Cooking Perfect Eggs Every Time In Every Which Way

Poached with runny egg yolk to perfectly scrambled, eggs are one food we can’t get enough of.

Eggs are also very economical and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in different ways.

They only take a few minutes to cook, and most egg dishes use ingredients you already have in your kitchen.

They are the perfect source of protein, iron, calcium, and vitamins D and B-6.

The egg whites are full of high-quality protein, and the egg yolk is a good source of fat. You can make omelets with just egg whites if you want to keep it light.

So, the question you beg to ask is ‘How do you make the perfect eggs every time in every which way I make?”.

Here is a little guide on the best ways to cook eggs for complete beginners.

Next time you decide to have a cooked egg, try one of these suggestions to cook perfect eggs each time in every which way.

Different Ways to Cook Eggs Perfectly Every Time

Fried Eggs – Sunny Side Up

This is an egg that is cooked facing up (not flipped). It’s the simplest, most favored way to eat eggs and requires very little cookware.

All you need is a non-stick pan (or cast iron), eggs, and cooking oil. You don’t need a timer or preparation for an ice bath.

It’s simply a fried egg – sunny side on a nonstick pan.

To get eggs “sunny side up” or something that looks like a sun coming up, the cooking process is fairly easy.

Cooking Sunny Side Up

Heat your medium-sized skillet over medium to high heat.
Add a teaspoon of cooking oil and crack an egg (of any size) into a skillet.
Lightly season the egg with salt and pepper.
Fry the egg just until the edges are cooked and the white is set – about 3 – 4 minutes.

These are often nicknamed “runny eggs” because the yolk is still very liquid. Hamburgers at fancy restaurants often include a runny egg to top the burger.

But if you prefer your yolk being more set, cook until the yolk is firm – an additional a few minutes.

You can make fried eggs with different types of eggs, From

The one great thing about this is there is no egg preparation for this cooking method. You simply crack an egg and fry until the white is set.

Freid Eggs-Over Easy

The flip side of the sunny side up is Over Easy that has your yolk-side down.

The only difference is that this version gets flipped over gently to cook the very top of the yolk over low heat.

But still, leave the yolk still runny. Many people like this type of egg because it doesn’t have the slimy feel of the runny whites.

Cooking Over Easy

Heat your medium-sized skillet over medium to high heat.
Add a teaspoon of cooking oil and crack an egg (of any size) into a skillet – about 3 – 4 minutes.
When the white starts to set, gently flip the egg.
To flip your egg over, gently slide the tip of your spatula underneath the egg and turn it over gently.
Fry the egg for another minute for a runny yolk. For yolk that’s more set (over medium or over well, cook 1-2 more minutes).

Don’t let it cook too long or you’ll have a hard-cooked egg (white and yolk cooked through).

Poached Eggs

Poached egg on toast, anyone?

Poaching is an old-time method of cooking eggs. The white gets cooked while the yolk stays soft and runny in the middle.

This is similar to the sunny side up, but there are no crispy edges.

Eggs cooked this way are often eaten on a piece of buttered toast with the runny yolk pierced and allowed to run all over the bread.

You can also top these with hollandaise sauce for an eggs benedict.

A poached egg can also be placed in the hollow of half of an avocado and sprinkled with a bit of cheese. There are so many different ways to enjoy eggs.

Making a Perfect Poached Egg

Crack the egg into a small bowl.
Heat a pan of water almost to boiling, and gently pour in your egg.
It may sink to the bottom of the pan, and that’s OK. Leave it to cook for about five minutes, then lift out with a slotted spoon.

Baked Eggs

Baked eggs are another easy egg dish.

Another cooking method you can use for any type of eggs is this oven-baked eggs.

If you have no time to cook in the morning, baked eggs are a true saver. You can make ahead the night before and keep them in the refrigerator for the next morning.

You’ll need either a muffin pan (to make a dozen of eggs at once) or ramekins.

You also need an oven and a cooking spray to grease the pan.

Let’s get started.

