What I like about our modern society is the fact that people never seem to run out of ideas in breaking down easy tasks into much easier ones. When it comes to cooking, a lot of techniques have evolved from complicated to effortless. For one thing, can you microwave an egg? You definitely can! Who would have thought that an easy-breezy piece of work as cooking an egg can be simplified much further? You can make poached eggs, scrambled eggs, or omelette. And if you aren’t persuaded yet, read along and take advantage of this useful life hack.
How do you microwave an egg?
Microwaving an egg gives you more freedom than you thought you could have. Before you get your creative nerves working, we will teach you three basic methods of cooking eggs in a microwave. Learn from these fundamentals and recreate it later on to make your own recipe:
How to make poached eggs
- Fill a mug or a glass bowl with ½ cup of water. Adding vinegar is an option to prevent aggregates from forming.
- Crack an egg open and drop the contents to the bowl.
- Prick the yolk with a toothpick.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap or any lid substitute.
- Microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute. The egg is perfectly poached when the white has set whilst the yolk is still runny and thick. If the desired doneness is not yet achieved, microwave at 10-second increments.
- After cooking, drain water out of the bowl.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
How to scrambled eggs
- Coat glass bowl or any microwave safe container with oil either by spraying or by wiping using paper towel.
- Crack an egg open and drop it to the bowl.
- Add a tablespoon of milk or water and whisk lightly.
- Microwave on high heat for 30 to 45 seconds.
- When it has set, it’s done cooking. There should be no visible run-offs from the egg.
How to make omelettes
- Spray cooking oil in a glass bowl or microwave safe container.
- On the same bowl, beat an egg, salt and pepper. You may put desired filling if you have any.
- Cover loosely and pop in the microwave on high heat for 30 seconds.
- If the eggs are still runny, microwave at 10-second increments.
What should you do and not do when microwaving an egg?
Microwaving an egg may seem like a no-brainer but you need to be cautious about some facts about it still. For one, you may wonder why we did not include above cooking boiled eggs in any form of doneness. Can you microwave an egg with its shell still intact? Unfortunately, you can’t. The rapid heating causes moisture inside the egg to develop into steam. With the egg shell still unscathed, pressure inside builds up causing the egg to explode.
When making scrambled eggs, be sure to use a large bowl when cooking. When microwaved, the eggs have a tendency to swell and become fluffy. Unless you have an unusual love for cleaning up mess, heed this advice. In addition, if you intend to add filling on the eggs, make it a point that these can be cooked well in a microwave. Same rule applies if you want to stuff you omelette. Some fillings especially raw and meat-based may require longer heating process. If this won’t be compatible to the brief stay of the eggs in the microwave, you need to cook or prepare it in advance.
Sometimes, you feel tempted to stop cooking the eggs when it already appears half cooked. If you have a kitchen thermometer, it’s best to take the temperature of the eggs before finishing unplugging your equipment. Especially when you’ll cook for a big batch, the temperature and physical attributes should both match to know if you did a pristine job.
Take note that cooking time varies depending on several factors. Do heat longer if you’re cooking in a tall mug. On the other hand, shorten it if you are using a pan that’s flat. Bottom line: more exposed parts to heat require shorter period of cooking and vice versa.
What recipes can you make out of microwaving an egg?
With the above-mentioned basic recipes, you can recreate your egg dish in multiple ways. You can transform a plain scrambled egg or omelette into a vibrant meal by adding different kinds of filling. You can also add seasoning of your choice.
Craving for that golden shine of a sunny-side up egg? You can do that too in a microwave. Just crack an egg on an oil-lined microwave plate. Don’t forget to prick the yolk for easier cooking. Pop in the oven and cook at high temperature for about 45 seconds. It might not be as glossy and royal as how you would cook it in a stovetop, but it will still taste great.
Believe it or not, you can also make a quiche in a microwave. The base method is that of an omelette with the addition of putting crushed graham or butter crackers at the bottom of the mug.
Using these recipes as refernce, you can recreate them to make more exciting egg dishes as Fritata, Eggs Florentine, and burrito or sandwich filling.
Is it safe to eat microwaved eggs?
Can you microwave an egg without being inferior to a stovetop-cooked egg? Many will agree that eggs born through a skillet is still superior to microwaving eggs. The eggs come out softer, silkier, and moister. But of course, the advantage of microwave which cannot be beaten by the stovetop is to offer a quick and convenient way of enjoying omelette for breakfast. However inferior the quality of microwaved eggs are, one thing you should not be worried of its safety for consumption. The heat provided by our kitchen best friend is hot and rapid enough to cook it eliminating risks for possible foodborne illness. When done well – and by this we mean cooking it until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 ֯F – you will not doubt whether or not your eggs still have salmonella.
So, if you’re looking for ways to ease up your already complicated hungry life, try cooking eggs in a microwave and see how incredibly less of a hassle it is.
