French Omelettes

Botch

My favorite French EweTuber (and yes, I have a favorite French EweTuber) tried to learn to completely mimic Jacques Pépin's omelette technique.  
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5__zptEU9vE
 
An entertaining video.  I guess I'm clearly in the "farmhouse-style" omelette camp, as I do 2 eggs in a 12" pan (with a splash of water, pinch of salt, and a few drops of Tabasco).  I fry my bacon or sausage, drain most of the grease, pour in the egg mixture, and cover the pan.  Low heat.  Start peeking, and as soon as the surface is dry, I sprinkle shredded cheese on half the circle, plus any herbs or other things (lightly), pop the lid back on and kill the burner.  30 seconds, flop the omelette in half, and slide onto one of my inherited cutting-edge Corelle™ plates, covering exactly half; leaving the perfect amount of room for the bacon/sausage, a piece of sourdough toast, and perhaps a dollop of salsa.  
 
I have tried a half-hearted "stir-n-shake" omelette, using a silicon spatula, then stirring in some cheese and folding, but I end up with a half-omelette/half-scrambled-egg monstrosity with bolts in its neck; ugly but still very tasty.  
 
So, how do you make your perfect omelette?  

dmourati

Interesting. I definitely f'd one of these up to suck an extent this morning that omelette was literally on the floor. it's his damn wrist action getting the omelette out of the pan that messed with me. I will retry.

Ozzie_Isaac

Looks good, but I prefer Freedom Omelettes.

caliking

I’ve been down this rabbithole, but can’t exactly explain my protocol. 

I beat one egg, with a splash of water (or cream, if I’m feeling fancy). Heat up a 5” nonstick pan, on medium-low heat. Pour the beaten egg in. When the edge has just begun to set, push the edge in to the middle. Work in quadrants. Jiggle the pan. If the egg mix has completely set, throw it away, and start all over. (Just kidding… eat it).   

The egg mix should still have jiggle/wiggle in it. Add herbs/cheese/whatever.  Take the pan off the heat, and roll it, or fold it, per preference. 

Let it rest for 3 mins. Then dig in.  

CTMike

My wife and I visited Pegasus Bridge (The Longest Day - “Hold Until Relieved”) some years back. Right beside the bridge is the Café Gondrée where German officers would eat during WWII not knowing members of the family spoke German. 

https://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/gondree.htm

The family would pick up on bits of militarily significant information and pass it along to the resistance. We decided to have lunch in the cafe, and an omelette was about the only thing on the menu. Worst omelette I’ve ever had - if that is how the French make them I’ll pass.

My method is to beat a little cream in to three eggs. Pour in to heated pan and push the edges in to the middle similar to @caliking’s method above. Once the bottom is almost completely set, put it under the broiler to set the top. Remove, top with whatever, and back under the broiler for a minute to wilt the spinach, melt cheese, etc. 

fishlessman

while i like the scrawny, theres nothing in it french omelet at times, give me a three egg omelet filled with chunks of cooked kielbasa, sauteed onion, raw diced onion, and a pile of cheddar.

Legume

caliking said:

I’ve been down this rabbithole, but can’t exactly explain my protocol. 

I beat one egg, with a splash of water (or cream, if I’m feeling fancy). Heat up a 5” nonstick pan, on medium-low heat. Pour the beaten egg in. When the edge has just begun to set, push the edge in to the middle. Work in quadrants. Jiggle the pan. If the egg mix has completely set, throw it away, and start all over. (Just kidding… eat it).   

The egg mix should still have jiggle/wiggle in it. Add herbs/cheese/whatever.  Take the pan off the heat, and roll it, or fold it, per preference. 

Let it rest for 3 mins. Then dig in.  

ONE egg?

JohnInCarolina

I try to avoid following the lead of cheese-eating surrender monkeys.  

Langner91

I have a very nice French military rifle in my collection.  It was only dropped twice!

pgprescott

Langner91 said:

I have a very nice French military rifle in my collection.  It was only dropped twice!

Dropped when they raised their hands? 

CTMike

pgprescott said:

Langner91 said:

I have a very nice French military rifle in my collection.  It was only dropped twice!

Dropped when they raised their hands? 

That is typically how that joke ends.

