cooking the eggs in tons of bacon grease and splashing the grease over the top of the egg in an attempt to get it perfect.

One time we're in this place south of the Mason-Dixon line, where they turn out platters of hash browns as big your head. The Farmer ordered those hash browns along with two eggs over easy. When the waitress brought our food to the table I saw two perfectly cooked eggs cozying up to the potatoes.

That was it. I realized it was possible to cook a perfect egg over easy, I just wasn't understanding the science behind the task. I asked the waitress if I could speak to the cook.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

"Oh no, I'm just looking to obtain the exclusive rights to the egg cooking secret", I answered.

The cook was in a good mood and shared his method.

First you get the pan ready by heating on medium high heat until a drop of water skitters across the pan. You will note that I've pulled out the pan that I use to slowly poison my family. If you haven't cooked bacon first, you're going to need to add a little butter.

Crack the eggs into the pan.



Continue to cook until the whites are done from the bottom.



Now....... here's the secret.

Grab two to three ice cubes and a lid that will provide a tight seal.



Put the ice cubes in the pan and cover quickly.



You'll hear the ice cubes start to melt and they create steam. The steam from the melting ice cubes is what cooks the top of the egg. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. At this point you can remove the lid and see if they're cooked to your liking. If not, put the lid back on and cook some more.



You don't need to touch the spatula until you are remove the eggs to the plate.



Now I'm stuck. The Farmer has already gone to work and I don't eat fried eggs. Anybody want to help me out?


27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't like chasing my yolks around my plate so I can't eat your left-overs.. LOL

Thanks for the lesson though as this is how Hubby eats his eggs.

Di
The Blue Ridge Gal

chocolatechic said...

What a brilliant idea.

Maybe you could get a new pan...or an old cast iron one....giggle.

One Gray Hair At A Time said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you...although we (myself & kids) don't eat "slimy" eggs my husband enjoys them. Now I will look professional. Plus I keep telling him I want to open a restaurant and this was something I was scared of screwing up. At least in my dreams I will be serving good looking eggs. lol

bv said...

in our home these are 'campin' carol's' eggs. my husbands godfather, a fly fisherman, camp cook and teller of great stories. your post reminded me of all the amazing times we had in the warner mts -north east calif. modoc county. heaven on earth. thanks for that.
bv

Vee said...

Now that really is a slick trick, but since I purchased a very large spatula, I've had no troubles flipping the egg. Still, I might have to give this method a try. Was that cook using a grill?

marbea said...

well, they are beautiful, but I don't eat eggs, that's the dog's job.

and that is some trick, my dad was a cook in the navy and my mom ran the city's schools' cafeterias and I never learned this trick. I will be trying it out next time I visit the family. My brothers will be impressed.

love your blog!!!!

marb

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

Never in my wildest would I have thought of this. Can't wait to try. Thanks.

life in red shoes said...

No way! I would never have thought of that trick. I always break them, can anyone say breakfast?

Eggs In My Pocket said...

Hi, just love your blog! My mom used to fix perfect over easy eggs, and this brought back a smile with that memory. Enjoyed visiting here. blessings,Kathleen

Louise said...

I don't like eggs over easy, but I want to try this just because it looks so cool!

Kitty said...

My husband's family (Michiganders) always cooked their eggs that way--only just poured a little water in the pan instead of ice. I've never seen anyone else cook eggs using that method. I'm a "flipper" and don't usually have trouble keeping them together. And, I use a cast iron skillet.

ArtPropelled said...

Well you live and learn. I've never heard of that trick.

Cindy said...

Those are some purdy eggs! I too, am eggs over-easy challenged. The two men in my life both like their eggs prepared this way. Me - I take the coward's way out and just scramble the living daylights out of 'em. Thanks so much for the info - I'll give it a shot tomorrow morning! By the way, love your blog!

StitchinByTheLake said...

I am thrilled with this post! I love my eggs over easy but can never master the technique. I'll be trying this for supper tonight! blessings, marlene

happyone said...

So that's the trick - quite clever!
Too bad I don't eat fried eggs. :-)

Old Centennial Farmhouse said...

Thanks for the EXPERT advice! I like my eggs this way, too but when you just use a lid, the eggs get TOO BROWN on bottom! Now, I know a thing or two about hashbrowns....
XOXO
Joni

Becky K. said...

That is exactly the way I love them....yum!!! Salt and pepper please!

Jody Blue said...

I also use the steam method, I just use some water,I'll give the cubes a try--see if ti makes a difference.l

dina said...

I pretty much only eat scrambled eggs... except when I'm in Spain, where it's pretty hard to find scrambled eggs. I actually like them over easy like this - but you gotta have some good toast to dip in the yolk. My... that sounds good. It HAS been a while since I've been in Spain - gosh, 6 months now... maybe I should give these a whirl tomorrow morning! :)

Jackie said...

Thanks for sharing this...I'll use this method from here on out. I love your blog, by the way.

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

Yummm!!! My late father cooked his eggs in a similar way and was real proud of his secret. He used a little cold water instead of ice- I suppose it works on the same steam principle. Kind of fried and a little poached!

Mary said...

my mom did it like that only with a couple tbsp of water.

Nex we need old centennial farmhouse's hash brown tips.

Loved thelid..

Anonymous said...

My Mom always spooned bacon grease from the bacon she just fried, over the eggs as well for added taste.

Rue said...

You are my hero Suzanne! After all these years... finally!

rue

Barbara said...

Thanks for sharing! I shared your link.

Anonymous said...

I tried this and it worked like a charm.

Thanks,
Jennifer

theUngourmet said...

Now this is an awesome secret! I must try it this weekend on my husband's eggs!