Fried eggs! Cooked ‘properly’ - or not.

My mum couldn't eat eggs that weren't covered over on the top.
She said they looked like eyeballs staring at her.

I’m with you Witzend fried, poached or boiled, no yucky runny stuff thanks.
And no free range around here, Avian flu.

I only eat free range I take the connecting bits out before I can cook them. I never eat eggs unless I prepare them I never eat them anywhere else. Not a fan of fried food but if I do I splash oil over the yolk so it's cooked. I am fussy don't deny it.

Yes me too. Can’t stand that yucky jelly on top

My late parents argued about fried eggs.

Mum maintained that there was such a thing as the "right way" to fry eggs whereas Dad said the right way to fry eggs was the way that the person about to eat them wanted them fried.

They seemed to have this argument almost every time fried eggs were on the menu. It was amazing that they stayed married for over sixty years.

Was a breakfast chef for years, I know how to cook eggs ?

Elizabeth27

There is not a cooked properly as people have different preferences.

When I was young and we were having egg and chips my mother would drop the egg into the ‘chip pan’. They formed a crispy ball with a soft yolk, not something I would do now as I do not deep fry but they were my favourite way of having a fried egg.

My mother used to do the same ?

Mollygo

Always baste eggs to cook the top, but I might try the pan lid way now you’ve mentioned it.

The pan lid is the way to go. If you have a good non stick pan you only need a teaspoon of oil - or even less.

It can be a lid from another pan as frying pans aren't often sold with lids.

They are almost like poached eggs, which I have never been able to cook in the conventional way

If the top of the white is still ‘snotty’, try finishing it off under the grill for a few seconds. It really works, but timing is everything!

Sorry but I hate fried or poached eggs.

Never heard "pinking" either ,I did my City and Guilds in Professional cookery and an Egg ,apparently should be slowly cooked in melted butter ....not in this house .I dont like crispy edges either but I fry them quickly and baste

I don't mind if they are flipped or basted as long as the white is cooked. I like the sizzled bits round the outside gulligranny

I always turn them over. I have enough oil in the pan so they don't break and I keep them turned over only for a second.

I'm our house, basting the yolk to cook on top was called "closing the eye". Never heard of pinking.

Sorry Witzend I did not notice that in the title.

Always baste eggs to cook the top, but I might try the pan lid way now you’ve mentioned it.

That’s why I put ‘properly’ in inverted commas, Elizabeth27. According to dh, my way is not ‘proper’ at all!

There is not a cooked properly as people have different preferences.

When I was young and we were having egg and chips my mother would drop the egg into the ‘chip pan’. They formed a crispy ball with a soft yolk, not something I would do now as I do not deep fry but they were my favourite way of having a fried egg.

I'm with you witzend and my mother taught me the same way. My brother was a chef in the Royal Navy and he learnt that way too but he manages to get that lovely lacy crispy edge too. I asked him how he does it and he said it must be spitting hot when you break the eggs into the pan - he does the one handed thing too clever sod.

JackyB

I was once informed that the process of spooning hot oil over the top to cook the white was called "pinking" in the trade. An odd expression for anyone who does needlework, where "pinking" also has a meaning! Witzend's description explains it to me now. I try mine in a non stick pan with no fat, so there's nothing to baste them with (another sewing term!)

At the time I was experimenting with fried eggs and came to the conclusion that the best results were produced by breaking the eggs onto a baking tray and cooking them in the oven. This was when I was looking for a way to cook more eggs than would fit in a frying pan.

That’s because the tops take on a pink hue as they cook.

I baste fried eggs but don't mind if they are a bit undercooked. I don't like them set and won't eat them if they are brown underneath.

My mouth is watering. It might have to be fried egg rolls for lunch!

I don't really like a runny fried egg. When I make one, I flip it over so that the yolk sets. I am pretty good at keeping the yolk intact too.

H1954

My Mum use daily to fry eggs exactly the same as your Mum Witzend and I've done it the same way for years. I cannot abide a 'snotty' fried egg!

Lovely description! Couldn’t agree more.

D and I don't like crisp fried eggs, i.e. with sizzled bits round the outside. We cook them slowly in warm (not hot) oil, basting them frequently until done; never knew this was called "pinking", you learn something new every day.