# "Ziplock omelet" alternative?



## Amarox (Dec 28, 2008)

So, I was watching some videos recently about omelets, and I discovered ziplock omelets -- making an omelet in a ziplock bag and boiling it 10-13 mins. The problem with that being, boiling a plastic actually makes the food toxic. So, I was thinking...

Could this same concept be used, but with glass?

For example, mix up an omelet, put it in an old jelly jar with the lid on, and sit it in boiling water for 10 mins. Anyone want to try it out?  Should work, right?


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## Barbara L (Dec 28, 2008)

I'd be afraid pressure might build up and break the jar, since the lid would be on.  If you try it, let us know (with photos if possible).  

Barbara


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## Andy M. (Dec 28, 2008)

Barb is right. Also, you'll have a hard time getting the cooked egg out of the jar.


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## GhettoRacingKid (Dec 28, 2008)

whati sth e point of a ziplock omlette?  is it jsut the little burn factor on it?

I personally would find it hard to do it those ways then the right way.

Good Eats has a great episode on making omlettes.  practice makes perfect and its cheap enough


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## GB (Dec 28, 2008)

GhettoRacingKid said:


> whati sth e point of a ziplock omlette?  is it jsut the little burn factor on it?


The original point was for camping. As the OP pointed out though, it is not safe.


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## GhettoRacingKid (Dec 28, 2008)

yeah i wouldnt think it was safe or very tasty.


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## kitchenelf (Dec 28, 2008)

Couldn't you do it with the lid off?

Since a ziplock bag omelet isn't going to turn out like a "real" omelet, but, more like scrambled eggs with "whatever" in them, why not just make them in a pan?  If you ARE camping could you make them in the metal-type cup you drink from and sit in a water bath to cook?  

I'm sure you can tell I don't hike, but, we do camp occasionally.  Carrying a heavy skillet isn't a problem.  Hiking equipment is pretty light though, isn't it?  Don't they make some really light-weight skillets?


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## PieSusan (Dec 28, 2008)

My friend, Debbie swears by her microwave omelet maker that she bought at cvs.
It is kind of like this one:
Progressive Microwave Easy Omelet Maker GMMC70 at Kitchen Collection&


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## mcnerd (Dec 28, 2008)

The 'Ziplock Omelet' practice was not for the microwave, but for camping to have a ready-made item that could be boiled in water without involving a lot of separate ingredients, pans and clean-up.  That practice was determined to be unsafe since Ziplock bags were not designed for boiling (or microwave) and could potentially leech chemicals.

The practice is currently done with *FoodSaver bags* which ARE rated for microwave and boiling water use.


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## BreezyCooking (Dec 28, 2008)

This "Ziploc Omelet" thing is an old bugaboo that's been making the e-mail rounds for YEARS now.  Even the manufacturers of Ziploc bags advised against it - whether you planned to boil the bag or microwave it.  In fact, there's an old thread on here promoting this very thing.

However, Ziploc now makes bags specifically for microwave cooking, so if you're truly bent on making Ziploc microwave omelets without poisoning yourself or melting plastic everywhere, now's your chance.


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## elaine l (Dec 28, 2008)

I have used ziploc baggies for making eggs for a large group eating at various times while camping.  I never realize that it wasn't safe.  So I guess I won't be doing that again.


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## Saphellae (Dec 28, 2008)

I'd say if you want an egg cooked like that, might as well just poach it with some vinegar...


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## kitchenelf (Dec 28, 2008)

Saphellae said:


> I'd say if you want an egg cooked like that, might as well just poach it with some vinegar...



We're not talking poached eggs, we're talking omelets, or at least "camping omelets".  

You put all the ingredients into the bag and place into a pan of heated water, which cooks the egg.  Food Saver bags would be perfect as it is common to cook in them also.


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## Mama (Dec 28, 2008)

I saw Paula Deen cook omelettes in a plastic baggie on her show one time.  I was wondering about the safety of it.


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## Neeney (Dec 29, 2008)

When we used to camp years ago, I used to make the omelets ahead of time and freeze them.  When packing to go, they act as ice packs in your cooler.

To cook, we would just remove the omelet from the bag and cook in one of those pie iron thingeys over the open fire.


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## LeeAnn (Dec 29, 2008)

We did the ziploc omelettes a few Christmas's ago.  They turned out pretty well, didn't seem too difficult getting the eggs out of the bag.  It did seem like it took longer than normal though - it was just an experiment then at my sister in laws.  I didn't know about the safety issue and I'm sure she didn't either, or we wouldn't have done it.  But overall, I suppose with safe enough equipment, it's a fun thing to do just to be different.


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## sparrowgrass (Dec 29, 2008)

Except as a novelty, I don't see any reason for cooking that way.  Get a nonstick pan, use some butter, wipe the pan clean when you are done.  

I try hard to keep my plastic use to a minimum (I wash out ziplocs and reuse) and would feel bad about throwing away eggy plastic bags, just to save 2 minutes of cleanup time.


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## thymeless (Dec 29, 2008)

For camping, yes it's slow. But you then have a clean pot of hot water to use for the cleanup on that final day of camping. 

There are plastics appropriate for this. Also consider the rise of sous vide.


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