In this section we will show you how to cook a fried egg, and get it right every time, however you like it. Everyone likes their eggs cooked differently so we want to explain how to get perfect fried eggs every time. The real trick here is patience. What you are after is a nicely browned underside with a crispy edge, a white that is cooked through and a nice round yolk that is in one piece when you’ve finished. Just how cooked your yolk needs to be is down to personal taste and therefore timing.
If you like a cooked breakfast then a fried egg is a must for most people. The first thing you need to know is whether you like your eggs turned or sunny side up. This is really down to personal taste and in our house we are split on this one. Fortunately it is really easy to do both. Why turn? Well once you turn the egg you know that the white is definately cooked both sides, if you have them sunny side up there is a thin layer of white on top that will not be cooked. However turned eggs are not as aesthetically pleasing on the plate. Do not panic about it though, if you use a fair amount of fat in the pan you can splash a little oil over the top to cook all the white, you will get a better looking egg than if it is turned but the yolk will have a milky coating instead of being nice and golden. There are ups and downs either way and as I mentioned earlier it’s down to personal taste.
The next question is should you use new or old eggs. Well watery whites will spit and splash in hot oil, even if you only use a little oil. Whilst this is not a particular problem you do risk getting a fat burn and making a mess of the hob. Older eggs tend to spread as well as the whites aren't able to hold their shape as well, so I recommend you use fresh eggs if you can.
Do NOT start cooking eggs and go off to do something else. I guarantee you will be longer than you think. The result is not nice. Stay with them.
You will need
- 1 egg
- 3 – 4 tbsp Oil – optional, any oil will do
- Something to eat your egg with, bread, toast or a full fry up if you want
- 1 frying pan either non stick or well seasoned if not using any oil, size will depend upon the number of eggs you want to cook but try to avoid cooking more than 4 at a time
- A spatula
- A cup to break your egg into
Method
- Even if you are good at multi-tasking it is better to get whatever you plan to eat with your eggs prepared and kept warm, leaving your eggs to last. Fried eggs do not keep well and should be eaten as soon as they are ready.
- Put your pan on a high heat to get it good and hot.
- Add some oil if using and let it heat through
- Crack your egg into a cup then pour it into the pan, immediately turn the heat down to low. Do not be tempted to play with your egg, leave it alone to cook and be patient. see below for perfect yolk cooking times
- Once you have almost given your egg the right amount of time for you or your guest’s preference, using your spatula, gently loosen the egg round the edges. If not turning, but wanting to cook the surface, carefully splash some of the excess oil over the top of the egg at this stage.
- Slide the spatula under your egg and either, remove it from the pan, or turn it. If turning be especially careful as you risk breaking the yolk at this stage. Once turned DO NOT play with your egg, leave it alone to cook as you will definitely break the yolk otherwise. After a minute, using your spatula, gently loosen the egg round the edges again then slide the spatula under and remove from the pan.
- Serve with your choice of accompaniment.
Cooking timings for the perfect yolk are as follows;
- Raw – just don’t go there you will end up in a mess.
- Runny –
- sunnyside up, 2 to 3 mins no longer,
- turned 2 mins plus 1 minute on the other side.
- Soft –
- sunnyside up 3 to 4 mins,
- turned 2.5 – 3 mins plus 1 minute on the other.
- Hard –
- sunnyside up 4 to 5 mins,
- turned 3.5 – 4 mins plus 1 minute on the other side if turning
Problem solving
- Don’t cheat and crack the egg on the side of the pan, you will end up with a messy pan and a big cleaning job.
- If you leave the heat turned up the cooking times will change and you are highly likely to end up with a hard yolk.
- If your yolk breaks you need to be a little more patient before you try to move the egg, it wasn’t cooked enough to hold together properly, eat it up and learn from the experience
- If having a fried egg sandwich and you don’t want to risk getting runny yolk down your chin and clothes cook go for a well done soft or hard
- Be aware that when your chickens are off colour, out of sorts or going off the lay they may lay watery eggs. If this is the case you will need to get to know who is laying which eggs and use them for something else. Eggs with a softish shell are highly likely to have watery whites.
- Don’t try to carry your cooked egg on a spatula across the kitchen to a plate, the mess if you drop it, you just don’t want to risk it. Either take the pan with the eggs in or move the plates near the cooker.
Adding an egg to a meal can really make a difference to the presentation and taste experince. Here are a few pictures of meals we have eaten where adding an egg made all the difference.
Once you have mastered basic egg frying you will want to get more adventurous. Check out our "Fried Egg Recipes" page for serving suggestions page for ideas and serving suggestions, using fried eggs more adventurously and taking your perfect fried eggs from a simple meal to a feast fit to impress.
Happy eating!