Fried Egg

Today is about technique. Very often, I like a fried egg in the morning. However, not often enough that I can tell by feel, smell or touch when the egg is ready. For me, "ready" means a neither too-firm nor too-runny yolk, with a hint of frizzled white edge.

I found an answer to this dilemma in Cook's Illustrated last year. By adding a teaspoon of water and covering the fry pan, the top of the egg cooks, filming the yolk over with cooked white and preventing an embarrassing flipping accident.

Fried Egg Recipe and Technique
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

1 nonstick 8" fry pan
1 cover for fry pan
1 egg
1 tsp butter
1 tsp water
Salt and pepper

Heat fry pan over medium-low heat. When a few droplets of water sizzle in the pan, add the butter. Crack the egg into a small bowl and add water. Once butter has melted and the foam subsided (and to be doubly sure, hold your hand a few inches above the pan surface. You should feel some heat rising), tip the egg and water into the pan.

Cover the pan and stand by. After 2 1/2 minutes, uncover pan and check on eggs. Shake the pan. Your yolk should still shake a bit, but will have a thin coating of cooked white over it. Shake salt and pepper over it, and serve.

Optional accompaniments: two slices of toast, Earl Grey tea with milk, and blackberry preserves


Egg and water in hot butter

Cover pan to let steam cook top of egg

 

Shake pan to gauge yolk's firmness