Frying an egg should be easy. It’s one of the most effortless cooking skills you can attain. Or is it? Making the perfect fried egg can be a struggle for many people.
How do you make your fried eggs prettier and more appealing? It’s all in the details of how you cook, from the pan or skillet you use to the type of oil you decide to use, heat control, and your desired level of doneness.
There’s nothing more gratifying than eating a perfectly fried egg that you’ve prepared yourself, and equally, there’s nothing more upsetting than messing it all up. How do you get the perfect fried eggs?
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What Does a Perfectly Fried Egg Look Like?
If you eat eggs regularly, then learning to fry your eggs perfectly is an essential skill you should have. So, what does a perfectly fried egg look like when served?
The ‘perfect fried egg’ is subjective to a person’s preferences.
- Some people like their eggs sunny-side-up — the egg is fried with the yolk up and not flipped.
- Some like their eggs over-easy — the egg is flipped, the yolk is still runny, and the egg white is a little runny.
- Some want their eggs over-medium — the egg is flipped, the yolk is slightly runny, and the egg white is cooked through.
- Others prefer their eggs over-hard — the egg is flipped, the yolk and egg white are cooked hard.
How to Perfectly Fry Your Eggs
Before you begin frying your eggs ensure you have; a good non-stick frying pan or skillet, a non-stick spatula, butter, oil, or cooking spray, fresh eggs, and salt and pepper for seasoning(optional).
1. Frying Eggs Sunny-Side-Up
When frying your eggs sunny-side-up, you cook the eggs until the white is set and the yolk is still runny. To make sunny-side-up eggs:
- Heat oil or butter in a pan or non-stick skillet over low heat.
- Crack your egg into a small bowl and slowly add it to the heated pan or skillet.
- Repeat with another egg, adding it to the other side of the skillet.
- Cover your skillet with a lid and cook for about three minutes until the egg whites are set and the yolk is still runny. Do not flip the eggs.
- Slide your eggs out of the skillet onto a plate or a toast.
- Season your eggs with pepper and salt.
Heat control is critical when frying your eggs sunny-side-up. Too much heat toughens and makes the whites brown at the edges, while not enough heat will cause the yolks to cook partway through by the time the egg whites are set.
2. Frying Eggs Over-Easy
When you flip sunny-side-up eggs, you turn them into over-easy eggs. When frying your eggs over-easy, you cook the eggs until the white is set and the yolk is white on top and is still runny. To make over-easy eggs:
- Follow the first four steps.
- Flip the eggs over and cook them for an additional 20 seconds.
- Re-flip the eggs to their original side.
- Slide your eggs out of the skillet or pan onto a plate.
- Season your eggs with pepper and salt.
To flip an over-easy egg and prevent the yolk from breaking on impact, gently slide your spatula under the fried side of your egg and lift it from the skillet’s surface. Tip the spatula both slowly and swiftly while bringing the pan up to meet the eggs, then lay the eggs yolk-side down.
3. Frying Eggs Over-Medium
When frying your eggs over-medium, you cook the eggs until the white is cooked through and the yolk is a little runny. To make over-medium eggs:
- Follow the first four steps.
- Flip the eggs over and cook them for an additional 35 seconds until the yolk is slightly firm and a little runny.
- Re-flip the eggs to their original side.
- Slide your eggs out of the skillet or pan onto a plate.
- Season your eggs with pepper and salt.
Over-medium eggs have a thicker film on your yolk, but the yolk is still runny.
4. Frying Eggs Over-hard
When frying your eggs over-hard, both the yolk and egg whites are cooked hard. To make over-hard eggs:
- Follow the first four steps.
- Flip the eggs over and cook them for an additional two minutes until the yolk is firm and the egg white is puffy.
- Re-flip the eggs to their original side.
- Slide your eggs out of the skillet or pan onto a plate.
- Season your eggs with pepper and salt.
Every technique will require a little bit of practice. If your egg doesn’t turn out perfectly the first few times, don’t sweat it.
FAQs
- For How Long Should I Fry My Eggs? You should fry your eggs for about three minutes or until the egg white is set. However, your cooking time will solely depend on how you like your eggs.
- Should I Use Oil or Butter When Frying Eggs? This is dependent on your preference. If you want soft-bottomed, soft-edged, and luscious eggs, butter is the way to go. If you’re looking for something crispy, oil is the ideal option.
- What Type Of Oil Should I Use When Frying An Egg? The best oils to use when frying eggs are canola and olive oil. Canola oil has a higher smoking point, so it’s the ideal option if you want your eggs crispy. If you’re not aiming for crisp, olive oil is great for adding flavor.
- How Much Oil Or Butter Should I Use? If you’re using a non-stick skillet or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, a teaspoon of butter or oil per egg is enough. If you’re using a stainless-steel skillet, use two teaspoons of oil or butter.
- What’s The Best Pan To Use When Frying An Egg? A non-stick skillet offers more convenience when it comes to frying eggs. They also allow you to use less oil compared to carbon steel or cast-iron pans.
- What’s The Difference Between Cracking An Egg On A Bowl Or Cracking It Directly On The Pan? Cracking your eggs on a bowl makes it easier for you to get a regular and pleasing shape on your egg by centering the yolk. It also helps the egg to cook more evenly.
- Are Brown Eggs More Nutritious Than White Eggs? Brown eggs are usually considered more nutritious compared to white eggs because they are associated with local farms. However, there is no nutritional difference between white and brown eggs. The only difference is the pigmentation and price.