Fried Eggs
Cooking Skills: Eggs 1
Chapter 3 · Fried Eggs
Skill goal
Fry an egg with a set white and the yolk you like, by controlling the heat.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Frying an egg is all about heat. Too hot and the white goes brown and rubbery before the yolk warms; too cool and it spreads into a flat, greasy puddle. Medium-low is the answer for most styles, and a good non-stick pan does the rest.
| Style | How it's cooked | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sunny side up | One side only, lid optional | Set white, runny yolk, bright yellow |
| Over easy | Flipped for a few seconds | Set white, runny yolk, no wobbly white on top |
| Over medium / hard | Flipped, cooked longer | Jammy or set yolk |
| Basted | Spooned with hot fat or covered with a lid | Set top without flipping |
| Crispy-edged | Hot oil, then lower heat | Lacy brown edges, runny yolk |
Pan, fat and heat
- Pan: a 20 cm non-stick frying pan for one or two eggs. A pan that's too big spreads the egg thin.
- Fat: about 1 tsp of oil or butter per egg is plenty in a non-stick pan. Oil handles a higher heat; butter tastes richer but browns faster, so use medium-low.
- Heat: warm the pan over medium for about 30 seconds before the fat goes in, then keep it at medium-low for most styles. The fat should shimmer, not smoke, and an egg should sizzle gently on contact, not spit.
- Crack first: break each egg into a small cup, then slide it into the pan. It keeps the yolk whole and the white from spreading.
Salt
Season after cooking if you want a clean, glossy white. Salt on the yolk can leave white spots.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
Sunny-side-up egg on toast
The simplest fried egg. Learn the heat and learn when it is done.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 1 tsp olive or rapeseed oil
- 1 medium egg
- 1 slice wholemeal bread
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
- Crack the egg into a cup. Heat the oil in the pan over medium for 30 seconds, then turn down to medium-low.
- Slide in the egg. It should sizzle softly. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes without touching it, until the white is opaque and set but the yolk is still shiny and soft.
- While it cooks, toast the bread.
- Lift out the egg with a fish slice and put it on the toast. Season.
How to tell it's done
The edges are set and white right up to the yolk, with no clear, jelly-like white left. If the top of the white is still wet, put a lid on for 20 seconds. The steam sets it.
Level 2 · Next step
Over-easy egg
Flip the egg without breaking the yolk. A bit of nerve, and a fish slice, is all you need.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 1 tsp oil or butter
- 2 medium eggs
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 slice wholemeal toast to serve
- Cook the eggs as for sunny-side-up for about 2 minutes, until the whites are almost set.
- Slide a thin fish slice or palette knife right under one egg and flip it in one smooth movement. Don't lift it high: flip it close to the pan.
- Cook for 10 to 15 seconds for over easy (runny yolk), 30 seconds for over medium (jammy), or 1 minute for over hard (set).
- Lift out and serve on the toast.
If it breaks
A broken yolk is not a failure: it's just a scrambled-fried egg, and tastes the same. Put it in a sandwich.
Level 2 · Basted
Basted egg with greens
The restaurant method for a set top without flipping. Spooning hot fat, or steaming, cooks the white while the yolk stays soft.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 1 tsp butter (or oil)
- 1 medium egg
- 1 large handful (about 60 g) baby spinach
- 1 small garlic clove, sliced
- 1 slice wholemeal toast
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Wilt the spinach with the garlic and a splash of water in a small pan for 1 minute. Squeeze out the extra water, season and keep warm.
- Heat the butter in the frying pan over medium-low. Slide in the egg.
- Cook for 1 minute until the white starts to set. Tilt the pan slightly and spoon the melted butter over the whites (not the yolk) for about 1 minute. Or add a teaspoon of water and put on a lid for 1 minute.
- Pile the greens on the toast, lay the egg on top and add a squeeze of lemon.
Level 3 · Crisp
Crispy-edged egg with chilli
Hot oil makes the white blister and crisp into lace. It's quick, and it is the deliberate opposite of a gentle fried egg.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
- 1 medium egg
- Pinch of chilli flakes
- Cooked rice or toast to serve (a small bowl, about 100 g cooked rice)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- Squeeze of lime or lemon
- Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high until it shimmers (about 1 minute). Crack the egg into a cup.
