Can you microwave eggs?

Whether scrambled, poached, or hard boiled, there’s a specific way that we all enjoy having our eggs.

Most of the time, we run things gracefully on the stovetop, and when energized, in a boiling oven, but never really in the microwave because we feel it’s not the right appliance for the task.

Once again, we’ve underestimated it! Don’t worry though, because in this article, you’ll learn exactly how to use the microwave for eggcellerated and eggcellent cooking! Let’s get started!


Can you microwave eggs?

Yes, it’s possible to cook eggs in the microwave. It’s much easier and faster.

And regardless of which method you end up choosing; whether scrambling, poaching or boiling, microwave eggs are arguably the healthier package compared to stovetop or oven baked ones, even though they may not necessarily be the better tasting, or the much healthier option by a significant margin.

I actually find that eggs perfectly poached and boiled in the microwave taste slightly better than ones made on a stovetop.

For me, i like the fudgy consistency that the yolk produces and also the bright colored appearance that brings the egg together and makes it look so much alive. And whenever i’m not getting all these, i’m always humble and appreciative of the atomic explosions i get from failed experiments. Yes, it happens to me too.

As for the poached eggs, it’s the texture that sends me into a never ending loop with the kitchen microwave. It’s that good, and i’m actually surprised!

But that’s just my opinion, and it’s definitely subject to scrutiny. You may end up liking the scrambled eggs or omelets way better than any of these two. Or, not even prefer to cook eggs in the microwave at all. I pray you won’t though, considering the level of convenience tied with the method, as well as the chunk amount of time it takes off from the clock.


Do microwave eggs loose nutrients?

Backtrack, and the base question should sound similar to this: “is it actually safe to use microwave for cooking?

Well, with certainty and confidence, i can tell you that the answer is an emphatic Yes!

Microwave ovens are completely safe to cook with, whatever variation, model or brand you’re working with.

Think of it, microwaves wouldn’t be so popular if they weren’t safe to begin with. The 67 years old invention cannot be cancer causing through exposure from leakage or through food, or make our food items turn radioactive without being accessed and put into on hold a long time ago.

As it concerns the health of a least half a billion people around the world, so many research would have actually tried to challenge and condemn the practice of cooking with it today.

But not a single research (till this very day), has been able to link microwave cooking with any health effect. There’s not a single research that links exposure to microwave radiation from a regular oven to cancer.

In fact, the opposite is true, and there are several long term rodent studies that have failed to identify any carcinogenity even from chronic exposure. Mind you, this exposure is far less likely to be experienced by any person using a microwave oven on a daily basis, even from the regular leakage that we know of!

The real thing that makes people uneasy with microwaves is the fact that they cook food using electromagnetic radiation.

For some reason, we’ve all developed fear for the abstract spectrum. Perhaps because of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But not all radiations on this spectrum are actually harmful (at regular dose), and the microwave radiation (just like the visible light) falls easily into that category.

The radiations that pose threats are the ionizing radiation which we mostly recognize as X-rays and gamma rays, and then other high-energy particles. They are capable of causing tissue damage and impair the functioning of vital organs, or, in food, cause a chemical change in the cells and DNA and even destroy some nutrients.

Now coming back to the question whether eggs cooked in the microwave preserve nutriets equally as well as their stovetop counterparts?

The answer is yet again an emphatic yes, and this time with an exciting addition, that microwave eggs might actually be the safest and most nutritious eggs you can ever lay your hands on. Here’s why it’s speculated.

Because it’s been proven through research that cooking items at higher temperatures and for longer durations makes them more susceptible to nutrient loss and damage, microwaves quickly become the favorite when it comes to nutrient preservation. Why? Because cooking is done through microwave radiation which is a whole lot faster and lower in temperature than most other cooking methods.

The typical sunny side up egg ‘fries’ in under 40 seconds as opposed to 1 or 2 minutes on a stovetop. Same thing with boiled, poached and scrambled eggs. They all take shorter amount of time to get done as opposed to when they’re cooked on the stovetop or baked in the oven.

So they should definitely boast the higher and quality nutrients, speaking of which you can only truly enjoy when you’ve properly done your assignment of picking the right type of eggs as well as going for the best cooking method in the first place. It’s boiling first, all other things come after! That’s the rule!


How to cook eggs in the microwave

Cooking eggs in the microwave is just as easy as anything can get. Just pop them in the oven, set the timer and let sit until the buzzer turns up, often.

Depending on your wattage and what you’re making, you might still have to constantly check on the eggs to make sure you’re right on track for the desired outcome. So microwaving eggs might be a time saver, but it won’t necessarily give you a milestone boost in convenience!

Here’s how to make different types of eggs in the microwave:


1) Poached eggs

Microwave poaching is a good way to kick start Monday. When you have a single egg or two eggs to poach, the microwave should be your number one go to because of the convenience, speed, and most importantly, the delicious texture it imparts to the final product. More eggs? Just use the stovetop, it’ll be quicker! (and maybe better tasting for you!)

Here’s how to make poached eggs in the microwave:

Step 1: Fill a microwave safe coffee cup or bowl with ½ cup of water. Not a fan of measurement? Just fill the water halfway into the bowl, and one more thing, the water can be anything from cold to hot, that’s totally up to you. I personally prefer using cold water because i’ve managed to convince myself that the cold water stops my egg from exploding!

Step 2: Crack and add one fresh egg into the cup. Use a microwave egg poacher for more eggs. You can also experiment with two or even three eggs. Just know that the cooking time would naturally increase by around 15 to 20 second’s. Now find a way to prick one or two holes in the egg yolk, you’ll soon find out why this is necessary.

