When I first heard the term egg ring I had no idea what it was or what it was used for, just that it probably had something to do with eggs. I realize that seems fairly obvious, but when it comes to anything culinary my IQ is rather low. My search for a concise description was not easy and that is what led me to write this article. My aim is to provide a very clear and simple overview of this rather useful kitchen appliance for those of you who share my limited knowledge of cooking and the kitchen in general.
First off, let's start with the basics. An egg ring is a very simple kitchen appliance that consists of a ring attached to a handle. If you are like me I'm sure you are waiting for the rest of the explanation; however that is all it is. Its intended use is to contain the contents of an egg while cooking on a stove top pan. This leaves the chef with a perfectly round, cooked egg that is much easier to package into a sandwich for instance.
There are a wide variety of options if you are considering purchasing this device. All kinds of shapes, colors, and sizes exist but let me tell you what the most important features are. First off, you need one that is durable and well made. An egg ring will undoubtedly take a lot of abuse on the stove top as well as in the dishwasher, and it would be a shame if it broke after only a few uses. Also important to consider is that if looks are important to you the egg ring may be useless after a few nice dents get placed in the ring. Your final product will go from a perfect circle to something that can only be described as a blob. I recommend buying a stainless steel ring and handle that contains a buffer at the handle attachment (so you do not burn your hand on the handle!).
Secondly, make sure the ring has enough weight. This sort of goes along with the first point but you can have a well made ring that is very light. Why is this bad? Rings that are too light will tend to float when you pour the contents of the egg in. This is a hassle as you can imagine because if the ring floats too high the egg will run out underneath and defeat the whole purpose of the egg ring.
The last point I will make is to be sure that you find the right size. Let's say your goal is to make an egg sandwich on an English muffin; in that case you will probably want a smaller ring that if you are going to put it on a bagel. An egg sandwich is much easier to eat if the egg is only 1-1.5 inches thick.
Hopefully you know have a better idea of what an egg ring is and how it works. They are a really useful tool and I would recommend that everyone have a set in their kitchen. It is a great way for a novice chef to create a more professional looking product and makes a much easier to eat sandwich.