Are Sticking Eggs Really an Issue?

[easysurfer]

Was watching a youtube video on how to fry an egg without sticking. Yeah, I know, plenty of time on my hands.

On the video, the person said be sure to start on low heat, then add oil, remember to keep the heat LOW!

Almost every morning, crank up the stove top high to about the number 7 setting, place on a stainless steel pan, then add some oil or duck fat to melt, then the eggs.

I've really haven't had issues with eggs sticking to the pan. Now I'm curious, what am I doing [-]wrong[/-] right?

 

[Red Badger]

Eggs looking at me? Hot pan, butter, eggs.

Scrambled? Low and slow with a little more butter. Remove before completely set to prevent rubbery eggs.

 

[audreyh1]

Well seasoned cast iron is what works for fried eggs for us. After we cook the bacon. But we do use lower heat because we like very soft eggs and no hard white edges.

For omelettes or scrambled eggs we prefer the Le Creuset omelette pan - it has a particularly smooth enamel surface and curved sides.

 

[Aerides]

I got a non-stick omelette pan from all-clad just for eggs.

 

[Lakedog]

Prefer lower heat for fried eggs and don't normally encounter sticking, but usually just go microwave for scrambled. Two scrambled eggs with a bit of butter (or without) in a small bowl on high for 60 seconds. After cooking, sometimes add a bit of salsa, cheese, and/or black beans. So easy with very little mess.

 

[target2019]

I coached a kid whose father was a real live French chef. Owned restaurants, catered parties for sports characters, etc.

What I remember is him mentioning low heat for the omelette. Always.

I start with 7 setting, and when the butter just begins to brown, dial the heat down to less than 5. You can turn it off after a minute or two, and the egg continues to cook.

 

[mountainsoft]

crank up the stove top high to about the number 7 setting, place on a stainless steel pan, then add some oil or duck fat to melt, then the eggs. I've really haven't had issues with eggs sticking to the pan.

We have a nice set of stainless steel pans that work great for just about everything. The two things they are terrible for is eggs and potatoes. They both stick like crazy, though potatoes are far worse. The starch sticks to the pan as they cook, building a layer on the bottom of the pan. As you stir the potatoes the layer just turns into a thicker and thicker burned layer. Half inch cubed potatoes end up as little unbrowned quarter inch cubes. I've tried low heat, high heat, little oil, lots of oil, different kinds of oil, presoaking the potatoes, etc. No difference.

I basically gave up on any kind of pan fried potatoes. For eggs we have a small enameled non-stick pan that works well. The only downside is it's hand wash only, can't stick it in the dishwasher.

My wife bought a cast iron pan last Christmas to fry potatoes in, but I still haven't tried it. The whole seasoning thing kind of turns me off, as does concerns about washing it, rust, and an uncleanable layer of grease and/or food. We rarely eat fried foods anyway. One of these days I'll have to try it.

 

[pacergal]

Eggs looking at me? Hot pan, butter, eggs.

Scrambled? Low and slow with a little more butter. Remove before completely set to prevent rubbery eggs.

Same with us.

 

[target2019]

Our Stainless Steel pans have a copper bottom. I think it helps distribute heat better. There is bound to be some sticking if you don't keep things moving along.

 

[easysurfer]

Okay, so thought I'd expand my horizons and try frying a couple of eggs on a lower setting (number 3 ... then I got impatient and went to 5, the back down to three).

I'm impressed ... the eggs slide right off. I made them good over easy .

 

[spncity]

The latest tips on fried eggs and potatoes that I gleaned ...

Chop up your potatoes, microwave for 8 minutes, then press into the oil in pan and fry the layer of potatoes undisturbed until brown. In other words, don't fiddle with them. Do the same for the other side or sides. Microwaving first also means they cook less in the pan and absorb less oil.

Use olive oil for fluffy scrambled eggs because there's no water in it (unlike butter that requires the water to cook off). I was skeptical but it works.

My cousin stirs cottage cheese in with the eggs and pours everything in the pan, which does take longer to cook - but they're good

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Interesting on the heat setting. We tend to have bacon w/ our fried eggs (gotta do something with the fabulous bacon fat!!!) and while I do love bacon, I don't like the lingering smell and the mess it makes. Simple fix...I have a Blackstone griddle grill that I fire up (it's outside). Eggs do tend to stick, but I will try the lower heat and see if that does any better.

I have always "fluffed" up my scrabbled eggs with a little milk. Works great.

 

[REWahoo]

All you need is a good non-stick pan...

 

[donheff]

I have a couple of All Clad stainless steel pans and have a lot of problems with sticking. If I scrub them with some course grain salt and oil (while very hot) the finish will work like teflon for one cooking session. I prefer my heavy steel pan with a non-stick coating for fried eggs and most sauteing. I generally only drag out one of the stainless pans when I'm cooking enough food to need two large skillets at the same time.

 

[Boho]

I make scrambled eggs super fast in an oiled nonstick pan (with a good surface, like new). I don't use low heat. I let the eggs start to solidify on the bottom (extremely fast depending on the heat and pan size), stir and shake to get the liquified parts onto the pan surface, let sit a few seconds, repeat. I like to flip the whole semi-solidified mass over once or twice because you'll never really get all the liquid to hit the pan surface unless you do that. Total cooking time, probably 30-60 seconds. I add hardly any milk to the eggs. Add too much and you could up the cooking time to 5 minutes.

 

[Plantman]

Back in my younger years I was a manager for Perkins restaurants. We set the egg grill at 250 degrees and kept it well oiled with vegetable oil. One of my cooks made the fluffiest omelettes by adding a shot of pancake batter to six eggs before whipping.

 

[gerntz]

My soft boils never ever stick.

 

[O2Bfree]

No problems frying in a cast iron pan with a little cooking oil on medium heat.

We also poach eggs in oiled bowls set into a steamer basket. These slide right out when we want them on a plate, but stick badly if eaten from the hot bowl.

 

[braumeister]

Eggs looking at me? Hot pan, butter, eggs.

And/or bacon grease. Do people actually cook eggs any other way? Why?

 

[rk911]

eggs? yuck.

 

[Dash man]

I love egg sandwiches. DW makes them whenever I want them. I don’t think she has any issues with them sticking to pans.

 

[audreyh1]

eggs? yuck.

Love eggs! We eat a huge amount of them.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

Carbon steel and butter.

 

[frank]

If anybody knows of a good non stick 12 inch fry pan drop a name. if they will allow it.

 

[cathy63]

If anybody knows of a good non stick 12 inch fry pan drop a name. if they will allow it.

Tramontina Professional https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009HBKQR0/ref=twister_B07HRKJLJ9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I don't have the 12", but the smaller pans are great, and the price is right.