The Best Pans Based on What Eggs You’re Cooking
As the saying goes, if there is a will, there is a way… to fry an egg. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be pretty: Some pans are just better at cooking certain styles of eggs than others. Using the right pan can mean the difference between a runny yolk with crispy, lacy edges or dried out, crusty egg remains with nothing but disappointment.
Eggs are notorious for sticking to pans, especially porous materials such as stainless steel and cast iron. The protein-rich egg hits the material and seeps into microscopic recesses. As they cook, the whites may cling to the pan. Before you know it, your balls will be stuck. Depending on the type of eggs you want to cook, you may want to turn off the pan.
Non-stick frying pan
Pans come with a variety of non-stick coatings, with or without Teflon. With a little oil or butter, you can add delicate eggs to a nonstick pan without creating stickiness issues. Non-stick pans are your all-in-one egg pan; Capable of handling most egg textures and styles, but ideal for delicate dishes and low heat cooking. Use a nonstick skillet to make a creamy French omelet , a fluffy omelet, an over-easy egg, or a sunny side up egg that won’t tear when you put it on a plate.
Highly rated non-stick options:
Stainless steel frying pan
Not that it’s a beauty contest, but if it were, stainless steel pans would win. In addition to being prettier, they can be safely moved from the stovetop to the oven, are great for searing meats, and can last for decades if cared for well . However, many adults who cook eggs are afraid of them. They are notorious for bonding with your tender squirrels and won’t let them go until your breakfast is ruined.
Unless, of course, you heat it up nice and hot first. Before frying the eggs, heat the pan until it is very hot. As we explained in this post , heating the pan to the right temperature will provide the proper steam and oil barrier and keep the egg whites from sticking to the metal. With such high heat, it’s easy to get nice crispy egg whites, so cook your eggs in this pan. You can also make your own omelet, but be careful: the high temperature will cook the eggs in seconds.
Stainless steel pans I recommend:
Cast-iron pan
The reliable heavyweight of this team is the heavy-duty cast iron skillet. There was a time when I would have laughed nervously if someone had told me to fry an egg in cast iron. This was before I actually owned it. Some of my favorite dishes have been cooked in my trusty Lodge skillet – most recently scrambled eggs with onions and mushrooms.
As with stainless steel, the key to cooking delicate proteins is a protective layer to prevent them from sticking. But instead of a temporary layer of steam, everyone’s favorite cast iron has a seasoning – a layer of polymerized oil. It creates a non-stick or low-stick surface and helps prevent rust.
Highly Rated Cast Iron Pans:
Cast iron is by no means lightweight, and the surface can be quite rough, so while you may not be able to roll out a smooth French omelet with ease, you can create incredible scrambled eggs with crispy edges and silky yolks. Because the eggs cook quickly, I like to cook the rest of the breakfast ingredients in cast iron first. Fry the lard and fry the onions and mushrooms in the fat. Place them on a plate and fry the eggs in the fragrant drippings.
Wok
The wok is distinguished by its bowl-shaped bottom and high flared sides. Since it’s known for frying quickly and supporting bamboo steamers, you might not associate it with frying eggs, but this conical design gets the job done, and it does it well.
Using much less oil than you would use in a frying pan or frying pan, you can create a puddle of oil at the bottom of the wok and fry an egg to the skies. The result is completely different from a regular fried egg. Dipping the hot oil creates big waves of egg white on top and a crispy crust on the bottom. You can leave it in the sun and remove the egg once the white has set, or tilt the pan and use a spatula in the wok to carefully pour the hot oil on top. The hot oil will gently fry the top of the egg while keeping the yolk jammy.
Highly rated woks to try:
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Yosukata Flat Bottom Pow Wok: $60.99.
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Craft Wok Pow Wok Carbon Steel: $59.75 (Requires wok ring with gas burner: $10.99)
Fried eggs are not the only type of egg that can be cooked in a wok. You can make a wonderful kai jiao (a Thai egg dish that’s a cross between a fluffy scrambled egg and an omelet, but deep fried) with that little puddle of oil. Scrambled eggs are also easy to cook in a wok because the shape of the bowl will help you cook the curds faster. Just give it a quick swirl motion before you start mixing everything. And yes, you can also cook an omelette with filling in a wok. If the wok is seasoned and has a little oil in it, the curved surface will have your breakfast ready in record time.