This Ree Drummond Tip Makes Morning Omelets Almost Too Easy

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Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman, is not short on recipe ideas. Although she is known for her down-home style and hearty food inspired by old-school dishes, her expertise doesn't lie solely in old traditions and flavors. She's also an innovative user of modern cooking equipment and techniques, including one that pioneers might have had a hard time believing. That's the use of the sous vide technique to create a perfectly cooked, ultra-tender omelet. 

Drummond calls them "omelets in a bag," (via TikTok) and demonstrates how incredibly easy they are to pull off. The beaten eggs are cooked in a hot-water-safe plastic bag, along with a mix of chosen ingredients. Most of the excess air is squeezed out before the bag is sealed, then lowered into a pot of simmering water. As the heat of the water transfers to the bagged eggs and toppings, they'll gently set into a solid block of eggs and fillings.

It's easy to see the advantages of this convenient technique. By cooking in the bag, there's no worry about damaging your omelet in the flipping process or scorching the bottom side with too much direct heat from the pan. In addition, it's a much less hands-on way to enjoy omelets, allowing busy breakfast cooks to focus on other parts of their meal or enjoy a less stressful start to their day. Eggs are also among the best foods to sous vide, according to an expert.

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Although Ree Drummond's omelets in a bag can be done in any pan of simmering water, those who want to perfect their sous vide omelets can also use dedicated sous vide machines. These devices — called immersion circulators — precisely monitor and adjust temperatures to your desired levels and actively circulate the water to ensure even cooking and temperature distribution. Instead of simmering over a stovetop, these devices are plugged in and immersed in the pot of water.

Regardless of the type of food or desired doneness, all sous vide cooking takes place in water between roughly 120 and 185 degrees Fahrenheit. This means small differences matter, with higher temperatures cooking food more quickly but also potentially creating a tougher final product. Although Drummond doesn't specify time or temperature, omelets can take around 20 minutes at 165 degrees Fahrenheit, to produce the ideal texture.

It might not be pioneer-friendly, but Drummond's tip can be eye-opening for egg lovers. Of course, even an ideal sous vide experience can't solve all of the mistakes everyone makes when cooking omelets, such as getting carried away with fillings or not using fresh ingredients. However, this simple sous vide method can avoid many common hazards, all while allowing you to enjoy breakfast in a nearly hands-off way.