1. Breakfast Preparation
Chapter 24
Breakfast Preparation
Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved

2. Eggs Understanding Eggs The Composition of Eggs Yolk
High in both fat and protein.
Contains iron and several vitamins.
Color ranges from light to dark yellow, depending on the diet of the chicken.

3. Eggs Understanding Eggs The Composition of Eggs White
Primarily albumin protein.
Clear and soluble when raw but white and firm when coagulated.
Contains sulfur.

4. Eggs Understanding Eggs The Composition of Eggs Shell
Fragile and also porous.
Allows odors and flavors to be absorbed by the egg.
Allows the egg to lose moisture even if unbroken.

5. An egg contains the highest quality food protein known
It is so nearly perfect, in fact, that egg protein is often the standard by which all other proteins are judged. Based on the essential amino acids it provides, egg protein is second only to mother's milk for human nutrition. On a scale with 100 representing top efficiency, these are the biological values of proteins in several foods. 
Protein 
Whole egg 93.7
Milk 84.5
Fish 76.0
Beef 74.3
Soybeans 72.8
Rice, polished 64.0
Wheat, whole 64.0
Corn 60.0
Beans, dry 58.0

6. Understanding Eggs: Grades and Quality
The best grade (AA) has a firm yolk and white that stand up high when broken onto a flat surface and do not spread over a large area.
Use for fried or poached eggs.

7. Understanding Eggs: Grades and Quality
Grade B eggs, as seen from the top and side. Note how the white and yolk lose thickness and spread more in the lower grades.
Use for scrambled eggs and baking.

8. TEST FOR FRESHNESS
The air cell, or the empty space between the white and shell at the large end of the egg, gets larger as the egg ages. When an egg is first expelled, it is warm. As it cools, the contents contract and the inner shell membrane separates from the outer shell membrane to form the air cell.
If you immerse an egg in (cool) water, you can judge how fresh it is by how high it floats. Really fresh eggs won't float at all; the higher it floats, the less likely it is to be fresh.
Another way is to shake the egg. Fresh eggs make no sound. Old eggs slosh in the shell.

9. Eggs Understanding Eggs Maintaining Quality
Proper storage is essential for maintaining quality.
Eggs keep for weeks if held at 36°F (2°C) but lose quality quickly if held at room temperature.
Eggs can lose a full grade in one day at warm kitchen temperatures.
Store eggs away from foods that might pass on undesirable flavors or odors.

10. Eggs Understanding Eggs Egg Size Classifications* Size U.S. Metric__
Jumbo 30 oz g
Extra-large 27 oz g
Large 24 oz g
Medium 21 oz g
Small 18 oz g
Peewee 15 oz g
* Minimum Weight per Dozen

11. Eggs Understanding Eggs Market Forms Fresh eggs or shell eggs
Frozen eggs
Whole eggs
Whites
Yolks
Whole eggs with extra yolks
Dried eggs

12. Eggs Understanding Eggs Sanitation
In recent years, cases of salmonella food poisoning have been caused by raw or undercooked eggs.
As a result, cooks have been made more aware of egg-related sanitation concerns.
Pasteurized egg products are used in more operations.

13. PRACTICE EGG SAFETY
CLEAN:  Wash hands and surfaces frequently. Thoroughly wash all utensils used.
COOK:  To proper temperatures.
SEPARATE:  Do not cross contaminate.
CHILL:  Refrigerate properly
When cracked, discard any raw eggs that contain large bloodspots or have an unusual odor

14. Eggs Understanding Eggs Egg Substitutes
Efforts to reduce cholesterol in the diet have led to the development of commercial egg substitutes.
These are of two types:
Egg substitutes that are made of pasteurized egg whites with the addition of a blend of ingredients to substitute for the yolks.
Eggless egg substitutes that contain no egg product.

15. Eggs Understanding Eggs General Cooking Principles
The most important rule of egg cookery is simple: Avoid high temperatures and long cooking times.
Overcooking produces tough eggs, causes discoloration, and affects flavor.

16. Eggs Understanding Eggs Coagulation
Eggs coagulate at the following temperatures:
Whole eggs, beaten, about 156°F (69°C).
Whites 140°–149°F (60°–65°C).
Yolks 144°–158°F (62°–70°C).
Custard (whole eggs plus liquid) 175°–185°F (79°–85°C).
When eggs are mixed with a liquid, they become firm at a higher temperature.

17. Eggs Understanding Eggs Coagulation
An overcooked egg is tough and rubbery.
Low temperatures produce the best-cooked eggs.
If egg-liquid mixtures such as custards and scrambled eggs are overcooked, the egg solids separate from the liquids, or curdle.
This is often seen as tough, watery scrambled eggs.

18. Eggs Understanding Eggs Sulfur
The familiar green ring you often see in hard-cooked eggs is caused by cooking at high temperatures or cooking too long.
This ring results when the sulfur in the egg whites reacts with the iron in the yolk to form iron sulfide.
A compound that has a green color and a strong odor and flavor.
Use low temperatures and short cooking and holding times.

19. Eggs Understanding Eggs Foams
Whipped egg whites are used to give lightness and rising power.
When foaming egg whites:
Fat inhibits foaming.
Mild acids help foaming.
Egg whites foam better at room temperature.
Do not overbeat.
Sugar makes foams more stable.