Making Baked Eggs

For baking eggs, preheat the oven to 375 F.
Spray each ramekin dish or baking pan with a cooking oil spray.
Add one egg per dish or muffin tin. If you’d like to avoid getting cracked eggshell pieces inside, crack all eggs into a bowl and transfer them to the dish.
Add a pinch of salt and pepper and bake for about 13-15 minutes. To get a hard yolk, the cooking time is closer to 15 minutes.
For sofer yolks, about 12-13 minutes should be the target bake time.

An alternative to baked eggs is steamed eggs. Just like the other one, crack an egg in a ramekin, and place it in a baking dish with an inch of water at the bottom.

Place in a hot oven and cook for 5- 7 minutes or until the egg white is cooked with a runny yolk. Test it with your finger.

Basted Eggs

Some of you are probably asking, “What is a basted egg”? Basted eggs are just fried eggs that are cooked in butter or oil.

It’s the type of fried eggs where the edges are extra crispy and egg whites are cooked in hot oil. I should also add, they are often cooked with extra fat.

Cooking Basted Eggs

Heat your non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
Add a tablespoon of butter or oil and melt butter.
Crack a medium egg in a bowl and transfer it slowly to the pan.
Lightly season the egg with salt and pepper.
Cook the egg for about 3 minutes until the egg white is almost set.
When the egg white is set, you tilt the frying pan and scoop up some of the oil or melt butter and spoon it over the whole egg basting it with the hot oil.
It will cook just the very top of the egg yolk, turning it white in color.

This works very well for people who dislike the slimy white that may not be cooked all the way.

Spooning the hot oil or butter over the yolk and white ensures there is no sliminess and you have a perfect egg.

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled means that both the egg whites and yolks are mixed together in the frying pan. If you order scrambled eggs in a restaurant, they should be soft and fluffy.

Depending on how they are made, they will either be soft and moist, or dry and hard.

If you want soft scrambled eggs, you need to pay close attention to the cooking time.

Making the Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Whisk your eggs in a small bowl until frothy.
For every 2 eggs, pour a tablespoon of milk or water into the egg mixture.
Place a nonstick skillet on the stovetop with a tablespoon of oil or butter over medium heat.
When you feel the pan getting hot, gently pour the egg mixture into the pan.
Let the eggs cook for a minute and then stir just enough to move the eggs around in the pan.
When you see the golden color of the eggs begin to turn a lighter yellow, and the eggs begin to thicken up, stir it into the eggs.
Scoop all the eggs into the middle of the pan and season with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika.
Remove from the heat and serve warm with a slide of salad and a piece of bread.

This makes very tasty eggs that are moist and fluffy.

Omelettes

Omelets are one fun way to cook eggs.

Omelets usually have some type of meat like sausages, ham, or bacon, and some veggies like mushrooms, onions, asparagus, spinach, tomatoes, and herbs.

With different ingredients, you can enjoy your scrambled eggs with different flavor combinations.

While there are many egg recipes around omelets, here are the basic steps to making your perfect scrambled egg.

Making Omelets

Chop up your meat and veggies and set them aside.
Crack eggs in a separate bowl and scramble them, or mix them together.
Add a tablespoon of butter o a nonstick skillet. Heat it over medium heat and melt butter.
Pour the eggs into the hot skillet and wait until the edges begin to brown and the middle is still runny.
Sprinkle your meat and vegetables over the eggs and top with shredded cheese.
When the edges are cooked, slide your spatula under one edge and gently fold it over, completely covering the fillings (meat and veggies).
Let the omelet cook for a minute and remove the pan from the heat.

If you will, top with green onions, sour cream, and a little salsa and serve with hash browns in the morning!

Hard-Boiled Eggs

A hard-boiled egg is an egg that is placed (still in the shell) in boiling hot water.

The egg will be hard or soft, depending on how long it stays in the boiling water.

It’s an easy way to cook eggs, yet it’s hard to master.

It’s too easy to overcook the egg or undercook it depending on how you like your boiled eggs.

If you’ve been having a hard time getting boiled eggs right, here is a step-by-step guide you can follow.

