Butter certainly works for fried eggs, but oil is the fat of choice for cooks who want a runny yolk with a satisfying crispy white. Extra-virgin olive oil is most popular, and yields a satisfyingly crunchy bottom that will soak up luscious flavor.
Butter. If olive oil is the all-purpose, weekday, hard-and-fast oil, consider butter your dreamy, low-and-slow, weekend vehicle for egg-frying.
Cooking eggs in olive oil gives better results! The fried eggs have perfectly crisp edges, and scrambled eggs have a silky smooth texture. Plus, you'll also get the health benefits of olive oil.
Lots of fried egg stans say butter is best. Thanks to its high concentration of fat, butter has a unique taste and creamy texture. It's great for high heat pan-frying and can prevent your eggs from sticking to the pan.
Butter can't withstand higher temperatures the way oil can, due to the milk solids in the spread. If you still want a buttery taste but need to cook something on a high heat, Fiona recommends using oil to fry on a high temperature and adding butter later, at a lower temperature.
When you cook, solid margarine or butter is not the best choice. Butter is high in saturated fat, which can raise your cholesterol. It can also increase your chance of heart disease. Some margarines have some saturated fat plus trans-fatty acids, which can also be bad for you.
Avocado oil contains large quantities of Omega-9 and Omega-3 fatty acids and is particularly high in oleic acid. Unsaturated fatty acids like these have been shown to lower bad cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. This makes avocado oil the healthiest choice when frying.
Poached Eggs
Based on the goals of getting the most nutrients out of your eggs with the least risk of oxidizing cholesterol, poaching is the number one healthiest way to cook and eat eggs.
Heat about 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a medium pan (about 9 inch diameter) over medium to high heat. When olive oil is hot (after about 1-2 minutes), crack the egg in the pan and fry for about 2-3 minutes.
Technique: Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover your eggs and bring it to a roiling boil. Then, using a slotted spoon, carefully add your eggs to the water and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook 5 minutes for soft-boiled eggs, 7-8 minutes for medium-boiled eggs, and 10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.
Olive oil is generally considered a healthier option than butter, as it contains beneficial fats that can improve heart health, while butter contains saturated fats that can be harmful in excess. However, moderation is key when it comes to using any type of oil or fat in cooking.
Cooking eggs with olive oil is considered a healthy alternative to butter. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fat that may help lower total cholesterol, benefit insulin levels, normalize blood clotting and lower your risk of heart disease.
Bottom line: Olive, canola and safflower oils are healthier choices overall than butter and most margarines. Use them as replacements for butter and margarine in most of your cooking, but watch the amounts – those fat calories can add up fast.
Oil Is Best For Frying An Egg In A Cast-Iron Skillet
On medium-low heat, heat around 1/8-inch of oil in the cast-iron skillet for about 1 to 2 minutes, until hot and shimmering. In the meantime, crack an egg into a small bowl. What is this? Once the oil is hot, gently slide the egg into the hot oil.
Method. Get your frying pan on a medium to low heat and add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of a large nonstick pan (about 1 tablespoon). Crack the eggs into the pan. As the oil gets hotter you'll see it start to change the color of the eggs.
Fried eggs are absolutely good for you if you use the right things to cook them. Of course, cooking a fried egg in bacon grease or heavy oils will make them less good for you. If you use a healthy alternative like olive oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil then you improve their benefits.
To get the maximum protein from your eggs without consuming added saturated fat, boil or poach them, or cook them in a small amount of healthy unsaturated fat, such as olive oil, rather than butter.
For example, eggs typically are eaten with other foods high in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol, such as bacon, cheese and butter. These foods are known to increase heart disease risk and should be eaten sparingly. Most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week without affecting their heart health.
One study found that boiling, frying, or microwaving can reduce the antioxidant content in eggs. When eggs are heated at high temperatures, such as with frying or processing, the cholesterol can become oxidized. This has been linked to some health concerns and disease.
Heart-healthy oils like safflower oil and rice bran oil are perfect because they can withstand frying temperatures of almost 500° F. You can also look to peanut oil and sunflower oil if you're frying at 450° F, or canola oil and vegetable oil to keep temperatures around 400° F.
The safest oils include avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, ghee or butter, or other animal fats. Avoid using canola and vegetable oils.