WHEN TO SALT FRIED EGGS
Discussions are held about everything and anything, including when to salt fried eggs. And it's been going on for years. Some claim salt dries out the egg white, others salt immediately, without thinking. However, food technologists say that the real problem is most often in the temperature and method of frying, not in the salt.
TL;DR
- The primary cause of dry and tough fried eggs is high cooking temperature, not salt.
- Salt can actually help egg whites set more evenly, resulting in a tender texture.
- Higher temperatures cause water to evaporate quickly, leading to protein networks tightening excessively.
- A moderate flame and a well-heated but not smoking pan are ideal for frying eggs.
- Salting the yolk directly can cause unsightly white spots, so many chefs salt only the white during cooking.