Many sweet and savory recipes require the specific use of egg white or yolk and more and more people, in order to reduce the dose of cholesterol taken during meals, prefer to prepare dishes that contain only egg white. Regardless of your motivation, if you need to learn how to separate the egg white from the yolk, following the advice in this article you will be able to transform a rather difficult operation into a gesture performed by expert hands.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Separate the Egg White from the Yolk Using Your Hands
Step 1. Wash your hands thoroughly
Put them under a stream of hot water and scrub them with a mild, unscented soap, then rinse them thoroughly. In addition to eliminating all traces of impurities, you will remove the natural oils from the skin that could prevent the egg whites from whipping properly.
Step 2. Place the eggs in the refrigerator (optional)
When cold, the yolk is less likely to break, and easier to separate from the white. If you are used to storing your eggs in the cold, do the separation immediately after removing them from the refrigerator. If not, put them in the refrigerator half an hour before use, but don't worry too much in case you forget.
Most recipes require the egg white and yolk to be at room temperature. If this is the case, after separating them you can heat them in a water bath for about 5-10 minutes (make sure the water is not excessively hot)
Step 3. Prepare three bowls
If you only intend to separate a couple of eggs, two bowls will suffice; but in case you want to work more, use a third one in which to break each egg individually. Thanks to this trick, in case you accidentally break an egg yolk, you will have to throw only one egg instead of all the ready-made ones.
The quickest method is to break all the eggs into a single bowl and remove one yolk at a time. If you are a beginner, wait until you have done some practice before adopting this strategy, otherwise even a single mistake could compromise the entire preparation
Step 4. Break the egg
Break the egg carefully into the first bowl, being careful not to break the yolk. Try to break it gently, then let it slip into the palm of your hand; alternatively the more experienced can break it directly in the palm of the hand.
- If you are concerned that some shell fragments may end up in the egg, try to break it by hitting it against a flat surface instead of the edge of the bowl.
- If any shell fragments end up in the egg anyway, remove it with your fingers, being careful not to break the yolk. The easiest way is to take it using one half of the shell, but you run the risk of increasing the chances of contracting salmonella.
Step 5. Let the egg white slide between your slightly spread fingers
In case you broke it in the bowl, take the egg with your hand and move to the bowl dedicated to the egg whites. Slightly separate your fingers letting the egg white slip. Use your other hand to gently pull any strands of egg white still attached to the yolk. If necessary, you can eliminate the most difficult parts of egg white by gently passing the yolk several times from one hand to the other.
Step 6. Let the yolk slide into the third bowl
Move your hand to the last bowl and gently place the yolk in it. Repeat the process with all the other eggs.
As a rule, any small residues of egg white stuck to the yolk will not affect the success of the recipe. The important thing is that the egg whites are completely free of traces of yolk
Method 2 of 4: Separate the Egg White from the Yolk Using the Shells
Step 1. Assess the possible risks
Experts in the medical-food sector advise against this method as the dangerous bacteria present on the egg shell could come into contact with the egg white and yolk. In this regard, however, it should be noted that the European Union has implemented a very effective anti-salmonella program. However, if you are concerned about contracting salmonella, opt for one of the other methods proposed.
Cooking the egg white or yolk until it is firm in texture will reduce the risks. If you are serving raw or partially cooked egg, consider separating the yolk from the white using another method
Step 2. Place the eggs in the refrigerator (optional)
At room temperature, egg white is more liquid, which can complicate this method. To make it easier, use eggs that have just been removed from the refrigerator.
Step 3. Imagine that there is a line running along the widest part of the egg
For an ideal result you should be able to break it exactly in that spot. The important thing in this method is to break the egg perfectly in half to get two identical shell parts.
Step 4. Start by cracking the egg shell
Gently tap its center against a solid object to create a crack along the imaginary line that runs through the shell. The edge of a bowl should allow you to achieve the desired result. As mentioned earlier, if you are concerned that some shell fragments may contaminate the egg, choose to slam it against a flat surface.
