You know, before I start in, I just want to say how annoying it is that my spell checker doesn’t seem to think any spelling variation of “omelette” is correct. So for those using Google, this article will be talking about the “omlete,” or “omelete,” or “omlette,” or “omelet,” and my preference, the “omelette.”
I will accept debate about the proper spelling in the comments.
That out of the way, here is now to cook the perfect omelette:
Before anything else, you have to realize that proper heat is key.
If you’re one of those guys compelled to cook at temperatures more appropriate for forging steel, stop reading now. Close this web site. Go to Village Inn. You’ll be happier with your omelette.
Stove tops vary, so you’ll have to experiment. A few notches below medium seems to work best on mine. Slow is what you want. If your eggs sizzle when you add them to your pan, it’s too hot.
Get a good 10″ non-stick pan. A good omelette pan is like a good cast iron skillet. You’ll develop a relationship with it. Treat it well. If you buy it flowers, I won’t judge you.
Now, about the eggs. A wise man, LL Cool J, once said that the perfect omelette is two eggs, not three. That’s just about right. Your mileage may vary, of course, but I think two eggs cooks more evenly. With three, I found a tendency for the bottom to start to burn before the top was ready for the fold.
I sauté veggies and anything else I want to go in (like Canadian Bacon) ahead of time so I’m not trying to do too many things at once. Besides, there isn’t enough time once the eggs go on.
Turn your stove on and get the pan warming up. Put in enough butter or spread to coat the bottom and up a tiny amount on the sides.
For the eggs, I add some salt and pepper, and either a SMALL dash of soy sauce or worschestshire. Often I’ll put in a little bit of hot sauce, too. A little splash of milk. Whisk it up.
Your pan should be at temperature. Add your eggs. To reiterate, if it sizzles, you’ve already screwed up. Abandon ship! Make out your will! It’s all OVER!
Well, OK. Maybe not. But still. You don’t want the sizzle. It’s not the end of the world, but turn the heat down a bit and you’ll need to be extra careful now that your eggs don’t cook too fast on the bottom before the top is ready.
This next part will take some practice to both get the timing and the technique right…
Give your eggs a few seconds to start to set. Pick up the pan and give it a gentle swirl. You’re not creating a tsunami here. I said gentle. What you want is to create a very thin coat of egg about a quarter to half inch up the sides of the pan. This will create your “timer.” I’ll explain in a sec.
Now, leave those eggs alone on the burner. They’ll be fine.
Go mix up your second batch of eggs. Unless you live alone. In which case, get out your phone and check your e-mail or post pictures of your cooking omelette to Facebook to make your friends jealous.
In your pan, your omelette might start to bubble a bit. Swirl it around again. GENTLY! This is especially important if you have a stove like mine, which thinks it belongs in the Leaning Tower of Pisa, causing all contents to lean to one side of the pan.
You should still have a little bit of uncooked egg on top. More importantly, that little bit your sloshed up on the edges? It should be crisping up and pulling away from the pan. You know what this does? It gives your spatula easier access than a football jock has to the cheerleaders. It also serves as a nice little timer that tells you the omelette is just about ready to fold.
Slide your spatula gently under the eggs a little bit to loosen it up. If you’ve done a good job managing your heat and had enough butter or spread on the pan, the entire omelette should easily start to slide around. PERFECT!
Now add your fillings. And cheese. Lots of cheese.
Finally, we come to the ever important fold.
Take a deep breath. Steady your nerves. This is more vital than making sure to cut the red wire instead of the blue one.
I use a spatula and a fork. I slide the spatula under the eggs and gently use the fork to hold the edge to the spatula. Again, this may take practice, but your aim here is a steady, quick fold over the top of your fillings. Do NOT pull as you fold or you will tear the eggs.
Add more cheese on top. If you don’t like or can’t eat cheese, I can’t help you.
Let it cook just a little longer to melt all of the cheese. This is another reason to make sure you’re cooking without a lot of heat. You shouldn’t have to worry about burning your eggs at this point.
When the cheese is melted, your omelette should just slide off the pan and onto a plate.
Now, here is the important part: Before you cook the next omelette, let your pan cool slighty and WIPE IT OUT! Get rid of any excess melted cheese and, more importantly, your used butter / spread. You don’t want that already cooked gunk under your eggs. It will create uneven heating. However, be sure to add new butter / spread for the next batch.
Last step: EAT!