Ever hear someone say that you can judge a cook by the way they make omelets? That’s because, as common as eggs are in most people’s diets, dealing with them can be an outright bother. Bits of those eggshells almost always find their way into your egg dish. And God forbid if you need to separate white from yolk for a recipe. You may end up with sticky, nasty hands if you’re unpracticed.
Be it meringue, mousse, soufflé, crème brulée or just a low-calorie omelet, sometimes we just need the whites, whereas recipes for mayonnaise, custard and sponge cakes call for the yolks. In such instances, splitting eggs can be a real mess. As a solution, you can either buy extremely expensive separators, or you can do it cheaply using simple kitchen tricks.
It’s anybody’s guess what’s more feasible. If you put more stock in frugal living, then the next time you need your whites and yolks separated, you should go with one of these three methods to help you separate egg yolks from whites.
Contents
Method 1: Using a Plastic Bottle
Using a plastic bottle to separate the egg yolks and whites is probably the cheapest method of the three.
Things you’ll need:
- Small, clean plastic bottle
- Egg
- Knife
- Glass bowl
Step 1. Break the egg
Use a knife to carefully crack the eggshell. Take care not to shatter it.
Quickly break apart the shell and drain the whole egg into a glass bowl. Make sure bits of eggshell don’t fall into the bowl, lest you have to pick them out later.
Step 2. Squeeze the bottle
We’ll employ suction to scoop the egg yolk out. Take a clean, small plastic bottle and squeeze it.
Step 3. Suck in the yolk
Without releasing, touch the rim of the bottle to the yolk carefully so as not to break the yolk.
Now, gently release the bottle. You’ll see that as the air is sucked into the bottle, the yolk is drawn along inside the bottle, too.
Like a dream, there’s your yolk in the bottle, completely separated from the whites.
Step 4. Release the yolk
In order to actually be able to use the yolk, you are going to need it outside of that bottle, right? That’s easy. Just squeeze the bottle over a shallow bowl or any other container of your choice.
You’ll have your yolk, free from any whites, ready to be used in that new mayonnaise recipe you wanted to try.
Method 2: Using a Funnel
This method is effective but somewhat more time-consuming than the others.
Things you’ll need:
- Funnel
- Egg
- Knife
- Glass container
Step 1. Break the egg over the funnel
Arrange a funnel over a glass container. Crack the eggshell carefully with a knife, then slightly break open the egg over the funnel.
Step 2. Let the contents fall into the funnel
Pull apart the shell and let the egg fall into the funnel. The whites start to drain through the funnel into the glass container. The yolk, you’ll see, stays in the funnel.
Step 3. Finish separating the egg parts
If you see any whites remaining in the funnel, there’s no need to fret. Cautiously, use a knife or spoon to carefully shift the yolk and allow the remaining egg white to drain through the funnel. Take care not to break the yolk, or it will also slip through the funnel.
Then, you can easily transfer the yolk from the funnel to another container to use as needed.
Method 3: Using a Slotted Spoon
This method is best for minimizing the risk of breaking the yolk.
Things you’ll need:
- Slotted spoon
- Egg
- Knife
- Small glass bowl
Step 1. Place the slotted spoon over the glass bowl
Place a slotted spoon over a glass bowl. Don’t confuse it with a perforated spoon (which has perforations or small holes). A slotted spoon is simply a spoon with slots (bigger holes).
Step 2. Break open and pour the egg onto the spoon
Once again, start by cracking an egg using a knife, but over a slotted spoon this time.
Break apart the shell to drain the egg onto the slotted spoon.
Step 3. Separate by straining
You’ll see that the whites strain through the slots, leaving only the egg yolk in the spoon, which you can then transfer to another container.
With these nifty little tricks up your sleeve, you will surely be dubbed kitchen-efficient the next time you cook for your friends and family.
Additional Tips:
- Be careful not to shatter the shell while breaking open the eggs or the yolk may break apart, too.
- Don’t immerse the bottle rim inside the egg whites, or you’ll suck in the whites along with the yolk. Just touch the rim lightly to the yolk so as not to break it apart in the process.
- If you break the yolk while breaking the egg or when using a knife or spoon to drain the whites through the funnel, your yolk will drain along with the whites.
