How To Separate Eggs (Four Different Ways!)

Eggs are one of the most versatile foods out there. They can be eaten plain or cooked into omelets, scrambled, fried, boiled, or even baked. And they’re also great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and dessert.

Some recipes call for eggs that have been separated from their yolks.

If you don't know what you are doing, this can be a tricky process. You may end up getting pieces of shell in the separated parts, or the yolk will break and drip into the whites, causing the two parts to combine regardless.

So, how do you successfully separate an egg? Is it possible?

Yes!

In this article, we'll show you four different ways to separate an egg without breaking the yolk. We'll go over each method step-by-step so that you can easily follow along.

Before You Begin

You should always use fresh eggs when separating them. If your eggs are old, then you might not get as much separation.

Also, make sure that your eggs are at room temperature before trying to separate them. This is because if your eggs are cold, then the whites won't spread out as well.

Some of these methods will require you to use your bare hands, so it is also important to make sure that you have thoroughly washed your hands beforehand.

Also, make sure you have a clean, prepared surface, in case you accidentally end up dropping eggs everywhere… hopefully, this won't happen, but it's better to be safe than sorry, right?

Now let's begin with our first way to separate an egg.

1. Separating Eggs With The Shell Method

The easiest way to separate an egg is by using the shell method.

This involves cracking open the eggshell: you will want to do this as gently as possible, trying not to break the yolk while it is still inside the shell.

Once you've cracked open the eggshell, carefully remove the top half of the shell, leaving the bottom part intact. You will want the bottom half to be bigger than the top so that the egg doesn't spill out of the shell. The bottom half of the shell will be acting as a cup, holding the egg inside.

Next, hold the top half of the shell against the bottom, and pour the egg whites into a separate bowl. The two halves of the eggshell should create a barrier, preventing the yolk from falling into the bowl with the whites.

Once all the whites have been emptied from the eggshell, transfer the yolk into a separate bowl. Repeat with as many eggs as you like, using the two bowls to keep the whites and the yolks apart.

2. Separating Eggs With The Hand Method

Another easy way to separate an egg is using the hand method. For this method, you won't need any additional tools: you will only need to use your hands.

To start, crack open your eggshells, being careful not to break the yolks. Pour all the eggs into an empty bowl, all together. We don't recommend that you overfill the bowl, however, as it will be harder to extract the yolks.

Next, simply reach into the bowl, and gently pick up a yolk with your hand. Make sure your fingers are open enough for the whites to slip through, but not enough that the yolk will fall out! Transfer the yolk between both hands, allowing all the whites to slide back into the bowl.

Also, you will need to be very careful not to accidentally break the yolk as you're lifting them out: if you do, they will contaminate all the egg whites, and you will need to start all over again.

Once you only have the yolk in your hands, transfer it to a separate bowl. Repeat the process with all the egg yolks left in the first bowl.

3. Separating Eggs With The Suction Method

For this method, you will need to find a bottle that you can easily squeeze, with a neck just large enough to suck a yolk into the bottle. We recommend using an empty plastic water bottle.

Just like you did for the second method, crack open a load of eggs into an empty bowl.

Then, take the plastic bottle, and squeeze the air out of it. Place the opening of the bottle over an egg yolk, and slowly release the bottle, allowing it to suck the egg yolk inside the bottle.

You need to be careful of how quickly you do this: if you create suction too quickly, the egg yolk could rupture and burst open as it is travelling into the bottle. As long as you are slow and careful while you are squeezing the bottle, there should be no issue.

Your best option is to collect each egg yolk individually. Once you have collected one, grab another empty bowl, and gently squeeze the yolk into the bowl. Then, go back and repeat the process.

4. Separating Eggs With The Strainer Method

The last method we'll cover here involves using a strainer. This method is great because it separates the yolk from the white without having to worry about breaking the yolk.

To begin, you will need to find a kitchen utensil with enough holes inside to filter the egg whites from the egg yolks. We recommend using a slotted spoon, although you could potentially use a colander with large holes.

If the holes aren't big enough, it will be difficult to separate the egg. However, if the holes are too big, you run the risk of the yolk falling through with the whites. Choose your tool wisely!

Decide which utensil you would like to use, and then find a large bowl. Crack all the eggs into the bowl, as you did for the other methods. When all the eggs are in the bowl, simply use the slotted spoon to scoop out an egg yolk.

This will filter the egg whites back into the bowl, and the yolk will remain set in the spoon. Then, transfer the yolk into an empty bowl.

Repeat until you have separated all the yolks from the whites.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are many different ways to separate eggs. Each method has its own pros and cons, so choose what works best for you.

These methods can be tricky when you first try them, so don't be surprised if you accidentally burst a yolk on your first go. Practice makes perfect, and once you get the hang of separating eggs, you will wonder how you ever struggled in the first place!

We hope you found this article useful.