Fried eggs seem to be a part of every culture in the world. Eggs are an excellent way to start the day with their high nutrition, protein, and vitamin value, and a fried egg is no exception. But, as it turns out, there is arguably something better than butter to fry your egg in; then you need a better oil option. Which oil is the ideal cooking oil for flawless fried eggs? Proper selection of oil can enhance the overall quality of the dish and provide a healthier option for consumption.
Types of oils
Craving the buttery taste of eggs or curious about how best to prepare your pan or oil for Fried Eggs? You’ll find that these early-day foods can often be made with either butter or oil. Butter and oil are the two most common cooking grease to use at home, depending on what you’re making. The thing about Fried Eggs is that they require just a little oil to fry correctly.
There are as many cooking oils in which an egg can fry as there are many opportunities for social life. I tested oils, based on which were the most commonly recommended and which ones a home cook would likely have in their pantry
Let’s learn about these oils and find out which is the ideal cooking oil for fried eggs. They are
- Canola oil
- Butter
- Browned butter
- Butter and water
- Cream
- Olive oil
- Butter and olive oil
- Bacon fat
- Coconut oil (refined)
- vegetables Oil
Canola Oil
Canola oil is a vegetable oil derived from the canola plant. This oil seed processing involves synthetic chemicals that help extract the oil. It is rich in vitamins E and K and contains twice as much omega-6 as omega-3 fatty acids. Although it has a high smoke point, using it for frying can reduce the content of the heart-healthy omega-3 fat.
Canola oil, most commonly found in grocery store shelves, is highly refined and a GMO. It is also a source of omega-6 fats found abundantly in ultra-processed foods, which could contribute to inflammation if heavily consumed.
Some studies suggest that canola oil may increase inflammation and negatively impact memory and heart health. However, other research reports positive effects on health,h, including the possibility that it might lower LDL cholesterol.
Butter
Several people have different opinions on whether or not it’s healthy to cook eggs in butter. Because the butter provides taste and nutrition, some think it’s a healthy way to prepare eggs. Some say frying eggs in butter is not a good idea since it raises cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.
When making fried egg stans, many say butter is the next best thing. Butter’s flavor and texture are unique among meals because of its high-fat content. It keeps eggs from sticking to the pan and works great for pan frying.
Saturated fat and cholesterol levels are high with just one cup of butter. Yet, butter is rich in healthy fats and nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and selenium. When you add butter to your scrambled eggs, you make them creamy and delicious and give them a nutritious boost. As a result, if you want a delicious and nutritious breakfast that will keep you full and healthy, make scrambled eggs with butter.
Again, butter contains a lot of saturated fat, which can raise your cholesterol levels. In addition, it raises the risk of heart disease.
Browned butter
Browned butter eggs, it turns out, are a lot like the butter-fried eggs…with more browning. And a nuttier flavor, which deserves its sentence. As always, when working with browned butter, these were finicky to time, so I would only recommend them to someone who can give egg frying some undivided attention. But since fried eggs are usually prepared in a half-asleep state, this is not the best use of your time.
Butter and water
Add the butter and swirl it to nicely coat the base of the skillet. Then, immediately crack the egg onto the skillet. Add water to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with the lid, and cook for 1 minute. Finally, remove your wonderfully cooked egg from the pan. In this process, we can use less oil or butter. This aforementioned method produced “fried” eggs with a crispiness factor of exactly zero. They were a textural wonder, with whites like an omelet and perfectly thick and runny yolks. This method could be for you if you’re not into a crispy little guy.
Cream
Speaking of textural wonders! Have you ever wished your fried eggs were essentially the best pudding you’ve ever had? If so, cook them in cream, and do not share them with anyone. This technique has you add said heavy cream to a cold pan and the eggs—nuts, right?—before turning the flame to medium-high. The cream caramelizes, you lose track of where its butterfats end and the egg whites begin, and everything is so delicious it makes you forget all deep existential concerns.
Olive oil
The olive oil–fried eggs had the crispiest edges of the bunch, besides the flavorless canolas and the bacon-fat eggs. Importantly, olive oil also produced nice browning on the underside of the white, which spread less than when fried in butter. Olive oil makes for an excellent everyday fried egg, through and through.
The best one you can use to cook eggs with is olive oil. There are two types of olive oil you should know about.
Virgin olive oil and extra virgin. Extra virgin olive oil is less processed and is more pure.
