In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, liquid (if using), and salt. Whisk the eggs in a side-to-side motion until uniform in appearance, do not over mix.
In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat the butter over medium-low heat until it just begins to bubble and foam, but does not brown.
Add the eggs to the pan, and wait for 15-seconds until the edges just begin to turn opaque. Use a silicone spatula to stir continuously. Start at the edge of the pan and go in a figure-eight motion. Lift the cooked curds to allow the liquid to run underneath, tilting the pan as needed.
The eggs should form into medium-sized curds, and the surface should be slightly wet, but not runny. The process takes about 1 ½ to 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and move the pan to the cool side of the stove. Allow it to sit to finish cooking. The surface should be glossy, about 30 to 60 seconds.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, serve immediately.
Fluffy Hard Scrambled Eggs
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, liquid (if using), and salt. Whisk in a side-to-side motion until uniform in appearance, do not over mix.
In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat until it just begins to bubble and foam, but does not brown.
Add the eggs to the pan, use a silicone spatula, and stir immediately. Start at the edge of the pan and slowly go in a figure-eight motion. Lift the cooked curds to allow the liquid to run underneath, tilting the pan as needed. The eggs should form into large-sized curds, break them up if desired.
Turn the heat to low when there is no longer liquid egg running into the pan's bottom when stirring. Gently stir a few more times to finish cooking. The surface should look slightly shiny, not dry or browned, with moist curds. The process takes about 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, serve immediately.
Notes
Adding Liquid: This makes the egg softer and more tender but lessens the egg flavor.
Saltier Eggs: Use 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt instead of 1/4 teaspoon.
For Cooking 2 Eggs: Use an 8-inch skillet and look for the appearance change. The cook time will be shorter for a smaller batch, about 45 to 60 seconds.
Adjusting Batch Size: For every large egg, use ½ teaspoon butter or oil and 1/16 to ⅛ teaspoons of salt. See pan size recommendations in the full article.