Tip of the Week- Eggs that don’t stick to the pan

Flip your eggs without a spatula

For years I struggled with cooking that perfect egg- you know the one that is so NOT sticking that it flies out of the pan with a quick flick of the wrist and lands perfectly flipped on the other side, yolk unscathed. Well, it took years (seriously years) for me to figure out how they did this.  Here is what I learned after reading, testing and failing numerous times:

1. You need a good pan.  A non-stick pan makes this easiest, but not a cheap one that is paper thin, but a good one.  I got this new set for Christmas and I love it- All-Clad Stainless Steel Dishwasher Safe Oven Safe Nonstick 8-Inch and 10-Inch Fry Pan Set!
2. You heat the pan first.  Pan on the stove, heat on medium- low.
3. Then you add your oil/ cooking spray/ butter (whatever fat you are going to use).  If you use real butter (not margarine) you need to know that it burns pretty easy and you will need to really pay attention.  Also, when you add the fat, you just need a little bit, don’t drown the poor egg!
4. Once the pan is hot and the fat is hot.  (I don’t mean a smoking pan!  Hot enough that when you put your hand over the middle of the pan you can feel a decent amount of heat.)
5. NOW- crack your egg into the pan.  (If you are the type that always gets shell in your egg, you can do this in a small bowl before putting it into the pan- just be careful when transferring it to the pan as to not brake the yolk.)
6. The egg should immediately start to cook (turning white) when it hits the pan.  If it doesn’t- the pan wasn’t quite hot enough and you may have a little trouble flipping it.
7. When the egg white is about cooked (not all the way through to the top, but almost), gently move the egg around the pan by picking up the pan and giving it a little jostle.  At this point the egg should easily slide all over the pan.
8. If that egg is slip sliding, you are ready to flip it.  Get the egg towards the bottom edge of the pan, get a little momentum up sliding the egg back and forth and when you are ready give it a big flick.  (Honestly, this takes practice.  You need to know your pan well enough to know the amount of force this is going to take for you.)
9. If everything goes right, your egg has landed safely on the other side.  Let it cook until desired doneness.

Recap:

•  Heat the pan first
• Then add the fat
• Don’t add the egg until the pan is hot
• Don’t flip the egg until it will easily slide across the pan