How to Break an Egg with One Hand

Breaking eggs one-handed is an essential time-saving skill of breakfast line cooks and professional chefs. With a little practice, anyone can do it. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Eggs
• Bowl or receptacle for egg yolks and whites
• Trash can

1. Hold one egg in your dominant hand. Hold it with the tips of all fingers except for your little finger.
2. Crack the egg by holding it firmly and striking the side of the egg against a completely flat surface like the countertop or a cutting board. Be careful not to strike it too hard, or you will smash the egg all over your hand. You just want to crack it.
3. Hold the cracked egg over the bowl. Apply gentle pressure with your index fingertip and thumb on either side of the crack. As the crack opens up, use your thumb to push the half of the egg nearest your thumb tip in one direction while using your middle finger to pull the half of the egg nearest the heel of your hand in the other direction.
4. Separate the egg shell halves until the yolk and white fall out. Then discard the shell in the trash can.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice makes perfect with this technique.
• Be ready to clean up a few messes when you attempt this for the first time.
• Once you can do this with your dominant hand, practice doing it with your other hand and eventually with both hands simultaneously.