Eggs Over Easy or Sunny Side Up

There’s nothing like topping a dish with an egg and using its runny yolk to flavor and sauce the dish. However, I know from experience that getting that perfect egg over easy or sunny side up every time is not that easy. One of the things that I’ve learned through the years is that it’s not always the technique. Sometimes it’s the egg. The best eggs – for many reasons – are good, quality eggs, like free range eggs. The shells and yolks are strong and healthy, and the yolk and whites slip easily from the shell into the pan. I have found that if the shell is thin, the yolk’s casing is thin and the yolk breaks easily, sometimes as soon as it hits the skillet. This is why I always buy local, free range and/or organic eggs. They are more expensive, but worth it in flavor and in getting that perfect fried egg every time.

In addition to thick shells, you’ll find that local, free range eggs usually have huge, rich orange yolks. At times, there is more yolk than whites. Such eggs are perfect for frying to top off enchiladas, pileups, and pastas, and for breakfasts like bacon and eggs, huevos rancheros, and grits.

So how do you cook the perfect fried egg? First – start with a quality egg. Next, use a good non-stick, clean pan (no bacon bits stuck to the bottom), a spatula, and a little butter, margarine or oil – your choice. If you have a well-seasoned castiron skillet, it can fry up a beautiful egg as you can see in the first picture.

How to Cook an Egg Sunny Up or Over Easy

1. Place the non-stick pan over medium to medium-low heat.  To fry 2 to 3 eggs at a time, use a pan large enough for all of the eggs to be in the pan without their whites running together too much.  You can always use the spatula to separate the whites and push them back toward the yolks to which they belong.
2. When hot (a little water sprinkled into a hot pan should sizzle, not splatter), add enough butter or oil to coat the bottom of the pan.   (For pasta dishes, I use both butter and oil – and a generous amount of it.  It becomes the pasta sauce along with the egg yolk.) Swirl the butter in the pan to coat its surface.
3. Crack the egg on the edge of the skillet, the counter or, if you are heavy handed, use the edge of a knife to gently crack the shell around its circumference.
4. Hold the cracked egg close to the bottom of the skillet and using your thumbs, gently push on the crack at the top of the shell and open the shell, rolling the egg out of the shell and into the skillet.

For sunny side up – Cook the egg until the whites around the yolk are no longer clear. Remove immediately from the heat. Gently shake the to make sure the egg isn’t stuck. If it appears to be stuck, slide the spatula underneath the egg to release it. Serve. Don’t let it sit in the skillet or the yolk will start to cook.

For over easy (2 methods) – Cook the egg until the whites are cooked halfway up the egg.  Gently shake the pan to make sure the egg isn’t stuck.  If it appears to be stuck, slide the spatula underneath the egg to release it.

Lid method:  If you have a hard time flipping the egg, then put a lid on the skillet while the eggs are cooking.   You might get a little spattering due to condensation on the lid dripping back into the pan. Leave the lid on until you see a white film forming on the top of the yolks.  Remove from the heat and let rest for no more than 1 minute before serving.

Flipping method:  Slide the spatula under the egg (make sure the whole yolk is on the spatula) and gently flip the egg keeping the spatula low to the pan.  Once flipped, remove the pan from the heat and let the egg sit for one minute and then slide it onto the top of the dish or slip the spatula under the egg as before and remove from the pan and onto your dish.

Once you are able to deal with one egg at a time, then you gave give two eggs a try.  Just break 2 eggs in a small skillet so they fill the skillet and run together. You might want to use a longer spatula to flip with so you can get both yolks on the spatula or use the lid.

Whether it is sunny side up or over easy, when done right, the yolk will be beautifully runny, but the whites will be cooked through.  A perfect fried egg.

Here are some ideas for testing out your new found skill of frying an egg.

• New Mexico Red Chile Enchiladas
• Shiitake Mushroom and Black Been Enchiladas
• Huevos Rancheros
• Capellini with garlic, lemon and egg
• Southwestern Pileup
• Sweet Potato Fennel Pileup
• Grits and Green Chile
• Sweet Potato Hashbrowns with Green Chile
• Roasted Vegetable Salad with Pecans and Egg
• Crispy Cheesy Fried Egg (An awesome breakfast egg!)
• 19 Fried Egg Recipes to Top Everything You Make (Bon Appétit)