I’m sure you all have made a few fried eggs in your day, and eaten plenty of them at your local diner. But, how many premature broken yolks, under and over cooked eggs have you suffered through? Well, for me, it’s been too many. As a result I’ve perfected my egg cooking so that I didn’t have to deal with it anymore – a broken yolk has a way of ruining my morning.

I’ve always been a fried egg fan, or “dippy egg” as I called them when I was a kid. It was one of my favorite breakfasts (still is)… except then I didn’t eat the white. What is it with kids and egg whites? Anyway, I eat the whole egg these days and I find it very satisfying to sit down and break the yolk with my toast.

Eggs are an entirely underrated food – they aren’t just for breakfast. Try adding one to your BLT, over a hash for a quick dinner, or over a salad. It’s a quick cooking food that can be enjoyed at any meal or even for a snack. 

So how does one concoct the perfect fried egg? Well, for starters you need eggs and butter – only real butter will do here. If you use fake butter or a butter spread, the egg will stick (even to a nonstick pan). If you’re against butter, then go ahead and use some olive oil, but I prefer butter.

My first tip for getting a perfect egg is to crack the egg into a bowl first. Why? Well, who wants to pick shell out of a hot pan? I’ll admit I don’t use the bowl much anymore because I’m lazy, but if you’re one who always loses some shell, then use the bowl.

Ok, so you have your egg ready. Now, melt a small amount of butter in your nonstick pan and swirl it around to coat the whole surface. Pour your egg into the hot pan and let it go for a few seconds.

It will look something like this:

You see how the white spreads out? Extremely fresh eggs won’t do this – and when I say extremely fresh I mean fresh from the hen. Your average store bought eggs will always spread.

So, to get it into a nice circle just take your spatula and gently push and fold the thin part of the white toward the yolk.

Now it should look like this:

If you’re making more than one egg, now is the time to add the second one into the pan and repeat the same steps. Now you’ll have two round eggs. The reason I like to “round off” the eggs is to make them easier for flipping – an egg that spreads out too far is hard to get on the spatula and can make for a premature broken yolk.

At this point I let them cook for about 1-2 minutes before I flip them. You want the white to be almost set before you flip. If it’s still watery looking it’s harder to flip because it doesn’t glide on the spatula easy. Once I’m ready to flip I slide the egg on my spatula (tip: you can wiggle the pan a little bit to help it slide easier) and gently flip.

How long you cook the egg after you flip is up to you. Over easy will yield you a runny yolk and takes about 45 seconds. Over medium is slightly runny in the center and the outer part of the yolk is starting to set; this takes about 1 minutes and 30 seconds. Over hard is when the yolk is completely set and this takes about 2 minutes.

My favorite way to eat my eggs is over medium – a slight runny center with some parts set.

I always turn to a fried egg when I’m in a pinch for breakfast or just want to change it up from my usual oatmeal and fruit. I hope you will take some of my tips and tricks and apply them to your own egg cooking. Maybe you already have your own method down – that’s great! If not, then I hope this post has helped you!

Stay tuned for more “breakfast basics” in the coming weeks. I’ve got perfect bacon, the best home fries, and scrambled eggs coming up!

Do you like fried eggs? Do you have any tips and tricks of your own to share?

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Perfect Fried Eggs

Do you love fried eggs, but avoid making them from home? I’ve learned a few tips and tricks over the years and now I’m making perfect fried eggs every time! No more breaking the yolks, undercooked, or overcooked – patience and a few eggs are all you need to be a breakfast champion. 

Serves: 1 | Cook Time: 3-5 Min

INGREDIENTS

1-2 Extra Large Eggs
Unsalted Butter
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Crack your egg into a small bowl. If you’re making more than one, use two bowls. Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add a small pat of butter – just enough that you can swirl around to coat the surface area. Once the butter is completely melted and bubbling slightly, pour in your egg. The egg white will spread out, let it set for a few seconds and then using your spatula, push the white toward the egg to form it into a circle. Allow the egg white to set to a point that you are able to flip it – this usually takes 1-2 minutes on low heat. Slide your spatula under the egg and gently flip. Allow it to cook for 45 seconds for over easy, 1 minute 30 seconds for over medium, and 2 minutes for over hard. Serve with butter toast and enjoy your perfect fried egg!