Making over easy eggs for breakfast seems like it should be simple, doesn't it? You crack some eggs into a pan and flip them when they're ready. But how do you get the whites cooked just right while still keeping a runny yolk?
Cooking eggs makes a simple breakfast. And cooking perfect over easy eggs isn't difficult — as long as you remember a few important things.
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The Right Pan
Use a nonstick skillet or a well-season cast iron skillet to ensure that the cooked eggs can easily slide from the pan to the plate. For two eggs, an 8- or 10-inch frying pan is the right size so that the eggs have plenty of room to spread out, but you don’t need a lot of butter to make sure the bottom is well-coated.
Cooking Fat
While you can definitely cook the eggs in olive oil (or other neutral oils), unsalted or salted butter adds a nice nutty flavor and richness, and you'll need 1 tablespoon for two eggs. Melt the butter in the pan, crack in two large eggs, and season with some kosher or sea salt.
When to Flip
The most stressful part of making eggs over easy is figuring out when to flip them to cook the second side. Here's a simple guide:
- Wait until most of the egg whites are cooked and firm (they should change from clear to white). Let the eggs cook without disturbing them until there's about a half-inch of still-liquid whites around the yolks.
- If the whites have spread and are touching, use a wide, flat, thin spatula to gently separate them, so you can flip one egg at a time.
- Carefully slide the spatula under the first egg, making sure it's positioned under the yolk. Take a deep breath and flip the egg over. Repeat with the second egg.
- Cook the eggs on the flipped side for about 10 to 20 seconds to ensure that the whites are fully cooked on both sides. Then, transfer them to a plate and enjoy while they're hot.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure the nonstick skillet (or cast iron) is preheated before adding the egg so the whites of the eggs start to cook right away. This takes about 2 minutes.
- Cooking over medium heat allows the whites to gradually set while the yolk remains bright and runny.
- Fresh eggs taste best! if you can get your hands on farm-fresh eggs, do it.
- Be sure to serve these perfect eggs with lots of buttered toast to soak up the yolks- one of my favorite ways to enjoy eating them. (A dash of hot sauce and a side of bacon is good, too!)
- If a yolk breaks, just keep cooking. It won't have the same runny consistency, but will still taste good.
- If you like your eggs with black pepper, wait until you flip the eggs over before adding, as this makes sure that the pepper doesn’t burn and stays nice and potent.
How to Make Sunny-Side-Up Eggs
Sunny-side-up eggs are not flipped (like both over easy and over medium eggs), so they have vibrant orange-yellow "sun-like" yolks. Here's how to cook them:
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in nonstick pan. Crack two eggs into the pan.
- Cover the skillet with a lid or plate and turn the heat down to low immediately.
- Let the eggs cook without disturbing them until the whites are firm but the yolks are still runny, which usually takes around 2 ½ to 3 ½ minutes.
- Carefully slide the eggs onto a plate (or use a spatula if you're using a cast-iron skillet). Sprinkle each egg with a pinch of salt and a bit of freshly ground black pepper.
How to Make Over Medium Eggs
The only difference in making over medium eggs, is that once you flip the eggs you cook them longer in the melted butter so the yolks are cooked to just barely runny, but still soft (a jammy yolk). This will take about 1 minute after flipping, or until the doneness of the yolk is desired consistency.
Over medium eggs are great for a breakfast sandwich, as the yolks don't run and make a drippy mess. Over-medium eggs have all the goodness without the mess.
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Over Easy Eggs
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs. salted butter
- 2 large eggs
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a 8 to 10-inch nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat until lightly foaming, tilting pan to evenly distribute the melted butter.
- Carefully break eggs into the skillet, season with salt, and cook until the whites are nearly set on top and the yolks are still runny, about 2 minutes.
- Using a flexible spatula, gently flip the eggs one at a time, season with salt, and let cook another 10 to 20 seconds. Transfer to a plate, season with pepper if desired, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
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David says
Thanks for the info.