Crack eggs on a flat surface and into a separate bowl

If you grew up watching your parents crack eggs, you probably noticed a lot of cracking on the edge of a mixing bowl or pan. Although this method of cracking eggs has become second nature over time, it is not the most efficient. When you crack an egg on a flat surface, such as a countertop, the membrane holds together, which means that pesky shell pieces that would otherwise drift off into your bowl will remain attached to the shell.

To improve the efficiency of your egg-cracking, always crack eggs into a separate bowl rather than the pan in which you intend to cook the eggs. It will be easier to see and extract an eggshell if it falls into the bowl. Cracking eggs on a separate surface also prevents the transfer of salmonella, a foodborne illness that lives on the exterior of eggshells.