Anthony Bourdain Never Cracked Eggs In Advance, And For Good Reason

You can probably guess that eating an egg that was cracked in its carton is not a good idea. Even if the egg is still in the carton, and even if the crack is small enough to not let any egg white out, the tiniest of cracks are still susceptible to bacteria and other potentially harmful pathogens entering the egg.

But late food and travel journalist and world-renowned chef Anthony Bourdain also warns against pre-cracking your eggs in batches. When making scrambled eggs or omelets, Bourdain emphasizes the main goal for those dishes is to highlight the eggs, so he emphasizes the importance of using fresh eggs and beating them just before putting them into a hot pan. "You don't want to do it ahead of time and let it sit," he said in a video produced by Insider Tech. "You get this, sort of, odd, greying, stippling effect. ... You don't want that."

His other tips include cracking the eggs on a flat surface because, yes, the way you crack your eggs matters. Bourdain said he cracks them into a dish in which he can beat them before cooking them in a pan. He only uses salt and pepper to season the eggs as a means to showcase them as the de facto star of the dish.

With all of the egg shortages and concerns over contaminated poultry products going on, egg enjoyers are probably hyper-cautious about how they consume their eggs. Bourdain's advice not to crack eggs ahead of time is more focused on the quality of the final product and less on the health hazards that batch-cracking eggs may pose.

Batch-cracking eggs can be done safely, but it will most likely give the egg an undesirable appearance and texture. If you (understandably) prioritize ease over quality, pre-cracking a batch of eggs will not pose any health risks if the cracked eggs are stored correctly. Crack the eggs into a sealable container, and make sure they are kept in an air-tight container. Using both cling wrap and a closeable lid will ensure no extra air enters. They also need to be kept at a constant cool temperature in a fridge, and most say they can last for up to two days.