Unlock the secret to cooking the perfect egg in under an hour with a revolutionary new method that harnesses the power of periodic cooking.
Cooking an egg can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to achieving the perfect balance between a runny yolk and a firm white. However, scientists have cracked the code on how to cook an egg in just 32 minutes.
According to Emilia Di Lorenzo, a chemical engineer at the University of Naples Federico II in Italy, the challenge lies in the different compositions of the yolk and albumen (white). The proteins in each part denature at different temperatures: 65° Celsius for the yolk and 85° C for the white. This makes it difficult to cook both parts simultaneously.
Periodic Cooking: A Game-Changer
Periodic cooking, also known as batch cooking or meal prep, involves preparing a large quantity of food in advance and storing it for later use.
This method can help reduce food waste, save time, and promote healthy eating habits.
According to a survey, 75% of households throw away edible food due to lack of time.
Periodic cooking can help combat this issue by allowing individuals to cook in bulk and portion out meals for the week.
Ernesto Di Maio, a materials scientist at the University of Naples Federico II, was inspired by a colleague who told him about a pricey Italian dish that separates the egg and yolk, cooks them at different temperatures, and then combines them with other ingredients. This sparked an idea to apply the concept of varying boundary conditions to cooking eggs.
Di Lorenzo, Di Maio, and their colleagues ran mathematical and computational models to simulate heat transfer inside the egg white and yolk. They found that periodic cooking – alternating between 100° C and 30° C – allows the yolk and white to reach different temperatures at different times.
The Perfect Recipe
To cook an egg using this method, follow these steps:
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Prepare a pot of boiling water (100° C) and a separate pot of room temperature water (30° C).
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Place the egg in the boiling water for 2 minutes.
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Transfer the egg to the room temperature water for 2 minutes.
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Repeat this process 8 times, for a total of 32 minutes.
The results were impressive: eggs cooked using periodic cooking had a white comparable to soft-boiled eggs but a yolk more like sous vide eggs. A panel of sensory experts even praised the flavor and texture of these eggs.
While not everyone may be excited about this new method, it’s clear that scientists are taking food science seriously. As César Vega, a food scientist at McCain Foods, notes, ‘It left me thinking like, what are the implications of the technique in the world of food?‘
- sciencenews.org | The best way to cook an egg — in 32 minutes
