Tools, Utensils, and Equipment

Needed in Egg Preparation

Egg Coddler- a porcelain or
pottery cup with a lid that
is used to prepare a dish
called coddled eggs.
Coddled eggs are soft
cooked eggs similar to
poached eggs.
 Egg beater- a small rotary beater used to beat eggs and
whip cream
 Egg cooker- a device that features niches where eggs
are placed and water. Once closed the device reaches a
set temperature and maintains it for the desired time.
 Egg cup/ server- a container used to serve boiled eggs
within their shells
 Egg peeler- a pair of tongs that ensures a “shell-less”
preparation and is also used to peel hard boiled eggs
faster.
 Egg piercer- a kitchen tool with a sharp pin used to
poke a tiny hole in the large end of the egg to prevent
it from cracking during boiling
 Egg poacher- a pierce of cookware used to poach or
steam eggs.
 Egg ring- a round metal ring approx. 1 cm high, used
when cooking eggs to prevent them from spreading
across the cooking surface.
 Egg separator- a tool used to separate egg yolk from
egg white
 Egg slicer- a slotted dish used to hold the egg in place
with a hinged plate of wires to slice peeled, hard boiled
eggs quickly and evenly.
 Egg timer- a simple timing device that measures the
cooking time allotted when boiling eggs.
 Egg wedger- a tong like device with a cradle on one
arm to hold a hard-boiled egg and crisscross of wires
on the other side to slice an egg in perfect wedges
when squeezed together
 Crepe pan- an 8 to 10 inches diameter flat bottomed
pan with short side walls used to make crepes, galettes,
pancakes, blinis or tortillas.
 Omelet pan- a heavy based frying pan made of cast
iron or copper with rounded sloping sides used
exclusively for omelets and cleaned with absorbent
paper afterwards
The egg is composed of two main
parts: the white and the yolk
 Shell- outer covering of the egg protecting the contents
from damage and contamination. Composed of calcium
carbonate and may contain as much as 12% of the total
weight of the egg.
 Egg white/albumen- it surrounds the egg in 4 different
layers
a. Thin outer white- layer nearest the shell
b. Thick outer white-layer after the thin outer layer
c. Thin inner white- layer after the thick outer layer moving
toward the inside
d. Thick inner white- layer next to the yolk membrane
 Inner and outer shell membrane- two membranes
partly made of keratin that surround the albumen and
provide an efficient defense against bacterial invasion.
Outer membrane sticks to the egg shell while the inner
membrane sticks to the albumen
 Yolk membrane- clear casing enclosing the egg yolk
 Germinal disk- a small circular, white spot on the
surface of the yolk where the sperm enters the egg.
Embryo develops from this disk and gradually sends
blood vessels into the yolk using it as nutrition as the
embryo develops.
 Yolk- a major source of vitamins, minerals almost half
of the protein and all of the fat and cholesterol.
 Chalaziferous albumen- a dense matted fibrous
capsule of albumen around the membrane of the yolk
 Chalazae- spiral, rope-like strands twisted in opposite
directions and keeps theyolk centered
 Air cell- an airspace forms when the contents of an egg
cools and contract after it is laid. Usually rest between
the outer and inner membranes at the eggs larger ends
 Cuticle/bloom- an outer coating produced by the shell
gland (uterus) of the oviduct acting as a barrier to keep
bacteria from entering the egg.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE AND
COMPONENTS OF EGG
 Protein- an inexpensive source of protein, containing
over six grams
 Vitamins- a rich source of B vitamins particularly
vitamins B12 and riboflavin (B2), vitamins A and D,
and some vitamin E.
 Minerals- contain iodine, required selenium and
phosphorous
 Fat- found almost entirely in the yolk with less than
0.5% in the albumen.
TYPES OF EGGS
 Chicken eggs- the most popularly consumed eggs
throughout the world and the basis of the poultry
industry.
 Organic eggs- produced by hens that have given feeds
grown without the aid of commercial fertilizers,
pesticides, or herbicides
Other types of eggs
 Quail eggs- much smaller than chicken eggs but with
similar flavor. Often hard boiled and served as food
garnish, appetizer or hors d’ouvre or an
accompaniment for salads. 5 quail eggs equal to one
chicken egg.
 Duck eggs- slightly larger than chicken eggs. Have
more flavor than chicken eggs but have a higher fat
content and more cholesterol. Well suited for dessert
recipes.
 Goose eggs- much larger than either chicken or duck
eggs and has more flavor than chicken eggs. Best
suited used in dessert dishes. High in fat and
cholesterol so they should be used sparingly.
 Turkey eggs-approximately 1 ½ times larger than a
jumbo chicken egg with very high cholesterol and fats
 Ostrich eggs- equal to 20-24 large chicken eggs and
can be made into several large omelets or scrambled
CHARACTERISTICS OF QUALITY
FRESH EGGS
 Candling- the process where eggs are passed over a
strong light to show the shell and its interior.
Grade AA eggs- have thick and firm whites; yolks that
are high, round and practically free from defects, and
clean, unbroken shells. Air cell may not exceed 3.2mm
Grade A eggs- have the same characteristics as Grade AA
eggs except their whites are reasonably firm
Grade B eggs- have thinner whites and yolks that may be
wider and flatter than eggs of higher grades. Their shells
must be unbroken but may show slight stains.
EGG SIZES
 Jumbo- 30 oz
 Extra large- 27oz
 Large- 24 oz
 Medium- 21 oz
 Small- 18oz
 Pee wee- 15 oz
MARKT FORMS
 Fresh eggs or shell eggs- OF EGG
used for breakfast cookery
 Frozen eggs- used in scrambled eggs, omelets,
French toast and in baking. They are pasteurized
and usually purchased in 30 pound cans
a. whole eggs b. whites
c. Yolks d. whole eggs with extra
yolks
 Dried eggs- used primarily for baking and are not
suggested for use in breakfast cookery. Not shelf-
stable and must be kept refrigerated or frozen,
tightly sealed
a. Whole eggs b. yolks c. whites
STORING EGGS
 Eggs should not be stored on the refrigerator door, but in
the main body of the refrigerator to ensure that they
keep a consistent and cool temperature.
 Leftover raw egg whites and yolks should be put in
airtight containers and stored in the refrigerator
immediately. To prevent yolks from drying out, cover
them with a little cold water. Drain the water before
using.
 When storing hard boiled eggs, you may notice a "gassy"
odour in your refrigerator. The odour is caused by
hydrogen sulphide, which forms when eggs are cooked.
It's harmless and usually dissipates in a few hours.
Fresh shell eggs By best before date

