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12 Egg Cooking Tricks You Can Steal From Pro Chefs

So you never mess up an egg again.

Alida Barden/BuzzFeed

If there's a group of people who know how to cook eggs properly, it's pro chefs. They know the little tricks that can help you make the perfect scramble, or the softest poached egg.

So we rounded up 12 of their most helpful egg cooking tips so you can learn from the very best:

1. Pre-boil eggs in their shell for 10 seconds before poaching them. This will firm up the whites and keep them wrapped around the yolk.

Jesse Szewczyk/BuzzFeed

This technique will help you get that perfect oval shape and prevent the whites from going everywhere. Just gently place the whole eggs in boiling water for 10 seconds, take 'em out, and crack them into ramekins. The egg will still be completely raw, but the outer whites will have firmed up just enough to keep them together.

h/t: Julia Child

More: Learn more about Child's 10-second boiling technique.

2. Take your scrambled eggs off the heat before they're fully cooked so the residual heat cooks them until just done.

Zbarovskiy96 / Getty Images

Pans stay hot for a long time, which means the food that's in them will continue to cook — so right before your eggs are cooked to your liking, remove them from the heat. The residual heat of the pan will continue cooking them and you won't end up with a scramble that's too cooked for your liking.

h/t: Jamie Oliver

More: Get Oliver's scrambled egg recipe.

3. For the softest, most custardy scrambled eggs, start cooking them in a cold pot.

Taylor Miller/BuzzFeed

If you're into custardy scrambles, this technique is for you. Simply start heating your eggs in a cold pot or pan with a few pats of butter, and slowly start cooking them — stirring often. As the pan gets hot, take it off the heat and continue stirring them. Place it back on the heat, and repeat this motion so the pot never heats up too hot. This low-and-slow technique will result in a super creamy texture that's almost like a custard.

h/t: Gordon Ramsay

More: Get Ramsay's recipe for soft scrambled eggs.

4. It may be obvious, but make sure to warm your plate up before plating your eggs — cold ceramic can suck the heat right out of 'em.

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OK, so maybe this is obvious, but heating up your plate beforehand will ensure your eggs stay warm, soft, and delicious. Just pop your plate in a warm oven (not too hot!) as you're cooking and it'll be warm and ready by the time you're done.

h/t: Alton Brown

More: Get Brown's recipe for perfect scrambled eggs.

5. For super smooth, lump-free scrambles, strain your eggs through a fine mesh sieve after beating them and finish them with crème fraîche.

Tarik Kizilkaya / Getty Images

This will help break up the yolks and whites and get rid of any imperfections. (Because nothing is worse than eating scrambled eggs with a little bit of shell in them.)

h/t: Thomas Keller

More: Get Keller's scrambled egg recipe.

6. Poach eggs in little pouches made out of plastic wrap — this way, all you have to do is drop the pouches in boiling water and walk away.

Jesse Szewczyk/BuzzFeed

This is how many restaurants do it, and it makes sense. The little pouches help keep everything together and prevent the whites from detaching into the water. Just line a little bowl with plastic wrap, spray it with nonstick spray, and crack an egg into it. Tie the top closed, and place into boiling water. After cooking, snip it open and your egg is ready to be eaten.

h/t: Martha Stewart

More: See how to do it.

7. Use a pushpin to prick your eggs before boiling them to make sure they don't crack.

1001gece / Getty Images, Ryersonclark / Getty Images

You know when you place an egg into boiling water and it immediately cracks? One way to prevent this is to prick a little hole into the egg where the air bubble is (the rounder end of the egg). This will help let some of the air escape so less pressure builds up and cracks the shell.

h/t: Jacques Pépin

More: Check out three more of Pépin's egg cooking techniques.

8. Start cooking your scrambled eggs with a fork, then switch to a spatula as soon as they come together.

Webphotographeer / Getty Images

The fork will help break up the eggs during the initial cooking phase, and the spatula will help keep it in large, ribbony pieces during the final few seconds. (Just be careful not to scratch your nonstick pan using a fork! If you have plastic forks at home, this is the time to use 'em.)

h/t: Tom Colicchio

More: Read more about Colicchio's scrambled egg technique.

9. For every two eggs you make, add one extra yolk to improve both the taste and texture of your scramble.

Nungning20 / Getty Images

The egg yolk will give it a brighter color, add additional fat (which means more flavor), and give it a richer texture. Then, just save your extra whites for meringues or omelets, or freeze them for another time.

h/t: Nathan Myhrvold

More: Get Myhrvold's recipe for scrambled eggs.

10. Heat your spatula in hot oil before attempting to flip your egg to make sure it doesn't stick to it.

Fishysam / Getty Images

Heating your metal spatula up in the hot oil will prevent the eggs from sticking to it when you got to flip them. Just tip your pan towards you so all of the oil pools in one place, and heat you spatula in that pool. (Because eggs are less likely to stick to hot surfaces.)

h/t: José Andrés

More: Check out 10 other pro egg cooking tips.

11. Cover your fried eggs as they're cooking with a lid to make sure the whites fully cook and the yolks remain runny.

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This traps the steam and helps cook the top of the egg without having to flip it. It's perfect for people who like to keep their eggs tender without any browning — and it ensures you don't end up with those gross undercooked whites you sometimes get on fried eggs.

h/t: Billy Wright and Jack Layer

More: Learn how to perfectly fry eggs using the lid method.

12. Make fluffy scrambled eggs in less than a minute by cooking them with an espresso steamer.

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If you're lucky enough to have an espresso maker at home, you can actually scramble eggs using the steamer wand. Just place your eggs in a cup with whatever you want (milk, cream, etc.) and steam them for about 30 seconds. They'll cook super quickly, and the steam will help keep them moist.

h/t: Jody Williams

More: Get the recipe for Buvette's steamed scrambled eggs.

Looking for more helpful cooking tips? Check out these posts:

• 17 Clever Cooking Tips I Learned While Working In Restaurants

• 12 Nerdy But Brilliant Cooking Tips From A Food Scientist

• Just 16 Helpful Tips If You're Cooking For One

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