When breakfast is calling your name and all you want to do is whip up the fluffiest scrambled eggs anyone has ever seen, there are countless techniques you can turn to. And while everyone and their mother has an opinion on this matter, the most common add-ins you will generally see suggested are water and heavy cream or milk.
There is one secret ingredient, however, that will not only surprise you by its effectiveness in yielding fluffy scrambled eggs, but you also just might have a can or two in the back of your pantry. Often overlooked when not being used in desserts and other dairy-based dishes, like this copycat Cracker Barrel mac and cheese, evaporated milk is one canned ingredient that can help bring a little extra fluff to your scrambled eggs. And, as shown in the YouTube video below, the secret ingredient is even approved by Southern mamas, so you know it's something worth trying.
Why Should You Make Scrambled Eggs With Evaporated Milk?
When preparing scrambled eggs, many restaurants will add about 1 tablespoon of water per egg, which introduces steam and air to the cooking process and results in light, fluffy, tender scrambled eggs. Heavy cream and milk will also yield similar results to water, which is why both of these ingredients get used so frequently. The only downside to using heavy cream and milk is that these ingredients can mute the flavor of the eggs, whereas water will help retain the pure egg flavor.
The reason evaporated milk works so well is that it adds moisture to the eggs while also providing a creamy texture that helps make the eggs fluffy. It has enough water to add moisture and enough dairy to add creaminess, but not so much milk flavor that it competes with the egg. It's the Goldilocks of scrambled egg additions if you will.
And if you were wondering if that leftover can of sweetened condensed milk in your pantry will do the trick too, well you’d unfortunately end up with sweet scrambled eggs, which is something that nobody wants.
How to Make Fluffy Eggs Using Evaporated Milk
While using evaporated milk in your scrambled eggs is an effective way to avoid dry or chewy eggs, it's important to add the right amount. One tablespoon of evaporated milk per egg is a good rule of thumb.
Crack each egg carefully into a bowl, then add the evaporated milk. Use a whisk to mix the egg and milk until well combined. A whisk will introduce air to the mixture, which will also help make the scrambled eggs fluffy.
When you're ready to cook, heat a nonstick pan over low to medium-low heat and add some oil or butter. Pour in the egg mixture and use a rubber spatula to push the eggs toward the middle of the pan while they cook, continuously working your way around the pan and repeating the process until you create ribbons of eggs. Continue to stir regularly, breaking up the eggs into chunks and removing the pan from the heat when necessary if the eggs are cooking too quickly. When the eggs have reached your desired level of doneness, remove the pan from the heat and season with salt and pepper before serving with the rest of your breakfast spread.
How to Turn Milk into Evaporated Milk
If you don’t have evaporated milk available at home but you still have a carton of milk in the fridge, you can make your own evaporated milk in just a few minutes. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and pour the milk into the pan. As the milk heats up, all you need to do is continuously stir until it has reduced to about 60 percent of its original volume. Let cool slightly, then get cooking.
This article was written by Nathan Hutsenpiller from Parade and was legally licensed through the DiveMarketplace by Industry Dive. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.