20. Eggs Understanding Eggs Foaming Egg Whites The whites are just
beginning to whip
into a foam.
The whites have reached the soft-peak stage.
The whites have reached the firm-peak stage. Note the smooth texture. Whipping beyond this stage will cause the foam to break.

21. Cooking Eggs Simmering in the Shell
The term hard-boiled egg is not a good one to use because eggs should be simmered instead of boiled.
Eggs may be simmered in water to the following stages:
Soft-cooked
Medium-cooked
Hard-cooked

22. Cooking Eggs Poaching Standards of Quality for poached eggs:
Bright, shiny appearance
Compact, round shape, not spread or flattened
Firm but tender whites; warm, liquid yolks

23. Cooking Eggs Fried Eggs
Fried eggs are an especially popular breakfast preparation.
They should always be cooked to order and served immediately.
The choice of cooking fat is a matter of taste and budget.
Butter has the best flavor.
Margarine or oil may be used.
Use bacon fat only if that flavor is desired by the customer.

24. Cooking Eggs Fried Eggs
Lift the handle of the pan and slide the eggs to the far edge with a quick jerk.
With a quick flip of the wrist turn the eggs over. Do not flip the eggs too hard, or the yolks may break when they land.

25. Cooking Eggs Fried Eggs When frying eggs on a griddle:
Turn them with one smooth motion of the spatula.
The left corner of the egg never actually leaves the surface of the griddle.

26. Cooking Eggs Fried Eggs Sunny side up Basted Over easy Over medium
White is completely set but yolk is still soft and yellow.
Basted
Thin film of coagulated white will cover the yolk, which should remain liquid.
Over easy
Cook just until the white is just set but the yolk is still liquid.
Over medium
Cook until the yolk is partially set.
Over hard
Cook until the yolk is completely set.

27. Cooking Eggs Fried Eggs Standards of Quality for Fried Eggs
White should be shiny, uniformly set, and tender.
Not browned, blistered, or crisp at edges.
Yolk should be set properly according to desired doneness.
Sunny-side-up yolks should be yellow and well rounded.
In other styles, the yolk is covered with a thin layer of coagulated white.
Relatively compact, standing high, and not spread out and thin.

28. Cooking Eggs Baked Eggs
Baked eggs are baked in individual serving dishes.
They are also called shirred eggs and eggs en cocotte.
They may also be baked with or garnished with a variety of meats and sauces.

29. Cooking Eggs Scrambled Eggs
Should be undercooked if they are to be held for volume service.
They will cook more in the steam table.
Do not overcook scrambled eggs or hold them too long.
Overcooked eggs are tough and watery.
They eventually turn green in the steam table.
Scrambled eggs should be soft and moist, unless the customer requests “scrambled hard.”

30. Cooking Eggs French Omelet
Two elements are necessary for making omelets:
High heat
The omelet cooks so fast that its internal temperature never has time to get too high.
A conditioned omelet pan
The pan must have sloping sides and be the right size so the omelet can be shaped properly.
It must be well seasoned or conditioned to avoid sticking.

31. Cooking Eggs French Omelet Making a French Omelet
As soon as the eggs are added to the hot pan, shake the pan back and forth with one hand and stir the eggs in a circular motion with a fork.
When the eggs are almost set, tilt the pan and shake the eggs down to the opposite side of the pan. Rapping the handle sharply helps move the eggs.

32. Cooking Eggs French Omelet Making a French Omelet
Spoon the filling, if used,
across the center.
Fold over the side of the omelet to make an oval shape.

33. Cooking Eggs French Omelet Making a French Omelet
Grasp the handle of the pan
with your palm underneath and tilt the omelet onto a plate.
The finished omelet should have a neat, oval shape. Some chefs prefer omelets that are lightly browned. Others feel they should not be browned at all.

34. Frittatas and Other Omelets
Cooking Eggs
Frittatas and Other Omelets
American-Style Omelet
It is made somewhat like a French omelet, except low heat is used and the eggs are not stirred or agitated.
The edges of the cooked portion are lifted with a fork or spatula, allowing the uncooked portion to flow underneath.
Soufflé Omelet
Made by beating the egg whites separately and folding them into the beaten yolks, which may have some milk added.
The mixture is poured into a hot, buttered omelet pan.
Omelet is finished in the oven.
It is folded in half for service.

35. Frittatas and Other Omelets
Cooking Eggs
Frittatas and Other Omelets
Frittata
A frittata is a flat omelet that originated in Italy.
Flat omelets are made by mixing beaten eggs with a variety of ingredients and cooking the mixture over low heat without stirring.
To finish, it is either flipped over or run under the broiler or into the oven until the top is set.

36. Cooking Eggs
Soufflés
A standard entrée soufflé consists of three elements:
Base: usually a heavy béchamel sauce.
Flavor ingredient: cheese, vegetables, seafood, etc.
Egg whites, beaten.

37. Cooking Eggs
Custards
Custard is a liquid that is thickened or set by the coagulation of egg protein.
There are two basic kinds of custard:
Stirred custard, which is stirred as it cooks and remains pourable when done.
Baked custard, which is not stirred and sets firm.
One basic rule governs the preparation of both custards: Do not heat custards higher than an internal temperature of 185°F (85°C).
Quiche is a custard baked in a pastry shell.