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We switched from an electric stove to a gas stove. The new stove doesn't seem to get hot enough to scramble eggs.

How hot should the pan surface be to scramble eggs? All the recipes I've found just say "heat until hot".

EDIT: I measured my pan with an IR thermometer, it never got above 260F, is that too cold for eggs?

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  • I believe that this question may address some of your thoughts.
    – Catija
    Aug 25, 2015 at 3:59
  • your stove might have a problem.
    – Max
    Sep 9, 2018 at 12:33

4 Answers 4

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First off, measuring the temperature of an empty pan will only tell you so much. That temperature is a result of the balance of your stove putting heat into the pan and the pan transferring that heat to the surrounding air, which means it depends on the pan, and as soon as you put anything in the pan the temperature is going to change. (See also What temperatures do low-medium-high on the stove correspond to?.)

So, 260F is certainly hot enough to scramble eggs. They'll be fully cooked by around 160F, though at that point they might be a bit softer than you're used to. But the fact that the pan only reaches 260F really suggests that the stove isn't putting much heat into the pan, so once you add eggs to the pan, it might take an awfully long time for them to get hot enough to cook.

And a stove that can only heat an empty pan to 260F sounds like incredibly low power. Most stoves can easily get empty pans up to at least 400-500F. You might want to see if you can get the stove repaired or replaced.

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There are two main types of scrambled egg: The omelet style and the cream/custard/hospital style

For the first see Better Scrambled Eggs , you can cook it at a bit below maximum stove heat, but that's not as flavoursome or fun in my book

For the cream/custard style, it's a medium stove top heat (no exact figure), but check with Mr Ramsay?

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Temperature is only half the equation. Different kinds of metal will transfer heat at different rates. For example, a copper skillet will transfer heat differently than a cast iron skillet.

When water is drizzled on a skillet it should dance and spatter, but should not steam. If it bubbles, it is too cool. If it steams, it is too hot.

The key to making good scrambled eggs is to mix constantly and not let the egg dry out. As you mix the egg using a hard-edged spatula the mass should glisten slightly and appear moist, but not slimy.

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I made some measurements with an IR probe: At 135 to 140 Celsius (275-285 Fahrenheit) I get a decent result. However, it seems it would be even better with a slightly lower temperature. So 130 Centigrade or 265-270 Fahrenheit ought to give a good result.

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