How to keep eggs from sticking

[askins]

What is your trick for keeping eggs from sticking to the pan?  I like my eggs over easy or sunny side up, especially now that I eat them over a bed of sauteed greens!  I used to cook my eggs in a nonstick skillet sprayed with vegetable oil nonstick spray, and 90% of the time I had no sticking issues whatsoever.  For my first whole30, I've been using the same nonstick pan with a little ghee and a little olive oil (100% ghee was a total failure), but I'm still having huge sticking problems and breaking my precious egg yolks. 

 

Definitely in need of suggestions - both type of pan and cooking fat(s) - to  make eggs come off clean!

[carolinaBlue]

Maybe you're not using enough fat? Try more (double or triple amount) of fat. Most of the fat will stay in the pan. Bacon grease works great and gives you an excuse to have some bacon

 

Cooks Illustrated uses the following steps:

 

1) Preheat pan for 5 minutes on the lowest possible heat to ensure it is heated uniformly.

     They use 1 tablespoon of butter for 4 eggs so I would use that much coconut oil.

 

2) Crack each egg into a small bowl ( they recommend 2 eggs per bowl) & then pour the egg carefully into the pan. This helps the egg to spread gently & cook evenly which makes it easier to get the eggs out unbroken.

 

3) Cook the eggs undisturbed for approximately 2 minutes. Cover the pan and finish cooking, approximately 3 minutes.

[lindsayhilleary]

About a tablespoon of coconut oil for 2-3 eggs has worked really well for me.

[ArLaLeIE]

I use the grease from my bacon (nomnom!) or I spoonful of ghee in a non-stick pan for 2-3 eggs and have never had any issues.

[SpinSpin]

I use at least a table spoon or so of ghee or coconut for my eggs. Make sure that when you put the eggs in your pan that they go onto oil, not a dry spot on the pan--I know with non stick pans the fat doesn't stay in a nice even layer, kinda collects and 'breaks' Getting the fat under the egg makes sure it won't stick--or quite so bad. Let it sit a bit so the white cooks, and then gently shake the pan to loosen the egg. You can either cover the pan, spoon fat over the yolk to cook the top of the egg or flip it using wrist action. HINT--the best way to practice flipping an egg like they do in a restaurant or on TV is to practice with your egg pan and a slice of bread (boo) or a card or small memo pad--that is how I was taught! Just practice when you have the time and you will be flipping eggs in no time :-) 

[askins]

Hmmm... maybe I need a new pan.  My pan is a Simply Calphalon, but it's about 8 years old.  I feel like pans shouldn't "wear out" in 8 years, but...

 

I'm definitely using a lot of fat.  The eggs are swimming in it!  Ghee alone wasn't doing the job (although I don't think I was using a tablespoon), so I added some olive oil.  That seemed to help a little bit, but maybe it wasn't the olive oil itself, but just the volume of fat I was using.  I haven't tried coconut oil, but maybe that's the winner. 

 

I will try to follow the CI cooking instructions.  Maybe I'm letting them sit too long.

[Vian]

I got one of these https://www.orgreenic.com/?gclid=CMGjjYLQsLgCFcU5QgodGwYAiA and then also put about 2 spoonfulls of ghee in the pan for 4 eggs. The pan is pretty non-stick, but an egg WILL still stick if it's dry, but between the non-stick coating and some fat, they come out beautifully.

[1Maryann]

The fat has to be hot enough before you add the eggs.  If it is, the eggs will 'float' on the grease as they hit the pan.  If the fat isn't hot enough first, the eggs incorporate into it and then they stick.

[Renee Lee]

What maryann said! Make sure the pan and oil are fully heated before plopping the eggs in

[askins]

I am happy to report that I had much better success this morning!  I heated the pan on LOW and made sure pan and oil were fully heated.  I very gently put the eggs in to give them as much "float" as possible.  I cooked them with the lid on to avoid flipping.  I cooked them per the CI instructions.  I still had 1 of 3 stick and break just a little, but it was a slow leak, and the yolk went down into my veggies (not the pan), which is just the way I like it.

 

I'm not sure the type of fat made a difference - I used coconut oil for mine and ghee for my husband's (scrambled, cooked hard) eggs and had great results with both.  So I really think that it was my technique that needed work.

[malie]

I tend to heat up my pan too fast and leave the burner on too high, because I'm massively impatient, and my eggs stick then. If I do it slowly over low/medium-low, they turn out much better. I use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet.

[KnottyMama]

Hmmm... maybe I need a new pan.  My pan is a Simply Calphalon, but it's about 8 years old.  I feel like pans shouldn't "wear out" in 8 years, but...

 

 

 

 

I think it is probably the pan.  I have some nonstick pans that have worn out and now are very sticky!  I have been using cast iron to cook my eggs in and that works pretty good.  Also, look at your spatula.  If it is starting to get all gunky at the end (sometimes they look melted a little at the end) then that could be the culprit.  Try a metal spatula that can slide under your eggs better.  

 

 

oops, somehow I missed the post where you said you got a new pan! I'm glad its working better!