CTMike

JohnInCarolina said:

I try to avoid following the lead of maggot infested cheese-eating surrender monkeys.  

FTFY

EDIT: Ah damn it - that is an Italian cheese, not French. 

lousubcap

Since @Botch started this thread I wanted to change up the country of origin for educational exposure but not the main theme (the below also inspired by a Botch omelette thread):

The omurice omelette:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFAddL8g8mw&feature=emb_rel_end

The Kichi Kichi in Kyoto, Japan. Supposedly the best, or at least most famous, omurice in Japan.    
And the kick starter from botch-

Sorta OT - Tornado Omelette; a Technique  

I have never attempted either of the above.
FWIW-

Botch

And, to close this silly thread out, a word from another french guy:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDl6MlgL8PM
 
 

Botch

CTMike said:

My method is to beat a little cream in to three eggs. Pour in to heated pan and push the edges in to the middle similar to @caliking’s method above. Once the bottom is almost completely set, put it under the broiler to set the top. Remove, top with whatever, and back under the broiler for a minute to wilt the spinach, melt cheese, etc. 

Okay, extending a silly thread just a bit more:
Do you preheat your pan under the broiler?  I would think on a burner, to set the bottom, but now you're firing up two cooking devices just for an omelette, at 0530?  

dmourati

Cool.

nolaegghead

Botch said:

CTMike said:

My method is to beat a little cream in to three eggs. Pour in to heated pan and push the edges in to the middle similar to @caliking’s method above. Once the bottom is almost completely set, put it under the broiler to set the top. Remove, top with whatever, and back under the broiler for a minute to wilt the spinach, melt cheese, etc. 

Okay, extending a silly thread just a bit more:
Do you preheat your pan under the broiler?  I would think on a burner, to set the bottom, but now you're firing up two cooking devices just for an omelette, at 0530?  

I have used a broiler before but mostly I'll throw in the oven or just put the lid on the pan and turn off after a couple minutes.

1voyager

Start with a large non-stick skillet. I use a 12" Calphalon.

This is a three-egg omelette.

Whisk with a fork. And whisk and whisk and whisk until all of the egg white is blended.

Medium-high heat with a tablespoon of clarified butter.

When the butter starts to bubble slightly, the temperature is perfect. If the eggs seize, then the pan is too hot.

Using a spatula, spread the eggs evenly around the pan.

Jiggle pan a few times until you see the eggs start to solidify.

Continue to spread the undercooked eggs outward.

When the eggs start to solidify, that's the time to start folding. (I have to use 2 spatulas.)

You will think the center is underdone, and it is. By the time you roll it up, the eggs will be cooked perfectly. Don't wait to fold until the eggs are cooked through. The result will be a dry stack of scrambled eggs.

Serve on a hot plate - 250 degrees.

caliking

lousubcap said:

Since @Botch started this thread I wanted to change up the country of origin for educational exposure but not the main theme (the below also inspired by a Botch omelette thread):

The omurice omelette:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFAddL8g8mw&feature=emb_rel_end

The Kichi Kichi in Kyoto, Japan. Supposedly the best, or at least most famous, omurice in Japan.    
And the kick starter from botch-

Sorta OT - Tornado Omelette; a Technique  

I have never attempted either of the above.
FWIW-

I’ve watched that omurice video many many times. The demi glace is what I’d really like to perfect from it. 

caliking

Legume said:

caliking said:

I’ve been down this rabbithole, but can’t exactly explain my protocol. 

I beat one egg, with a splash of water (or cream, if I’m feeling fancy). Heat up a 5” nonstick pan, on medium-low heat. Pour the beaten egg in. When the edge has just begun to set, push the edge in to the middle. Work in quadrants. Jiggle the pan. If the egg mix has completely set, throw it away, and start all over. (Just kidding… eat it).   

The egg mix should still have jiggle/wiggle in it. Add herbs/cheese/whatever.  Take the pan off the heat, and roll it, or fold it, per preference. 

Let it rest for 3 mins. Then dig in.  

ONE egg?

Yep. Single egg, little pan. Only had to eat a bad 1 egg omelet, whenever I screwed up. 

nolaegghead

Ozzie_Isaac

I was so intrigued by these "French" Omlettes, I decided the best course of action, was to get some French tools to make them with.  Hope it was worth the investment.

