Fried Over Easy Eggs

How to Achieve the Perfect Runny Yolk

Fried eggs are one of my favorite breakfast foods. They taste great with so many different flavor combos, whether they are served with toast, on a breakfast sandwich, or on a bed of spinach. But everyone knows that the perfect fried egg is the one that you cut open and the yolk runs, creating a delectable sauce to dip bread into. I used to think that frying eggs was difficult because I struggled to flip them without breaking the yolk, but then Cole’s Grandma Pris showed me a wonderful technique using half an ounce of water to easily flip an egg. Now, I make fried eggs almost every day in the summer for a healthy brunch. Follow the directions below to achieve the Perfect Over Easy Fried Egg. 

1. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. My stovetop goes from 2-8, and I usually set the heat to 6. 

2. Melt ½ tsp of butter into the skillet. This will look like a very small amount of butter, but that is all that is needed.

3. Gently crack the egg and pour into the skillet. 

4. Wait for almost all of the egg white to solidify. There should only be a very small amount of clear liquid near the yolk when the egg is ready to be flipped.

5. Pour ½ oz of water near one of the edges of the egg. The water will start boiling immediately, and this boiling action will loosen the egg up from the pan, creating the perfect spot to slip the spatula under the egg. 

6. Quickly slide the spatula under the egg and flip it. Don’t be nervous about this. The quicker your actions are, the less likely it is that the yolk will break. 

7. Once the egg has been flipped, count 15 seconds then take it off the heat. Make sure when counting that you are doing a full 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi count instead of just using 1, 2, 3. This timing will make the perfect runny yolk.

A little water is all it takes to easily flip an egg without breaking the yolk. I’m not going to lie, this is still a skill that might take a little practice before perfecting, but the ½ ounce of water provides a technique that will increase the odds of your success. Once you master the over easy egg, there are so many other great recipes that you can try! Good Luck!