How To Fry An Egg Without Burning It To A Crisp

Never in all of history has a fried egg been cooked so horribly.

I always tend to burn my eggs for fear of undercooking them and giving my dear husband salmonella. But this usually results in me serving him a plate of burnt eggs, and I can only imagine how terribly forced his smile is at me every morning.

The fried egg is basically the simplest and most amateur dish anyone can ever cook. Even kids are experts at it, and practically anybody who can handle a pan can do it flawlessly. Of course, because I’m such a culinary noob, it’s only natural that I suck at even the simplest of recipes.

But after countless ruined breakfasts and morning mishaps, I’ve finally found some methods that work. No longer will my hubby have to suffer through washing down my horrid eggs with a hurried glass of milk.

How To Fry An Egg Without Burning It To A Crisp

1. The Never-Take-Your-Eyes-Off-It Method a.k.a. The Please-Don’t-Burn-For-The-Love-Of-All-That’s-Good Method

Without any prior experience in the kitchen, this is how I used to do my fried eggs. It’s a hit-or-miss method, but it’s the quickest one. Sometimes I end up burning the eggs if I wait too long, though. But if you’re in a hurry and up for the risk, it could still work.

Pour about a teaspoon of oil into the pan and wait for it to heat up over medium. You can tell if it’s hot enough by checking the consistency of the oil. Does it move around easily like water? If it does, then the pan is hot enough. Crack an egg into the pan. The whites will most likely turn white right away, but the middle won’t. What I do is poke at the yolk to break it, this way making sure it gets cooked (thankfully, hubby likes the yolk dried). When the yolk looks dry enough, you can turn the stove off and you’re done.

The problem with this method is that you need to keep checking the bottom of your egg. It’s definitely quick, but you do run the risk of burning your eggs.

2. The All-Greased-Up Method 

This is basically the same method as the first one, only with more oil. Pouring in more oil removes the risk of burning your eggs, but of course, you end up with greasy eggs. If you have the healthy kind of olive oil, then this method should be okay.

3. The Flip-It-Over Method

Pour a teaspoon of oil (for one egg) into the pan over medium heat. Instead of waiting for the pan to heat up, I crack my egg into the pan right away. Then, I tilt the pan slightly to the side so that both the oil and the still-runny egg are in one place, reducing the risk of burning it. When the egg whites look solid enough, I grab a spatula and flip the egg over, ensuring that the middle and the yolk are cooked. It only takes a few seconds before the middle gets cooked, so I turn off the heat and serve.

Flipping the eggs is, for me, the safest way I can ensure that the eggs are not burnt, nor are they undercooked. Using this method, you will likely end up with a solid egg (I think it's called "over-easy"), but if you poke at the middle, the yolk will still be runny and yummy. This method sacrifices the appearance of the egg though, because it’s no longer sunny-side-up.

4.The Cover-It-Up Method

Photo courtesy photos-public-domain.com

If you don’t want to make much of a fuss about your eggs, this method is for you. Pour a teaspoon of oil (for one egg) into the pan over low heat. Crack open your egg into the pan where the oil is, and cover the whole pan with a lid. It might take a bit longer, but you will soon see and hear your pan start to sizzle. When the edges of the egg white turns opaque, you can turn the heat off, but leave the egg covered and the pan on the stove as it is.

After about 5 minutes, remove the lid and you’ll have a perfectly cooked egg without any runny yolk.

5.The Water Therapy Method

I learned this from my mother-in-law who learned it from one of her friends. If you want the goodness of a fried egg without the grease, you can substitute oil with water. Yup, WATER. Has your jaw dropped yet? Awesome.

Fill the pan with enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. When the water is simmering, crack the eggs into the pan and fry. There is a tendency that the yolk might separate itself from the whites though. It’s almost like boiling an egg, only fried. Interesting, yes?

To make sure that the top part is cooked, use your spatula or spoon to sprinkle some of the water in the pan onto the top of the eggs. Just keep doing that until the yolks cloud over. This method will ensure that the eggs are not burnt at all. They're healthier without the oil, too.

For now though, my fave techniques are the Flip-It-Over Method and the Cover-It-Up Method (although the Water Therapy Method is fast becoming a household favorite now). Big disclaimer: because even the names are silly, it just goes to show you how I’ve personalized these techniques. Of course, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s made for everyone.

So go ahead and find out what works for you and let me know how it goes! We newbies have to help each other out, right?