Botch

lousubcap said:

The omurice omelette:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFAddL8g8mw&feature=emb_rel_end

The Kichi Kichi in Kyoto, Japan. Supposedly the best, or at least most famous, omurice in Japan.    

Cap'n I think you just gave me my New Year's Resolution: I need to get my wokking technique down!  I do fine with a wok spatula, but not the flipping.  I've read its best to start out with a damp sponge, and work up from there.  

nolaegghead

Botch said:

lousubcap said:

The omurice omelette:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFAddL8g8mw&feature=emb_rel_end

The Kichi Kichi in Kyoto, Japan. Supposedly the best, or at least most famous, omurice in Japan.    

Cap'n I think you just gave me my New Year's Resolution: I need to get my wokking technique down!  I do fine with a wok spatula, but not the flipping.  I've read its best to start out with a damp sponge, and work up from there.  

I can't think of a single exercise that works out the wrists for flipping....and the resident expert (Lit) just got banned.  Good luck, man!

Botch

Ozzie_Isaac said:

I was so intrigued by these "French" Omlettes, I decided the best course of action, was to get some French tools to make them with.  Hope it was worth the investment.

Heh, The Man in the Brown Shorts™ just brought my box of All-Clad factory seconds; Merry late Xmas to us!  I want to see what you got.  

RajunCajun

<<<<<<thought of the moment:  feeling so inadequate, will never view an omelet the same again.  

CTMike

Botch said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

I was so intrigued by these "French" Omlettes, I decided the best course of action, was to get some French tools to make them with.  Hope it was worth the investment.

Heh, The Man in the Brown Shorts™ just brought my box of All-Clad factory seconds; Merry late Xmas to us!  I want to see what you got.  

Which line did you go with? We ended up purchasing the Copper Core 14 pc set from Costco sometime back at $600 below MSRP. Great pans - get some Barkeepers Friend if you don't already have some. 

Botch

CTMike said:
Which line did you go with? We ended up purchasing the Copper Core 14 pc set from Costco sometime back at $600 below MSRP. Great pans - get some Barkeepers Friend if you don't already have some. 

Just odds & ends (my two other All-Clads are Copper Core):
- a 1-qrt saucepan w/lid, supposedly factory-damaged but the only thing I can see is a 1/8" blemish on the inside
- a 12" splatter screen, factory-damaged but I can't find anything (fits inside my 12" frypan perfectly)
- a slotted spoon, again factory-damaged but I can't see anything
- a $300 cordless stick blender for $130, with "damaged packaging" but all I see is a black mark on one side of the box!  
 
Seriously guys, if you're on the market for some All-Clad items, go to their website and sign up for their email sales (they only come out quarterly or so), I got some really good deals here.  
 
@CTMike, is Comet similar to Barkeeper's Friend?   That's what I have on hand.

Ozzie_Isaac

Botch said:

CTMike said:
Which line did you go with? We ended up purchasing the Copper Core 14 pc set from Costco sometime back at $600 below MSRP. Great pans - get some Barkeepers Friend if you don't already have some. 

Just odds & ends (my two other All-Clads are Copper Core):
- a 1-qrt saucepan w/lid, supposedly factory-damaged but the only thing I can see is a 1/8" blemish on the inside
- a 12" splatter screen, factory-damaged but I can't find anything (fits inside my 12" frypan perfectly)
- a slotted spoon, again factory-damaged but I can't see anything
- a $300 cordless stick blender for $130, with "damaged packaging" but all I see is a black mark on one side of the box!  
 
Seriously guys, if you're on the market for some All-Clad items, go to their website and sign up for their email sales (they only come out quarterly or so), I got some really good deals here.  
 
@CTMike, is Comet similar to Barkeeper's Friend?   That's what I have on hand.

Don't know about Comet, but Barkeeper's friend is amazing.  I highly recommend getting some.

kl8ton

+1 for Bar Keepers Friend 

I put that $%&* on everything!  (That I'm cleaning) 

dmourati

Botch said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

I was so intrigued by these "French" Omlettes, I decided the best course of action, was to get some French tools to make them with.  Hope it was worth the investment.

Heh, The Man in the Brown Shorts™ just brought my box of All-Clad factory seconds; Merry late Xmas to us!  I want to see what you got.  

Ya, what is it?