Ziploc omelets

[asa]

My brother-in-law emailed this to me and we thought it was a hilarious idea. Then we tried them this morning and they were really good!! Light and fluffy. Has anyone else tried them? I see by a search on the net that they've been discussed a few other places, but since I couldn't find anything on the forum, thought I'd bring this technological advance to your collective attention. Since I can't figure out how to copy the original email with photos to this forum, I'll just give you a link that has the photos. Go to   http://www.breakfastblogger.com/2006/06/19/ziploc-omelet/ for all the gory details.

When this was originally sent to me, it was billed as a good thing to try when all your family is together. Best feature is that no one has to wait for their special omelet !!! Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with permanent marker, put together their own ingredients and then pop 'em in the water.

My experience this am suggests that even though all the additions (green pepper, onion, canadian bacon, and tomato for us this am) are dispersed throughout the mixture, the egg starts cooking from the outside, and this appears to push the solid ingredients toward the center, so you end up with the extras in the middle with the egg wrapped around 'em.

PS: re the concerns on the web about the bags melting, there did not seem to be any problem with that except where one of them lopped over the side of the pot.

I'd be interested in what others think about this process, its safety, etc.

[Oldman]

I would have to go along with Ziplock and not use those bags.  What a person could use are boilable vacuum bags.

Nevertheless, it is a neat idea~~!
Olds

[Habanero Smoker]

I would have to go along with Ziplock and not use those bags.  What a person could use are boilable vacuum bags.

Nevertheless, it is a neat idea~~!
Olds

I would have to agree. The warning from the manufacturer kind of reminds me of the warning JJC posted about the possibilities of chemicals leaching into the food from plastics that made for high temperature. Those omelets do look good though. I just might give it one try. :)

[manxman]

I would have to go along with Ziplock and not use those bags.  What a person could use are boilable vacuum bags.

Nevertheless, it is a neat idea~~!

I agree with Olds and HS regarding the use of Ziplock bags, however the omelettes look great and boilable vacuum bags would be the wa to go.  :)

[iceman]

Definate no no on the Ziplocks. Boilable vac bags for sure. I'm going to have to try that omlet.

[asa]

Just make sure you let it 'em cook long enough. I checked ours several times during the process and thought they were hopeless messes. But after 13-15 minutes, they rolled right out, in perfect shape.

Just out of curiosity, I'm interested whether those who say don't use the ziplocs have data to back that up. One possibility, it seems to me, is that the "official" company position has to be CYA. But people microwave things in those bags all the time, which must get the surface plastic much higher than 210 degrees. Is that occasional exposure poisoning us any more than what we are exposed to on a daily basis from other sources? (except of course for the icemen among us who hail from more pristine environs)  Just wondering . . .

[Habanero Smoker]

You have a point, those occassional poisionings are the ones that finally do you in. ;D

I have no data, just going on what JJC posted a while back, which is good enough for me. Also from having some experience in not following the manufacturer intended use for their product (too long of a story, but it wasn't plastic bags).

Here is the thread that JJC posted his experience;
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=2036.0

[Oldman]

Funny, I got this off of the Ziploc site. It is about microwaveable bags. However, I could not find out about boiling them.

Our Saran™ and Ziploc® products can be used with confidence when label directions are followed. All Saran™ Wraps, Ziploc® Containers and microwaveable Ziploc® bags meet the safety requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for temperatures associated with defrosting and reheating food in microwave ovens, as well as room, refrigerator, and freezer temperatures.

Please help us alleviate consumers' concerns and share these facts with those who forwarded this misleading e-mail to you, and to whom you may have sent it. Thank you for giving us a chance to set the record straight.

3. The containers' packaging now reads "Microwave safe;" are the old containers safe?

Yes. Ziploc® containers have always been microwave safe for defrosting and reheating in the microwave. We added this benefit to the front of the container to assure our consumers that Ziploc® containers can be used in the microwave.


http://www.ziploc.com/

This is interesting reading....

Warning: Phthalates Poison

What are phthalate esters?

These are liquid plasticizers, which look like vegetable oils, used as softeners making plastic flexible so they can be molded or shaped into useful items.
http://www.philippinenews.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=a28417936613e7ca02e171de7f0f8475

[iceman]

Interesting Old's. Thanks for digging that up.
A few years back a science class did a study on microwaving "plastic food films" and food pouches. I couldn't find the article to copy here.
They did find that some food films render a harmful substance at the almost melting point of the film.
What brands they were eludes me at this time.
As far as boiling with the Ziplock bags the "Sandwhich" bags didn't work when they came in contact with the side of the pot at a rolling boil. They started to stick together. The "Quart Freezer" bags did hold up though. I guess it also depends on how long your going to keep them at the boiling temp.
Some of the containers microwaved by boiling water in them deformed but held up. I think if you're just reheating food they're alright. If you get any plastic product TO HOT bad things can happen but for the most part the products they tested held up to the manufacturers claims of being safe.

[asa]

I have no data, just going on what JJC posted a while back, which is good enough for me. Also from having some experience in not following the manufacturer intended use for their product (too long of a story, but it wasn't plastic bags).

Here is the thread that JJC posted his experience;
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=2036.0

Thanks Hab for the link to JJC's post. That's a very interesting story and I enjoyed reading it, especially since I've had the opportunity to do research on chick embryos in a previous life. I'm interested in why they developed the sling culture, instead of the usual technique of windowing. Perhaps to give better lighting and optics for microphotography? But that's another thread.

[asa]

Funny, I got this off of the Ziploc site. It is about microwaveable bags. However, I could not find out about boiling them.

Olds -
Great research and very interesting. What was the misleading email they refer to? Was it the one from the breakfastblogger website?

By the way, look over the rest of that site. It's a hoot too! All sorts of great breakfast ideas and recipes.

Regards,

[Oldman]

What was the misleading email they refer to? Was it the one from the breakfastblogger website?

I don't believe so. It seems to me I got an E-mail  a couple of years back about it.  It was a spoof job if I remember correctly.

[nodak]

These Omelets are great for camping We've eaten them for couple years now and clean-up is great just throw the bag away wipe out water pan.  We always use 1 quart freezer bags.  Easy breakfast for outings, can have the stuffing in the bag and just add eggs.

[iceman]

These Omelets are great for camping We've eaten them for couple years now and clean-up is great just throw the bag away wipe out water pan.  We always use 1 quart freezer bags.  Easy breakfast for outings, can have the stuffing in the bag and just add eggs.

That's a great idea. Ill have to toss some of those in the camp trailer next time.

[asa]

Great idea Nodak. Thanks for the suggestion.