Making the Best Hard-Boiled Eggs

Place eggs inside a saucepan or pot, fill a saucepan about a quarter of the way with cold water.
Place the eggs in a single layer at the bottom of the saucepan. Add more water to cover eggs with 2-3 inches of water.
Place the saucepan on the stovetop on high heat. Bring the water to full boiling.
Reduce the heat to low heat and cover the saucepan with a lid. Simmer for 12 – 15 minutes. If you have an electronic burner that retains heat, you can turn off the heat completely and let it sit in the hot water for the same 12-15 minutes. Depending on the size of your eggs, altitude, and types of eggs, simmering time may change. After 12 minutes, I usually take one to check for doneness by taking it out it with a slotted spoon. Run it under cold water and peel the egg. Cut it open to see how firm it is. If it’s done to your liking, remove the eggs from the pan and place them in a bowl of ice water to cool them down.
When cooled, remove them from their ice water bath and peel them.

Notes: For medium eggs, 12-13 minutes to boil and simmer has brought the most success for me. But feel free to make adjustments to get your perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs.

Hard-boiled eggs are best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They should last about 5 days or so.

Usually, fresh eggs are harder to peel than older ones.

If you constantly end up with cracked eggs in the hot water, you can add a teaspoon of salt.

Boiled eggs will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days.

The nice thing about boiled hard eggs is that you can make a bunch of these ahead and use them for different egg recipes.

You can use hard-boiled eggs for egg salad, deviled eggs, or just to eat for a snack with a little salt. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

They’re a great choice for any time of the day.

Soft Boiled Eggs

Setting the egg yolk firm is certainly the orthodox style of boiled eggs in the States. But go elsewhere, a boiled egg is often served soft with a runny yolk and on an egg cup.

Soft-boiled eggs are savory, rich, and quite addictive.

Their whites are firm and yolks are silky and runny.

To enjoy their rich flavors, simply serve them on an egg cup, peel the top half of the egg, and sprinkle sea salt and pepper.

For a fancy brunch, serve them with toast, smoked salmon, and capers for a full savory meal.

In Asia, soft-boiled eggs also make a frequent appearance on top of hot soup noodles like ramen, udon, and soba!

The cooking methods are practically the same as when you make hard-boiled eggs. The only difference is the cooking time.

Making the Best Soft Boiled Eggs

For soft-boiled eggs, follow the same instructions for hard-boiled eggs
Instead of simmering for more than 10 minutes, set your timer for 7 minutes.
If you’d like your egg yolk completely liquid and runny, 6 minutes might just be what you need.
Once done, remove the saucepan from the stove and transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice bath.
Let them cool down and peel.

To serve, tap the top of the egg with a spoon to crack the shell and scoop out the runny yolk. Spoon eggs over buttered toast or an English muffin, and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Egg Buying

When buying eggs, any type of egg will work for these recipes.

Don’t worry if you can’t find a certain type of egg, any type can be substituted.

Brown eggs, white eggs, hen’s eggs, duck eggs, small, medium, large, or jumbo eggs work just fine.

Eat leftover eggs for lunch or a snack at work or after school. A boiled egg, cheese stick, and carton of milk make a great after-school snack.

Cooking Oil

When cooking eggs, any type of oil will work. You can use vegetable oil, butter, avocado oil, coconut oil, or bacon grease.

Olive oil is often used for cooking eggs, it’s not best suited for high-temperature cooking.

A great substitute would be avocado oil for frying.

Cookware

When cooking eggs, you need a good heavy skillet or frying pan. A cast-iron skillet works just as well as non-stick cookware for frying eggs.

Health Risks of Raw Eggs

Always make sure to cook your eggs all the way through.

There are health risks associated with undercooked or raw eggs such as salmonella.

Make sure your utensils are clean and wash your hands after handling meat.

To test the freshness of your eggs, place them in a bowl of cold water.

Older eggs may stand up slightly on the tip. This is fine, they’re still good but should be used up soon.

Eggs that float on top of the water should be discarded immediately. Gas builds up inside the egg when it is on the verge of spoiling.

So you see, there are many ways to enjoy eggs.

For breakfast tomorrow, why not try a soft-boiled egg and some toast with a slice of avocado? You may just discover a great new meal combination.

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