Step 3: Cover with a microwave safe lid, a dish, a plate, or use wax paper, paper towel or parchment paper. You can also opt for a lid free experience, except that when you’re unfortunate to get an explosion in the microwave, you’ll have nowhere but the cavity to catch the flying eggs.

Step 4: Microwave on high power for 50 seconds (for a 1250 watt microwave oven).

Step 4: Take the cup out from the oven, scoop out the perfectly poached egg with a spoon and place on an absorbent paper until the toast gets done. Or serve directly if you timed everything perfectly.

Extras:

  • You can add salt or vinegar to the water. People claim salt prevents the egg from exploding, but the physics in me kinds of disagree. Anyways, salt is a good way to bring out flavor.
  • You can decrease the cooking power but make sure you adjust the cooking time with an increment of 20 seconds. Then, cook at bursts of 10 seconds when the white isn’t fully cooked through.

Tips:

  • Use fresh eggs to get consistent and beautiful results.
  • Use cold water to minimize the risks of explosions.
  • Make sure the egg is fully submerged under water to minimize the risk of explosion.
  • Keep a distance away from the egg when removing it from the oven (and also when cutting through) to minimize any hazard cause by a possible explosion.
  • This recipe is made using a 1250 watt microwave oven. Keep deducting 10 seconds for every 100 watt increase in wattage. Add the same amount for every 100 watt decrease in wattage. Cook at increments of 10 seconds when the white isn’t fully set. Use your head to figure out cooking times for wattage in between.

2) Boiled eggs

Aha, these ones are the controversial buddies. That’s because they may end up exploding into your face due to high internal steam pressure that builds up from within. Imagine yourself midway to the table with a hot splatter on your skin and a loud ringing that makes your ears nearly go deaf! That’s the kind of risk you face when you boil eggs in the microwave.

Nevertheless, we all take risks everyday in one way or the other, so the prospect of an exploding egg shouldn’t be something that scare’s the shit out of you, especially when you’re ready for it.

Here’s how to safely go about boiling eggs in the microwave with a reduced risk of hurting yourself.


Hard-boiled egg:

Step 1: Prick the bottom, top and sides of the egg with a safety pin or thumbtack. This can control excessive buildup of steam from within, although, it does not guarantee that your egg isn’t going to explode. One tip that could actually be helpful in controlling microwave egg explosion is to try deep pricking. That is, prick until you get pierce through the yolk. Science says that the explosion builds from within the yolk itself, so doing that might be a good idea.

Step 2: Place the egg in a microwave safe bowl.

Step 3:  Fill the bowl with boiling water until the egg is completely submerged.

Step 3: Cover with a dish or plate and microwave at 100% power (HIGH) for three minute for a 1250 watt microwave, or 50% power for four minute.

Step 4: Take out from the oven and let the egg sit in the hot water for additional three minutes.

Step 6: Transfer into a bowl containing ice cold water and let sit for one minute.

Step 7: Serve.


Medium boiled egg:

We’re going back to step 4.

Take out from the oven and let egg sit in hot water for additional one minute. Next, transfer into a bowl of ice cold water to stop further cooking.


For soft boiled eggs:

We’re going back to step 4.

Take out from the oven and pop into ice cold water for 30 seconds and serve immediately. Note that soft boiled eggs made in the microwave are very difficult to get right. So you might want to stick to hard-boiled eggs that are much more time friendly.

Extras:

  • You can add ½ teaspoon of salt (per egg). This helps with even cooking, and perhaps, reduce the possibilities of explosion.
  • You can use 2 to six eggs, but make sure to add extra one minute thirty seconds for every egg you add.
  • For lower microwave wattage, increase cooking time by 30 seconds for every 100 watt decrement. Do the opposite for increase.

Tips:

  • Make sure to prick holes on the egg to minimize risks of explosion.
  • Make sure to cover the bowl with a plate or paper towel to contain any possible explosion.
  • Keep a good distance away from the egg when taking out from the oven and also when peeling to avoid explosion that may send shells into your eyes.
  • Keep distance away while cutting eggs in halve (TO PREVENT EXPLOSION).
  • Use a multi-cup microwave egg boiler for many eggs. Some of them are actually safe since they cook with since they use conduction rather than radiation to cook the eggs. They also come with their manual, so follow that.

3) Scrambled eggs:

Unlike hard boiled and poached eggs, scrambled eggs hardly stand the risk of exploding from internal pressure. So you can safely make them without overthinking too much.

How to make basic scrambled egg in the microwave.

Step 1: Butter a mug and crack egg into it.

Step 2: Add 1 table spoon milk for a fluffier texture.

Step 3: Add pinch of salt.

Step 4: Whisk.

Step 5: Microwave for 2 minutes on high with 30 seconds stirring break.


4) Fried eggs

Okay, so, you can’t really fry eggs in the microwave as any reasoning mind would have taught so, but you can actually deceive yourself into thinking you’re doing so with the following recipe.

Sunny side up egg (with ugly looking yolk and no browning)

  • Grease a microwave plate with butter.
  • Crack egg on the plate and prick yolk several times.
  • Cover with a bowl.
  • Microwave on high for 45 seconds (1250 watt).

Tip. For fully fried egg, turn the other side, and cook for additional 20 seconds.


Final thoughts

The microwave oven can safely be used to cook eggs when used the right way.

Certain types of cooking methods especially boiling can be dangerous when not observed correctly.

Microwave eggs taste just as good as their stovetop counterparts, and are arguably the more nutritious of the two.

Next time you lack access to the stovetop and have a microwave lurking around the corner, don’t let any restriction hold you back from serving those eggs your way!

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