What to Do If There Is a Yolk in the Egg Whites
We all have our reasons for separating the yolks from the egg whites—dietary restrictions, taste preferences—and the messy “crack and toss” method usually does the trick. A little broken yolk doesn’t make much difference. But there’s one scenario where a little yolk can really ruin everything: meringues. A small drop of broken egg yolk can prevent the meringue from achieving maximum fluffiness.
Problem with yolks
Properly beaten egg whites can be the centerpiece of fluffy omelettes, out-of-this-world pancakes, fluffy Japanese cheesecakes, crispy pavlova, or this lemon pudding cake . Unfortunately, a rich egg yolk (or any fat) can interfere with the foaming of the egg white, causing it to take longer and become less firm. If enough fat is injected, it will never get past the fluffy foam stage. The worst-case scenario for large-batch recipes is when you drop a piece of yolk into a bowl with six or seven successfully separated whites. For some reason it’s always the last egg, so it feels like you’ve lost the whole bowl. Luckily, one of these two tricks can change that.
How to Clean Dirty Egg Whites
Use the remaining half of the eggshell: When it comes to scooping out egg parts from your bowl of eggs, there’s nothing better. I tried this trick intuitively when the Q-tip method (below) left a few small drops of yolk behind. The best way to catch that elusive eggshell shard during morning prep is to use a large piece of eggshell, so why wouldn’t the same method work for the wayward yolk?
I dipped the discarded half of the shell into the egg white next to the yolk strips and they immediately flew off. Yes, I lost some protein in the process, but it was really minimal and a worthwhile sacrifice for properly whipped whites. This will work even for large drops of egg yolk.
Use a cotton swab. This tool is suitable if you notice that only a particle of egg yolk has fallen into the bowl of whites, and the discarded shell has disappeared or is covered with yolk. I saw this tip on America’s Test Kitchen Instagram and assumed it would work like a magic yolk vacuum. This trick doesn’t work for me in practice, but I can see how it would be useful for some.
Simply take a regular cotton swab and dip it into the egg next to the offending yellow color and use a swirling motion to pull out the yolk while rotating the swab. It should stick to the cotton tip.
How to avoid the problem
The best way to keep egg whites intact is to prevent the yolks from breaking in the first place.
Do not transfer yolks from shell to shell. I am guilty of this, as is the man in the main photo of this article. I successfully separate two eggs, am lulled into a false sense of security, and it always comes back to bite me. The edge of the shell is sharp and jagged. I don’t care how much experience you have, this is probably the easiest way to ruin yolks.
Your hands are your best tool. The easiest way to do this without using gadgets is to use your fingers as a sieve. Crack the egg into your non-dominant hand and let the white fall out. You can then pinch off the stubborn whites with your fingers while continuing to gently hold the yolk.
Always whisk over an intermediate bowl. Once you are sure that the white in the bowl is clean, pour it into the mixing bowl. Repeat. That way, if you accidentally break an egg yolk there, the bowl can still be used to mix the whites. Use a new bowl to crack a new egg and save the broken one for snacking.