Attempt at "perfect" fried eggs, question on temperatures

cork_boggan

Trying my hand at a bit more cooking these days and while I can keep myself happily fed with what I know already (I think), I've decided to pick some basics to try and get a really good handle, which led me to this Guardian article (not able to link, but if you're interested and google "guardian perfect fried eggs, you'll see it) about how to cook the perfect fried egg/

The article mentions to melt the butter in a "low" heat, and to continue cooking the egg with the same - on a typical frying hob with settings of 1 - 6, what constitutes low here? I tried with 1 (didn't seem enough to really make an impact on the butter) and 2 didn't seem sufficient for the eggs?

Loveinapril

It probably just says low so you don't burn the butter. I would have it on 3, put the eggs in the second the butter is melted then follow whatever else it says.

I would usually use a bit of veg oil, and when the egg white is cooked, get a small pot lid that covers the egg, drop a bit of water on the pan beside the egg and cover with the pot lid and let the steam cook the yoke for a few seconds.

cork_boggan

Loveinapril wrote: »

It probably just says low so you don't burn the butter. I would have it on 3, put the eggs in the second the butter is melted then follow whatever else it says.

I would usually use a bit of veg oil, and when the egg white is cooked, get a small pot lid that covers the egg, drop a bit of water on the pan beside the egg and cover with the pot lid and let the steam cook the yoke for a few seconds.

Thanks - it mentions those steps as well over the article, I'll give that a try!

My understanding of the temperatures as settings is below - is that a bit simplistic?
1 - Low
2 - Medium-Low
3 - Medium
4 - Medium-High
5 - High
6 - Very High

the beer revolu

Those knobs and how people describe them are far from an exact science.
Experience and trial and error will stand you well.

BTW for me, a perfect fried egg is done on a scorching hot pan, has a crispy bottom and a runny yolk

tangy

Linky:
How to cook the perfect fried egg

Worth reading the comments, if you haven't already. Lots of them, though.

As the_beer man implies, "perfect" fried eggs are different for different people. The white in the photo at the top of that article looks horribly undercooked to me.

phormium

Nothing turns my stomach more than the sight of undercooked white on a fried egg, semi transparent jellyish stuff ugh

Tom Mann Centuria

I liked the Paul Rankin method of putting a lid on the frying pan to perfectly cook the top of the egg so you still have a runny egg (if you want it runny) without the snotty albumin.

Tree

I'm more into the ripping hot pan, plenty of oil, crispy fried egg. Gently heating in butter is not frying :P