- Slide in the egg. It will spit and bubble: that's the lace forming. Spoon the hot oil over the white.
- After 1 to 2 minutes the edges are brown and crisp. The yolk should still be runny. Lift out with a slotted spoon so the oil drains.
- Serve over the rice, with the soy sauce, chilli and lime.
Hot oil
Hot oil spits. Stand back slightly, keep a lid nearby and don't pour water into hot oil.
Level 3 · Treat
Fried egg sandwich
Egg, bread and a little something salty, built into the best quick breakfast. Treat it as one: a sensible portion, not a daily habit.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 2 slices wholemeal bread or 1 roll
- 2 rashers of back bacon (optional, leave out for a vegetarian version)
- 1 medium egg
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 tbsp ketchup or brown sauce, or a slice of tomato
- Grill or dry-fry the bacon for 4 to 5 minutes until cooked through, turning once. Keep it warm.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the egg over medium-low. For a sandwich, cook it over medium: flipped, with a jammy yolk, so it won't run down your chin.
- Toast the bread (or split the roll).
- Build: bread, bacon, egg, sauce, bread. Press down gently and cut in half.
Lighter swap
Leave out the bacon and add a slice of tomato and a handful of rocket instead.
Experiments
Experiment
Three heats
The fastest way to learn what 'medium-low' means on your hob.
- Fry three eggs in turn in a clean pan, using the same oil: on low, medium-low and medium-high heat.
- Time how long each takes until the white is set, and note the underside colour.
- Taste each one and compare the texture of the white.
Look for: At low heat the white is tender but takes ages; at medium-high the underside browns and goes crisp and rubbery. Find the setting that gives you a set white and a runny yolk in about 3 minutes.
Experiment
Oil vs butter
Does the fat matter?
- Fry one egg in 1 tsp oil and one in 1 tsp butter, both on medium-low.
- Taste them side by side.
Look for: Butter tastes richer and browns faster; oil is cleaner and crisper. Which do you prefer on toast?
Experiment
Lid on or off
A lid traps steam and sets the top of the white.
- Fry two eggs: one uncovered, one with a lid on for the last minute.
- Compare the tops of the whites and the yolks.
Look for: Is the white on the lidded egg set right to the yolk? Is the yolk still runny? Does the surface look glossier or drier?
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Heat or method | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny side up | ||||
| Over easy | ||||
| Basted | ||||
| Crispy-edged | ||||
| Low / medium-low / medium-high | ||||
| Oil vs butter | ||||
| Lid on / off |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Egg sticks to the pan | Pan not hot enough before the fat, or it is scratched | Warm the pan first, use a bit more fat, and use a non-stick pan |
| White is brown and rubbery, yolk raw | Heat too high | Turn down to medium-low and be patient |
| White spreads thin and watery | Old egg, or pan too big, or heat too low | Use a fresher egg, a smaller pan, and a slightly higher heat. Pour the thin watery part off first |
| Yolk broke on flipping | Flipped too high or too early | Wait until the white is set underneath; flip low and quickly |
| Wet jelly on top of the white | Not enough heat on top | Put on a lid for 20 seconds, or baste with the hot fat |
| Pan smokes | Heat too high, or the wrong fat | Take it off the heat; use oil and a lower setting |
Food safety: runny yolks
A runny yolk is safe with Lion-mark eggs, but if anyone eating is pregnant, elderly, or very young and the eggs have no Lion mark, cook until the yolk is firm. Wash your hands after cracking eggs and wash the cup between eggs if you are cooking for others.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can fry an egg with a set white and a runny yolk.
- I know what medium-low heat looks like on my hob.
- I can flip an egg without breaking the yolk (most of the time).
- I can baste or lid an egg so the top sets.
- I know whether I prefer oil or butter.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Eggs 1, chapter 4 is Scrambled Eggs: gentle heat, timing and creamy results.