Bobby Flay's Easy Tip For Avoiding Broken Egg Yolks

Eggs are a staple for breakfasts and weekend brunches in the United States. In fact, in 2019, SWNS published the results of a survey (conducted by their subsidiary OnePoll on behalf of Sabra) that revealed that about 65% of American breakfast eaters chose eggs for breakfast. And, despite a 141% increase in egg prices as a result of the pandemic, Americans consumed about 284 eggs per capita in 2021, via Statista, and the reason for eating all these eggs is evident.

Despite higher costs, eggs remain one of the most cost-effective sources of protein (via Cleveland Clinic). According to BBC Good Food, eggs have nutrients that can be hard to find naturally like B12, vitamin D, iodine, and choline, and they've also been linked to improved heart health and a reduction in the risk of vision problems. According to The Healthy, eggs can help with weight loss efforts as well.

A common question is whether eating egg yolks is healthy. According to Healthline, despite concerns about cholesterol, egg yolks are nutrient-rich and can provide benefits like improved cognitive function and decreased inflammation. They're also a powerful source of antioxidants and amino acids (via NDTV).

If you're going to make eggs you can easily incorporate the yolk in creamy scrambled eggs or deviled egg salad, but how can you make sure to keep that yolk intact when you want to fry them up? Bobby Flay has the answer.

While weekend mornings may call for the occasional omelet or eggs benedict, the simplicity of some sunny-side up or over easy eggs beckons at breakfast time. However, there's one basic breakfast fail that everyone has experienced: yolk breakage.

While Bobby Flay does prep a non-stick pan along with butter and oil, his real trick lies in the use of a ramekin (via Food Network). Instead of cracking eggs directly into the hot pan, Flay first cracks the egg into the ramekin before gently releasing it into the pan. Cracking the egg into another vessel before adding it to the hot pan prevents any broken yolks from contaminating the rest of the skillet when frying multiple eggs, but it also comes with the added benefit of not risking the introduction of egg shells to the pan.

In addition to Flay's tip, another popular way to reduce the chance of breakage is to crack the egg on a flat surface instead of the rim of a pan or bowl (via Kitchn). By not using the edge of a pan or bowl, there is less of a chance of introducing the shell to the inside of the egg which could potentially pierce the yolk.

However you choose to crack your eggs, you now have Flay's infallible technique for upping your egg game. It's time to put it to use with some cheese-covered chilaquiles, Thai-inspired fried eggs, or Basque-influenced fried eggs with chorizo.