Egg
Bird and fish eggs are common food sources. For fish eggs, see roe or caviar. Reptile eggs, particularly turtle eggs, are sometimes eaten as well. Chicken eggs are standard. Duck, goose, quail, and ostrich eggs are occasionally used as gourmet ingredients.
Eggs are frequently used to bind other ingredients together, trap air in the food, or create an emulsion. Sometimes the whole egg is cooked together. Sometimes the egg yolk is used separately from the egg white. In most recipes, a whole egg may be replaced with two egg whites to make a tastier and more healthful dish.
The primary cooking techniques for savoury eggs are:
baking
boiling
frying (scrambled, omelet, or fried)
poaching
soufflé
Egg wash is also often used in baking and battering.
Eggs are a common food allergy.
Egg sizes
The “USDA Large” egg is about the same as the “EU size M” egg. (both being the standard choice in the appropriate locations) So, for normal recipes, it is best to avoid specifying egg size. USDA eggs are specified as the minimum weight of a dozen. EU eggs are specified as per-egg weight ranges, plus a per-100 minimum.
EU weight standard
SIZE PER-EGG PER-100-MIN
XL-very large 73 g and more 7.3 kg
L-large 63 to 73 6.4
M-medium 53 to 63 5.4
S-small under 53 g 4.5
USDA weight standard
CLASS MIN NET / DOZEN CONVERTED TO MIN GRAM/EGG
Jumbo 30 ounces 70.75
Extra Large 27 ounces 63.675
Large 24 ounces 56.6
Medium 21 ounces 49.525
Small 18 ounces 42.45
Peewee 15 ounces 35.375
Rotting and disease
Eggs may also be pickled, hard-boiled and refrigerated, or eaten raw, though the latter is not recommended for people who may be susceptible to salmonella, such as the old, the infirm or pregnant women.
When eggs become rotten, the yolk will turn green and the egg will emit a sulphurous smell when broken. Although deemed offensive by most Western palates, fermented eggs are considered a delicacy by some in China, when prepared using a special method which includes letting them sit for three months to age (or rot, depending on one’s interpretation).
Raw eggs may carry salmonella bacteria contaminations, and should be avoided by those with weak or undeveloped immune system. The bacteria will be killed in fully cooked eggs, which may be considered safe.
Recipes
Eggs are used in many recipes; the ones below feature eggs as a primary ingredient. For a full list of recipes using eggs, see “what links here”.
Bacon Cheese Omelet
British Lemon Meringue Pie
Caesar Salad
Chocolate Pear Bake
Cottage Cheese Eggs
Crème Brûlée
Egg Butter
Egg Casserole
French Toast
Fried Eggs
Fried Rice
Grandma’s Lemon Meringue Pie
Mayonnaise
Not Quite Eggs Benedict
Omelet
Omelette
Pavlova
Pickert
Pound Cake
Pretzel
Quiche
Scrambled Eggs
Southwestern Scramble
Spaetzle