Fried eggs are perfect breakfast no matter if you put them on a roll or have one as part of a large fry up, but it can be tricky to cook them properly without burning them. When you cook eggs in a hot pan, the whites tend to set quickly, which can result in a charred exterior while the yolk is still raw and slimy.
However, Cari Garcia, a cook and founder of Fat Girl Hedonist has shared there is a very simple technique to make sure fried eggs come out the pan tastier as you just need to cook them with a tablespoon of water. She said: “The secret ingredient to perfect fried eggs is adding a tablespoon of water to the pan once your whites have cooked about 80 percent through. Once you’ve added the water, you’ll want to immediately cover your pan and allow the steam to finish cooking the egg whites.”
It might seem a little strange, but adding a little water to a hot pan will create a lot of steam, which helps cook the top of the egg cook without having to flip it over.
This cooking method, also known as steam frying, lowers the temperature of the overall pan and adds moisture, which helps the egg whites cook at the same time as the yolk.
Steam frying will stop the egg whites burning before the yolk sets, and the added moisture tenderises the egg so it comes out soft rather than rubbery.
You will still get an egg that is crispy at the bottom, and tender at the top so you can have the perfect fried egg without much effort.
How to make a fried egg properly
You will need (per serving):
- One or two eggs
- One tablespoon of water
- One tablespoon of vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
- A frying pan with a lid
Method:
All you need to do is place a frying pan on a medium-low heat, and once hot add a tablespoon of oil.
It tends to be best to use vegetable oil to fry food rather than olive oil or butter as it has a high smoke point, which means it can cook at a hotter temperature without burning.
When the oil is sizzling, add the eggs. Let them cook for roughly a minute or two and once they are almost ready, add a tablespoon of water to the pan.
Immediately cover the pan with a lid after adding the water. Keep them covered for around 30 seconds to two minutes depending on how hard you like your fried egg.
When the egg is ready, remove it from the heat and season with salt and pepper. You perfectly glossy yet crispy fried egg will then be ready to eat.