I don’t recommend extra virgin olive oil for eggs because of the flavor. It has a stronger flavor than just virgin olive oil.
Virgin olive oil has a neutral taste and is better for cooking with.
You can fry eggs in virgin olive oil as a healthier option. Pour a small amount of olive oil into a non-stick pan.
Pick the pan up and tilt it in circles so the olive oil coats all around the pan.
You don’t need very much olive oil. As it heats, the oil will thin and can splatter. Use a splatter guard if you want to avoid any mess.
Use medium heat, and once the pan is hot, add your egg, and you can start frying.
Butter and olive oil
Butter certainly works for fried eggs, but oil is the fat for cooks who want a runny yolk with a satisfying crispy white. Extra-virgin olive oil is the most popular, yielding a satisfyingly crunchy bottom that will soak up luscious flavor. To use olive oil to fry an egg, heat it in a shallow pan and crack eggs directly into the oil once it starts to heat and slightly bubble. You can baste the egg whites in hot oil for a bubbly, crackly exterior. Once the egg is set, remove it from the hot oil with a fish spatula so the excess fat drains.
Bacon fat
Moment of silence for bacon fat. I hate to say it because of the health and planet implications, but bacon–fat–fried eggs are perfect. The whites fluff up around the yolk, the edges turn lacy and crisp, and the overall flavor is spot-on.
Coconut oil
You won’t be disappointed with coconut oil. Unless of course, you hate the flavor.
Coconut oil will impart its coconut flavor into your eggs. But if you use the right amount, it’s not overwhelming.
Coconut oil is great to cook with as it’s stable and doesn’t burn easily. Coconut oil, like olive oil, can be heated to a very high temperature without losing its health qualities. In other words, the vitamins and compounds in the oils can withstand high heat.
So don’t worry about using coconut oil to fry foods. You will still end up with a healthier meal than using butter.
Cooking eggs with coconut oil is different from using olive oil. With coconut oil, you need first to melt the oil in your pan.
Coconut oil remains solid at about 76° Fahrenheit. So before you start frying eggs, melt the oil in the pan like butter.
Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil refers to many types of oils, such as canola, sunflower, soybean, or corn oil.
I consider these lower quality because they are usually highly processed.
Normally I would say avoid them at all costs, but if you buy cold-pressed canola oil, you are getting a much better product.
So if you want to go for canola oil, make sure it is expeller or cold-pressed. Also doesn’t hurt by organic or non-GMO.
Vegetable oils will be much cheaper than the more expensive olive, avocado, and coconut oil.
Factors to consider when choosing an oil for frying eggs
The smoke point of oils and their significance in frying eggs is a topic of discussion. It is important to understand the smoke point of oils as it determines the temperature at which it begin to break down and release harmful compounds. This can affect the taste and nutritional value of the food being cooked.
Cooking techniques and temperature
We wouldn’t dream of frying eggs without some oil in the frying pan for eggs. Butter is a timeless choice when it comes to flavor and function. Butter has emulsifiers that prevent eggs from sticking. You can also get great results and flavor variations with olive oil or bacon grease. And for the most neutral flavor, choose canola oil or vegetable oil.
Warm your pan over medium-high heat until it’s hot enough that a drop of water sizzles rapidly on contact. Then, reduce the heat to medium before adding the butter or oil. The initial high heat will ensure that the egg does not stick to the pan, then lowering the heat makes sure the egg yolk doesn’t cook too fast while the egg white remains runny and raw.
The total time to cook a fried egg depends on the temperature of your burner and the pan you use since not all pans conduct heat the same way. However, for the most part, it will take about 2 minutes for a perfectly runny yolk and opaque whites.
Preferable Oil
After all those analyses, I reached the point that cooking eggs with olive oil is considered a healthier option when compared with butter.
Varieties of Olive Oil Sources detail the benefits different olive oils have. Extra virgin seems best for fried eggs because it has the highest smoke point. In addition, when oil is heated in the frying process, the natural flavor will be reduced, so it’s okay to buy oil with less flavor if you’re going to use it to fry.
Conclusion
Fried eggs are one of the quickest, easiest things you can cook—they’re truly a kitchen fundamental—but you’ve likely discovered that “easy” doesn’t always translate to “delicious.” By understanding a little more about the techniques behind various ways to fry an egg with various types of oils, you’ll become an expert at making your very own version of Fried Eggs with different oils.
