As we all learn at some point in our lives, perfection is futile. It’s unattainable. It simply doesn’t exist. That is, until we’re talking about fried eggs.
You see, fried eggs are a very personal matter. An egg, like a painting, a sculpture, or even a poem, can be a work of art – and art, of course, is subjective. There isn’t the right kind of fried egg, no correct way to cook it, no guidebook or recipe or even a textbook. There’s just an egg, a bit of fat, some heat. A sprinkle of salt, and buttered toast. When it comes to fried eggs, there are many versions of perfection. We’re here to help you find yours.
The soft, delicate, loving method
Yields: soft and spoonable white, runny yolk
Heat a non-stick or cast iron pan on high for one minute, and then melt a pat of butter. Crack an egg in the pool of butter and turn the heat to medium. Pour in a small amount of water (around a half tablespoon) and cover the pan with a lid for 30 seconds, letting the egg steam. When the white is set, slide the egg onto a plate, and season with salt.
Recipe: Polenta with Wilted Escarole and Olive Oil Fried Eggs opens in a new tab
The take-no-prisoners method
Yields: crispy, browned bottom, crispy edges, and runny yolk
Heat a non-stick or cast iron pan to high, high heat. Pour in a generous amount of olive oil, and heat until it shimmers. Crack in an egg and turn the heat down, then spoon the hot fat over the egg white until it’s just set (focusing on the area of white just around the yolk). Or, if you’re feeling a little crazy, simply cover the pan after cracking the egg, then slide it out when the white’s set and crispy. Season, of course, with salt.
The press-down method
Yields: crispy white, runny yolk
Heat a half tablespoon of butter in a small non-stick pan over medium high heat. When the butter is sizzling, but nowhere near smoking, crack an egg into the pan. Season with salt and pepper. As soon as the edges look brown and crackly, gently flip the egg. With your spatula, press on the thicker areas of white near the yolk so that they flood into the pan and cook quickly. Season again with salt and pepper. As soon as your whites are set, slide the egg onto one piece of toast.
The animal-style method
Yields: crispy edges and bottom, runny yolk, slightly porky finish
Heat a non-stick or cast iron pan to medium-high heat with about a tablespoon-worth of sausage or bacon fat. Cook using the take-no-prisoners or press-down method.
The oven (!) method (from Saltie: A Cookbook)
Yields: browned bottom, speckled top. Runny yolk.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat around a tablespoon of olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. When the oil is warm but not hot, crack the egg gently into the pan and cook without disturbing just until the white starts to set. Transfer to the oven and bake until the white sets completely, around 3 minutes.
Keen on expanding your egg-cooking repertoire? Check out our guides to scrambled eggs opens in a new tab, poached eggs opens in a new tab, and sunny-side up eggs opens in a new tab.
What is your version of fried-egg perfection, and how do you achieve it?
