Tips & Tricks How to Fry an Egg in a Cast Iron Skillet By: Lodge Cast Iron / April 29, 2021 Eggs might be the most versatile thing in your kitchen—other than your cast iron skillet, of course— and cooking eggs that don’t stick is easier than you think. The best way to ensure eggs wind up on your plate—rather than your scrub brush—is to properly heat and oil your skillet. With a few simple tricks to choose the right oil and get your pan to that just-right temperature, you’ll get eggs with crispy edges and runny yolks every time (if that’s your jam). But don’t worry, cast iron makes the perfect egg no matter how you like them done! If you’ve had your coffee, step up your eggs with a pan seared steak or homemade biscuits. E-mail this page Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on Twitter Print this page Let’s get cracking! Heat Heat your skillet on medium-low for about 5 minutes. We like to use a 10.25 inch cast iron skillet, but you can size up or down depending on how many eggs you’re cooking! Be careful not to overheat your skillet. Allowing your skillet to adequately heat up at a lower temperature will create an even heat. Test You want the pan to be just hot enough, but not too hot! Splash your pan with a few drops of water—if it dances when it hits the pan, you’re at the right temperature. If the pan is too hot the water will evaporate very quickly or the oil in the pan will start to smoke. Don’t worry! Remove the skillet from the heat for a few minutes to cool down. Oil Melt a generous pat of butter and swirl to coat the skillet. You can also use butter, bacon fat, avocado oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. Butter and bacon fat are just the right consistency to evenly coat the pan and stay in place. Other oils will also do the trick, just make sure to give them an extra swirl around the skillet before adding the eggs. Crack Add your egg to the skillet and season to taste. Don’t be afraid to lower the heat after the eggs hit the pan. Cast iron will continue to absorb the heat from the hot cooktop and stay hot enough to cook the eggs, but will prevent them from sticking. Fry Cook to your desired doneness! How Do You Like Your Eggs? Sunny side up eggs are fried but not flipped. Cook for 1 minute uncovered and 1-2 more minutes covered (or until desired doneness). Over easy eggs are fried, flipped, and removed from the heat while the yolk is still runny. Cook the first side for 2 minutes, flip and cook the second side for 30 seconds. Over medium eggs are fried, flipped, and allowed to cook a little longer, until the yolk has started to set, but a little runny. Cook the first side for 2 minutes, flip and cook the second side for 1-2 minutes. Over hard eggs are fried, flipped, and cooked until the yolk has been cooked through. Cook the first side for 2 minutes, flip and cook the second side until yolk is set, about 3 minutes. More Tips for Great Eggs: Take your eggs out of the fridge a little early. Cold foods tend to stick to hot surfaces, so knocking the chill off your eggs will help. Oh, shell no! Cracking your eggs on a flat hard surface will help ensure the shell stays out of your breakfast. Want slightly crispier egg whites? Turn the heat up just a bit. You’ll see the edges of the eggs starting to crisp. Want your egg whites a little more tender? Lower the heat just a bit. Use a thin metal spatula or fish spatula. Not sure what to pair with your eggs? Try a few of our favorite breakfast dishes: Mimosa Cinnamon Rolls Make these and we guarantee you'll be the new favorite host for weekend brunch. Butter Swim Biscuits These biscuits are super simple to make. No biscuit cutters or rolling pin needed and the results are fluffy, buttery biscuits. Chimichurri Steak and Eggs This recipe takes traditional steak and eggs to the next level. Use the same griddle to sear your steak, cook your eggs, and serve to table for a great breakfast experience at home. Griddled English Muffins Did you know traditional english muffins get their unique texture from being baked on a griddle? It's true, and it's simple to recreate at home. Briggs' Buttermilk Biscuits We love how the tops and bottoms of these biscuits are slightly crispy and the insides stays tender and flaky. Contributed By: Lodge Cast Iron We hope you enjoy our stories and recipes! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and tag your Instagram food photos with #lodgecastiron for a chance to be featured on our feed! Get $10 off any $50+ order!* While you're shopping, become a Pan Fan today and sign up for our newsletter! *Coupon code will be sent to your email after you sign up for our newsletter! New sign ups only. Sign Up By submitting your information, you are agreeing to Lodge Cast Iron’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Please try again.
