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Comment by ebg13 | Hacker News Reader

This line got to me.

> I blended two fresh eggs with ¼ cup of water and pan-scrambled them.

Is adding water to scrambled eggs really a thing that people do? Never in my life have I added water to fresh eggs before scrambling them.

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This is pretty typical (along with milk) for people who are scrambling their eggs over moderately high heat, under the belief that it makes their eggs fluffier.

What it actually does is make wetter eggs. By breaking the yolks and mixing before cooking you are breaking down the various proteins, and by adding liquid you are just making the eggs wetter. (Much like how a custard can weep if you hit it with high heat.) If you like a dry scramble, hit those eggs in a ripping hot pan with some oil, but no water.

I strongly recommend folks cook low and slow with their eggs, agitating them regularly to build up a small, creamy curd.

FWIW, ATK recommends half-and-half. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/1055-how-to-mak...

As I recall, the underlying science is that this helps alleviate the fact that the various proteins in eggs coagulate at different temperatures so adding some fat means that there's less of an issue with some of the proteins drying out while waiting for others to solidify.

I do often add fat, though typically in the form of butter or cream product (sour cream, creme fraiche, etc.) Half and half probably works in a pinch.

Why half-and-half and not cream or butter?

Half-and-half is cream. They prefer that level of fat to milk or heavier cream.

Probably enough butter to make a difference would change the flavor.

> Half-and-half is cream.

No, half-and-half is, as the name describes, half cream and half milk.

It's common in the US to add milk. The first person who showed me how to scramble eggs without adding milk said it was "the French way to scramble eggs". She was Romanian.

My aunt made the best scrambled eggs ever. Many years later, I learned that her secret was the addition of a small amount of Cheez Wiz to the mix: about 1 Tbsp to four eggs. That right there is a game-changer.

Grate about 1 tsp. Romano, or Parmigiano Reggiano...curd the eggs only, leaving a wet sheen. Heaven.

yes, some people add a bit of water or milk. In theory the water turns to steam helps make them fluffy, I believe.

Yeah, it's definitely a thing, and I put in a little milk myself. But 2oz does seem high.

yep, the water creates steam which cooks them more evenly and fluffily. The milk is for extra taste and texture. It's like using broth/stock to cook rice with rather than water.

I add milk, sometimes. Never water. It might make them fluffier? i.e., more moisture, that converts to steam?

I've been meaning to try this - corn starch slurry mixed in with the eggs see this Egg Foo Young recipe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnRBW7F3TOg

I add sour cream (much better than milk IMO), but have never added water.

I add some milk to eggs when I scramble them, but never water. Not sure if that's weird.

I add water to make them a little fluffier. Also, water doesn't spoil overnight, so I can take them to work and have them at my desk after the commute. On the weekends I use bacon grease.

> Never in my life have I added water to fresh eggs before scrambling them.

It's what you do when you run out of milk. It tastes better with milk so try not to run out of milk.

Yes.

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