How to Perfectly Fry an Egg Every Time

Bring your favorite breakfast diner to your home and learn how easy it is to make perfect fried eggs every single time.

There’s just something about making breakfast and serving it up to family and friends.  It’s so comforting, always delicious, and one of my favorite meals of the day.  If you’re looking to venture out and try some new exciting recipes then definitely check out my Shakshuka or a Dutch Baby.

Fried Egg

Fried eggs are one of the most fundamental basic recipes out there.  Cooking with eggs, in general, is very foundational in the culinary world, and frying eggs are a great and easy way to prepare and eat them.  Frying eggs are simply cooking eggs in a small amount of fat in a hot skillet until the desired internal yolk temperature is achieved. 

What Kind of Pan to Use?

When it comes to making fried eggs, it can sometimes be tricky because the egg will want to stick to the pan.  Now there are a few ways to counter that, one being to be sure there is plenty of hot fat in the pan.  The second one is to make sure you have a really good skillet.  My personal choice is to use a non-stick skillet or a very well-seasoned cast-iron skillet.  Here are my favorites:

• Green Pan – I just love these pans. They are ceramic-coated non-stick and non-toxic.  Here’s an affiliate link to the one I used in the video which allows me to make a few $$ on the sale if you chose to buy it: https://amzn.to/3tmZRIN
• Cast Iron – It is vital that your skillet be seasoned or else it will stick. Here’s an affiliate link to the lodge skillet I used in the video which allows me to make a few $$ on the sale if you chose to buy it: https://amzn.to/2RzLG5G

Should I Use Oil or Butter?

There are some small nuances when cooking with oil or butter when frying eggs.  Butter will heat more quickly and can have a tendency to burn, but it will enhance the flavor of the eggs.  Oil has a higher smoke point and can cook your eggs at low temperatures giving them that perfect white color.  Here are my favorite fats to use:

• Oil
• Unsalted Butter
• Rendered Bacon Fat.

How Long to Fry an Egg?

Frying an egg can be tricky because it can overcook very quickly.  The most important thing to focus on when cooking them is on your burner or heat.  I used a medium-size cooking element that can get decently hot.  If you use a hotter burner, it will cook more quickly even if on low heat.  The same applies to a small burner, only it will take longer.  Based on this, here are the times I was able to come up with based on my medium size burner:

• Sunny-Side Up Egg – Cook at low to medium heat in a pan with oil for 1 minute
• Eggs Over Easy – Cook at low to medium heat in a pan with oil for 45 seconds on one side and then flip and cook for a further 20 to 25 seconds.
• Over Medium Egg – Cook at low to medium heat in a pan with oil for 90 seconds on each side.
• Over Hard Egg – Cook at low to medium heat in a pan with oil for 2 to 2 ½ minutes per side.

How to Fry an Egg

Follow along with these step-by-step instructions for how to fry an egg:

Crack an egg into a bowl and make sure there are no shells in it.  Set aside.

Next, add some fat to a small size non-stick skillet and heat over low to medium heat for about 1 minute.

Add the cracked egg into the fat and cook to your desired liking.  

Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: These are meant to be eaten as soon as they are done cooking.

How to Reheat: It’s hard to reheat these, but you can do so by gently frying them in some hot oil or in the microwave.

chef notes + tips

• How to Store: They store ok covered for up to 2 days.  They will not freeze well.
• It does not matter what color eggs you use for this recipe.

More Breakfast Recipes

• Chilaquiles
• Belgian Waffles
• Homemade Bagels
• Brioche French Toast
• Bacon

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!

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How to Perfectly Fry an Egg Every Time

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5 from 17 votes

Bring your favorite breakfast diner to your home and learn how easy it is to make perfect fried eggs every single time.

Servings: 3

Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Crack the eggs into small separate bowls. Be sure they are free of any shell particles and set aside.
• Next, add the fat to a non-stick sauté pan and heat at low to medium heat for about 1 minute or until hot.
• Add 1 egg and cook to your desired internal yolk temperature. See notes!
• Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Notes

Chef Notes:

Sunny-Side Up Egg – Cook at low to medium heat in a pan with oil for 1 minute

Over Easy Egg – Cook at low to medium heat in a pan with oil for 45 seconds on one side and then flip and cook for a further 20 to 25 seconds.

Over Medium Egg – Cook at low to medium heat in a pan with oil for 90 seconds on each side.

Over Hard Egg – Cook at low to medium heat in a pan with oil for 2 to 2 ½ minutes per side.

Make-Ahead: These are meant to be eaten as soon as they are done cooking.

How to Reheat: It’s hard to reheat these, but you can do so by gently frying them in some hot oil or in the microwave.

How to Store: They store ok covered for up to 2 days. They will not freeze well.
It does not matter what color eggs you use for this recipe.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American, French

Author: Chef Billy Parisi