Step 5. Gently separate the two halves of the shell
Tilt the egg over the bowl, holding it with both hands, making sure the cracked side is facing up. Slowly separate the halves with the help of your thumbs, until they are completely detached. Since the egg is tilted, the yolk should fall into the lower half of the shell.
Step 6. Gently transfer the yolk from one half of the shell to the other
Make sure you keep it intact. Repeat the movement about three times to allow the egg white to separate from the yolk and slide into the bowl below.
Step 7. Let the yolk slide into a second bowl
When there are only a few residues of egg white on the yolk, you can transfer it to the bowl dedicated to him. If you have to break numerous eggs, consider using a third container, so that any fragments of shell or traces of yolk do not affect the entire process by contaminating the egg white. Separate one egg at a time using the third bowl, then, before moving on to the next, transfer the egg white to the dedicated container.
Method 3 of 4: Separate the Egg White from the Yolk Using a Plastic Bottle
Step 1. Carefully break an egg into a shallow bowl
Proceed with one egg at a time, so that any broken yolk doesn't ruin the whole batch. Place a second bowl next to the first one, you will need it to transfer the yolks into it.
Step 2. Squeeze a clean plastic bottle to let some air out
To obtain the desired result, it must remain partially flattened.
Step 3. Remove the yolk
Place the opening of the bottle on top of the yolk, then slowly release the grip. The air pressure will push it in. Note that to do this you may need to practice a little: releasing the grip excessively or too quickly, in fact, you risk sucking in parts of the egg white as well.
Step 4. Transfer the yolk to the second bowl
Keep the bottle squashed so that the yolk stays inside, then move and let it slide to the bottom of the second bowl.
Slightly tilting the bottle may make this easier
Method 4 of 4: Separate the Egg White from the Yolk Using Kitchen Utensils
Step 1. Break the egg into a funnel
Insert the funnel into the neck of a bottle or ask a friend to hold it over a bowl. Break the egg into the funnel. The egg white should slide down and out of the tube, while the yolk should be trapped at the top of the funnel.
- If the egg white gets stuck on top of the yolk, tilt the funnel to allow it to slide down.
- Fresh egg white can be particularly thick and stringy, so this method may not be the best way to separate it from the yolk.
Step 2. Use a blower to sprinkle the meat
By unscrewing the back of the blower you will get a perfectly sized tool for sucking up the yolks. Break the egg into a dish, then squeeze and release the bulb to suck up the yolk.
Step 3. Break the egg into a slotted spoon
Gently move the spoon, first from side to side then from top to bottom: the egg white should slide through the holes and fall back into the bowl below.
Step 4. Buy an egg separator
The best-stocked kitchenware stores - real or online - sell tools specifically formulated to separate egg whites from yolks. They are commonly available in two versions:
- A small plastic cup with numerous slots. Break the egg into the bowl and move it so that the egg white slides through the slits.
- A small blower. Break the egg into a pact, squeeze the pump, place it on the yolk, then release it to suck it up.
Step 5. Finished
Advice
- If you want to whisk the egg whites to make a meringue, make sure there are no traces of yolk: even a single drop could prevent it from whipping correctly.
- If a piece of shell has ended up inside the separated egg whites, moisten your fingers with water and gently remove it.
- To avoid waste, try to plan your preparations in advance so that you can use both egg whites and yolks. For example, if you have any egg yolks left over, you can make a great homemade mayonnaise.
- Try to use eggs as fresh as possible. Over time, the membrane that protects the egg yolk weakens, so the fresher the egg, the firmer the yolk will be. Having to separate the yolk from the white, you will have much less effort because the risk that the two elements contaminate each other will be less.
- Fresh eggs have a more robust and viscous part of albumen called "calaza". There is no need to separate it from other egg whites, unless you need to use them to make a soft custard, in which case it is best to filter it after cooking.