Tips & Tricks How to Fry an Egg in a Cast Iron Skillet By: Lodge Cast Iron / April 29, 2021 Eggs might be the most versatile thing in your kitchen—other than your cast iron skillet, of course— and cooking eggs that don’t stick is easier than you think. The best way to ensure eggs wind up on your plate—rather than your scrub brush—is to properly heat and oil your skillet. With a few simple tricks to choose the right oil and get your pan to that just-right temperature, you’ll get eggs with crispy edges and runny yolks every time (if that’s your jam). But don’t worry, cast iron makes the perfect egg no matter how you like them done! If you’ve had your coffee, step up your eggs with a pan seared steak or homemade biscuits. E-mail this page Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on Twitter Print this page Let’s get cracking! Heat Heat your skillet on medium-low for about 5 minutes. We like to use a 10.25 inch cast iron skillet, but you can size up or down depending on how many eggs you’re cooking! Be careful not to overheat your skillet. Allowing your skillet to adequately heat up at a lower temperature will create an even heat. Test You want the pan to be just hot enough, but not too hot! Splash your pan with a few drops of water—if it dances when it hits the pan, you’re at the right temperature. If the pan is too hot the water will evaporate very quickly or the oil in the pan will start to smoke. Don’t worry! Remove the skillet from the heat for a few minutes to cool down. Oil Melt a generous pat of butter and swirl to coat the skillet. You can also use butter, bacon fat, avocado oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. Butter and bacon fat are just the right consistency to evenly coat the pan and stay in place. Other oils will also do the trick, just make sure to give them an extra swirl around the skillet before adding the eggs. Crack Add your egg to the skillet and season to taste. Don’t be afraid to lower the heat after the eggs hit the pan. Cast iron will continue to absorb the heat from the hot cooktop and stay hot enough to cook the eggs, but will prevent them from sticking. Fry Cook to your desired doneness! How Do You Like Your Eggs? Sunny side up eggs are fried but not flipped. Cook for 1 minute uncovered and 1-2 more minutes covered (or until desired doneness). Over easy eggs are fried, flipped, and removed from the heat while the yolk is still runny. Cook the first side for 2 minutes, flip and cook the second side for 30 seconds. Over medium eggs are fried, flipped, and allowed to cook a little longer, until the yolk has started to set, but a little runny. Cook the first side for 2 minutes, flip and cook the second side for 1-2 minutes. Over hard eggs are fried, flipped, and cooked until the yolk has been cooked through. Cook the first side for 2 minutes, flip and cook the second side until yolk is set, about 3 minutes. More Tips for Great Eggs: Take your eggs out of the fridge a little early. Cold foods tend to stick to hot surfaces, so knocking the chill off your eggs will help. Oh, shell no! Cracking your eggs on a flat hard surface will help ensure the shell stays out of your breakfast. Want slightly crispier egg whites? Turn the heat up just a bit. You’ll see the edges of the eggs starting to crisp. Want your egg whites a little more tender? Lower the heat just a bit. Use a thin metal spatula or fish spatula. Not sure what to pair with your eggs? Try a few of our favorite breakfast dishes: Mimosa Cinnamon Rolls Make these and we guarantee you'll be the new favorite host for weekend brunch. Butter Swim Biscuits These biscuits are super simple to make. No biscuit cutters or rolling pin needed and the results are fluffy, buttery biscuits. Chimichurri Steak and Eggs This recipe takes traditional steak and eggs to the next level. Use the same griddle to sear your steak, cook your eggs, and serve to table for a great breakfast experience at home. Griddled English Muffins Did you know traditional english muffins get their unique texture from being baked on a griddle? It's true, and it's simple to recreate at home. Briggs' Buttermilk Biscuits We love how the tops and bottoms of these biscuits are slightly crispy and the insides stays tender and flaky. Contributed By: Lodge Cast Iron We hope you enjoy our stories and recipes! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and tag your Instagram food photos with #lodgecastiron for a chance to be featured on our feed!