Leftover yolks or whites Within 2 to 4 days

Hard Boiled eggs Within 1 week

Prepared egg dishes Within 3 to 4 days

Pickled eggs Within 1 month

Frozen whole eggs (blended) Within 4 months

FREEZING EGGS
Whole eggs: Beat eggs just until blended, pour
into freezer containers and seal tightly. Label
the container with the number of eggs and the
date, and freeze.
Whites: Break and separate the eggs one at a
time, making sure that no yolk is mixed in with
the whites. Pour them into freezer containers,
seal tightly, label with the number of egg whites
and the date, and freeze. For faster thawing and
easier measuring, first freeze each white in an
ice cube tray and then transfer to a freezer
container.
 Yolks: Egg yolks require special treatment. The gelation
property of yolk causes it to thicken or gel when frozen. If
frozen as-is, egg yolks eventually become so gelatinous they
are almost impossible to use in a recipe. To help slow this
process, beat in either ⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) salt or 1½ tsp (7mL)
sugar or corn syrup per ¼ cup (50 mL) egg yolks (4 yolks).
Label the container with the number of yolks, the date, and
whether you've added salt (for main dishes) or sweetener (for
baking or desserts)
 Hard boiled: Hard boiled yolks can be frozen to use later for
toppings or garnishes. Carefully place the yolks in a single
layer in a saucepan and add enough water to come at least 1
inch above the yolks. Cover and quickly bring just to boil.
Remove from heat and let stand, covered, in the hot water for
about 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain well
and package for freezing. Hard boiled whole eggs and whites
become tough and watery when frozen, so don't freeze them.
COOKING WITH FROZEN EGGS
To use frozen eggs for cooking or baking simply thaw
them overnight in the refrigerator or under running cold
water. Use the eggs as soon as they're thawed and only in
dishes that will be thoroughly cooked. The following is a
list of the recommended substitutions for raw egg.
 Substitute 2 tbsp (30 mL) thawed egg white for 1 large
fresh white.
 Substitute 1 tbsp (15 mL) thawed egg yolk for 1 large
fresh yolk.
 Substitute 3 tbsp (45 mL) thawed whole egg for 1 large
fresh egg
USES OF EGGS
 Binding
 Coating
 Glazing
 Emulsifying agents
 Clarifying
 Enriching with other food
 Aerating or whisking