13 Tips You Need When Cooking With Egg Whites

Versatile, packed with protein, and expert binding agents, egg whites are the kitchen all-rounder, lending themselves as key ingredients to a multitude of recipes. Their unobtrusive flavor means they can be added to savory stews, soups, and casseroles with ease, resulting in a thick and moreish texture. Their ability to form a stable foam is also particularly useful for adding lightness and volume to sweet treats, such as meringue and angel food cake. Such scope, however, is a product of egg whites' changeability. As they are prepared, egg whites go through some pretty drastic transformations, in both size and texture. Too much force or too little attention can lead to undesirable results that may undermine the rest of your recipe, such as a sinking soufflé or a mealy marshmallow.

The good news is that the means for obtaining and cooking perfectly formed egg whites are relatively straightforward. Since egg whites increase in volume on account of the way their protein molecules react with air bubbles, the most surefire way to ensure success is to make sure no other elements are introduced to the reaction. Simple methods, including using a gentle hand, will help secure perfect whites every time, whether you're looking for perky peaks or a fluffy breakfast bake.

Just as grease residing in a plastic bowl can hinder the process of beating egg whites, any oil or fat residue that may linger on your glass bowl or whisk will limit the amount of rise you can achieve. This is because of the delicate network that is formed by the protein in egg whites. The proteins go through certain stages as they are stirred up, first expanding before joining together. These connected, expanded proteins come together to build a type of structure. Any pockets of air that form as a result of whisking become trapped by this structure of proteins, which becomes more rigid as whisking continues. With nowhere to go, these pockets of air are locked in place by the proteins, and the mixture turns foamy as a result. Unwanted fat residue hinders this reaction by filling up these pockets of air. Without this air, you will be virtually unable to form a foam, regardless of how hard you beat your whisk.

It's therefore worth dedicating a little extra time and attention to your prep by making sure that, before you begin beating, both your bowl and whisk are spotless and dry. Though it can be tempting to reuse bowls and kitchen utensils, a trace of butter on a pre-used whisk or a drop of oil in the bottom of your dish may jeopardize your peaks, so don't rush through your recipe, and be sure to clean as you go.

It may seem obvious, but it's more important than you might think to avoid letting any yolk seep into your egg whites. Indeed, aside from altering the taste, composition, and nutritional values of your dish, cross-contaminating your whites with egg yolk will hinder the processes you want your whites to go through during beating. The fat content of an egg is found in the yolk, and in the same way as oil and other fat residue, when this content is transferred, it prohibits the whites from rising properly. 

It's best, then, to be slow and steady with your separation, ensuring no yolk falls into the whites. It may also help to use multiple bowls for this process, especially if you're fairly new to separating eggs. Cracking and separating a new egg directly into a bowl full of whites leaves very little room for error, and you will need to start over should any of the yolk fall in.

It's fairly common rhetoric that fresh is always better, but there are times when we simply need the convenience of something pre-prepared. Notwithstanding the washing up that it necessitates, separating fresh eggs can be quite a time-consuming and fiddly process, especially if you are using a large quantity of eggs. Packaged egg whites offer a convenient and mess-free alternative that provides the same taste and texture as those that have been freshly cracked. 

Ideal for omelets or creating a glossy finish for bread and pastries, liquid egg whites will more often than not slash your preparation time, but you may have to work in some leeway if you are using pre-prepared egg whites for a soufflé or meringue. These will be heat-treated before they are packaged, which makes them thinner than fresh egg whites. As such, you will most likely need to spend a little more time whipping to achieve a similar result as you normally would. Ultimately, however, there should be no significant difference in the end result, aside from perhaps a slightly more tired wrist.

By nature, whipped egg whites are fragile and comprised predominantly of air. Thus, you should use egg whites that have been beaten into peaks asap. Leaving whipped egg whites to sit on the counter will cause them to deflate, and they may even begin to start weeping moisture. To avoid leaving the egg whites stagnant, prepare any other ingredients, such as the batter that the whites are to be incorporated into, first, and jump to your next step straight away. 

Similarly, when using frothy egg whites in cocktails, you'll want to serve up and drink up fairly swiftly. While the majority of uses for egg whites involve some form of cooking, egg whites used to top cocktails are raw. As such, if left for too long, they can begin to flatten and develop a somewhat pungent smell that isn't too ideal for a cocktail night. So if you're looking for a drink that you can sip slowly, it's probably better to opt for aquafaba or omit the froth altogether. Remember that egg whites, once interfered with, can be a delicate and changeable thing, and it's best to move with efficiency. 

The liquidy texture of egg whites can make them prone to rubberiness when cooked, particularly when prepared scrambled or as an omelet and cooked on the stove. A very low-fat content also makes egg whites susceptible to dryness when even slightly overcooked, so it's important to pay attention while cooking with them and not to be tempted to turn the heat up. 

When frying egg whites in a pan, a low-to-medium consistent heat level helps cook the eggs evenly and prevents burning or drying them out, as well as ensuring that they do not stick to the bottom of the pan, even without the addition of oil or butter. You'll likely find that egg whites cook very quickly even without a high heat, with soft and fluffy scrambled egg whites taking no longer than three to four minutes from start to finish in a pan, or under two minutes in the microwave. 

Egg whites are a popular addition to many cocktails, and it's easy to understand why. They add a rich, silky texture to cocktails, as well as subduing intense flavors, thus helping to curate a seriously smooth drink. Not only this, but frothy egg whites are the agents behind the foamy top that characterizes many classics, such as the whiskey sour, pisco sour, and clover club cocktail. The key to this perfect creamy topping is to first dry shake the cocktail, meaning shaking it without ice (the wet shake — meaning shaking the cocktail with ice — will come later). The warmer temperature and lack of dilution that comes with omitting ice helps the egg whites to froth up into a perfect airy foam.

For this method, it's best to use two separate mixing tins, also known as a Boston shaker, instead of a cobbler shaker, aerating the egg whites in one tin while building the rest of the cocktail in the other. Such a method not only ensures maximum aeration for the whites but also means that if any shell, yolk, or less-than-fresh egg finds itself in the shaker, the entire cocktail is not jeopardized. For an even silkier texture, the egg whites can also be frothed up separately with a stick blender or electric whisk and then simply scooped over the finished cocktail for a perfect finish, so it's even easier to upgrade your favorite aperitifs.