Your complete guide for how to fry eggs including sunny-side-up, over easy, over medium, and over hard so you can learn to make the perfect fried egg at home.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small nonstick pan over medium heat. Make sure to evenly distribute the melted butter across the bottom of the pan to prevent the egg from sticking.
Carefully crack 1 large egg into the pan, avoiding shell fragments. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil to trap the heat, creating a steamy environment that helps cook the egg from the top as well as the bottom. Lower the heat to medium-low.
Patiently wait until the egg whites solidify and turn completely opaque. The yolk should remain bright and soft, ready to burst into liquid gold at the slight prod of a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Over Easy, Over Medium, and Over Hard Eggs
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small nonstick pan over medium heat. Evenly coat the bottom of the pan with the melted butter.
Crack 1 large egg into the pan, letting it cook until the bottom layer turns white. The top of the egg will still be raw and wobbly.
Flip the egg gently to avoid breaking the yolk. You can use a wide spatula to assist in the process. Once flipped, your cooking time will determine the egg's final style:Over Easy: Cook until the egg whites are entirely set, but the yolk is still quite runny. It will ooze out upon breaking.Over Medium: Continue cooking a bit longer until the yolk is partially set. It will only slightly ooze when broken.Over Hard: Cook until both the whites and the yolk are fully set. The yolk will resemble that of a hard-boiled egg.