The Unexpected Juice You Should Splash On Your Scrambled Eggs

When you're making eggs in the morning, scrambled is a great way to go. You just whisk them and pour them into a hot pan with some butter or oil, and keep an eye on them so they don't overcook. There are plenty of tips for restaurant-quality scrambled eggs — like using the right cookware (preferably non-stick or cast iron) and starting with room-temperature eggs. And there are several interesting techniques for cooking scrambled eggs at home, like adding a little mayo or even white wine. But one technique you may never have considered is adding a little pickle juice to your raw eggs before cooking them.

Making scrambled eggs with pickle juice will give them a nice hit of vinegar flavor, plus garlic, dill, and whatever else is in the brine. If you like pickles and you like eggs, this is something you need to try. Not only will the pickle brine add flavor, but adding a little acid will make your scrambled eggs softer. It helps break down the proteins so the end result is fluffy and sort of curdled, rather than a big congealed clump. To enhance your scrambled eggs with pickle juice, you can simply whisk in about a tablespoon per three or four eggs before you cook them or add the brine as they're cooking, right as they're about to solidify in the pan. It's a nice trick that will give you wonderfully airy eggs with a nice bit of added zing.

If you're into the dill flavor of standard pickle brine, adding a sprinkling of the herb (dried or fresh) will take it to the next level. So will goat cheese – its nicely tangy flavor goes perfectly with the dill, vinegar, and garlic of pickle juice. Just make sure to turn off the heat and add the goat cheese before the eggs are done. The residual heat will allow them to cook fully while properly incorporating the cheese. A nice melty fontina or crumbled feta will also work. And, if you want to add even more flavor, try some diced scallions, pepper flakes, or sauteed mushrooms. Once you've settled on the base flavors of eggs and pickle juice, you can build from there depending on the flavors in your brine.

Pickle juice also comes in handy for other egg preparations. While the taste may depend on the brine you're using, vinegar also works its magic on your fried eggs. Just let the butter or oil heat up, then add a tablespoon of brine to the pan before tossing in the eggs. You can even just add a splash of brine to the fried eggs once they've cooked for a nice kick of flavor. If you're a pickle fan, leftover brine is one of those regular pantry staples that you should take advantage of, and this technique puts the sour stuff to good use.