Crispy fried egg problem

[newbiecool]

So I'm new to cooking.
Was mostly eating out and or what my family cooked.

I've got a greenpan.... Pan. A large one. Got it a few years ago. Barely used. Non stick coating isn't AS good as it was when I first got it, but no signs of damage to the coating, and I always use a non scratch sponge.

I use a non stick plastic utensil in it.

I fry 4 eggs in it.

Problem is they almost always have a crispy bottom that sometimes puls away from the egg.

I use napolina olive oil. Not extra virgin.

I put it on the largest gas flame on the lowest heat. Largest as the pan is large.

The pan doesn't come with a lid.

The edges become crispy too. Crispy is gross BUT this crispy is an almost unchewable crispy.

How can I stop this from happening? I've got photos attached.

I've tried using lots of oil and a little oil.

Please help. You're my only hope (sorry, Star Wars reference)

 

[newbiecool]

Also the eggs never sit flat in the pan. They head off to one side mostly, making them spread out and thin.
Me cry. ��

 

[CraigC]

Also the eggs never sit flat in the pan. They head off to one side mostly, making them spread out and thin.
Me cry. ��

Possible problems are 1) the pan is warped or 2) the stove isn't level.

 

[msmofet]

Use butter to fry gently.

My mom used olive oil and they always got crusty "lace" around edges. I hated them, tasted over cooked and burned to me.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Another option is to add a little water to the pan before adding the egg, about 2 tbs. Also, as was aid above, the stove needs to be leveled. Add salt to the water too season the egg. Add butter to the hot water. Gently crack the egg into the hot liquid. Cook over medium heat. Baste the egg with the hot water from the pan to cook the top. The water will evaporate. When the whites are set, remove the egg to your plate. No more crispy edges, but a delicate egg with runny yolk. Serve on a toasted, buttered English muffin, or with toast.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Roll_Bones]

I like the crispy edges. Crispy edges are the result of heat. To much heat and longer cooking times.
Lower the heat and turn over sooner.

I guess we must guess she is trying to make fried eggs, but how? Over easy? Over medium? Sunny side up?

 

[newbiecool]

I'm a guy....
I like my fried eggs cooked. No runny yolks

Don't know what this over easy stuff is about....

It's on the lowest possible heat on the larger burner. There are 4 burners. 2 are small. 2 are large/r.

Have to cook for a long time to get the top cooked enough that I can flip.
As I said. No lid came with the pan.

I also said this is an unchewable crispy. It's not a breaks between your teeth crispy. Crispy is the wrong word. More like plastic.

 

[newbiecool]

Possible problems are 1) the pan is warped or 2) the stove isn't level.

It's a hardly used, bought new pan. Could it really be warped?

I'll try with other pans to see if the issue is present on other pans.
Think I already tried it and it was. But I'll try again.
I tried to balance it by placing aluminium foil folded up under the burner holder metal thing that the pan sits on, but it became compressed over the few weeks it's been there. So now it's not as level as it was.

I can't adjust the gas cooker anymore. There's only two adjustable feet and both are adjusted as much as possible. It's a 15 or so year old cooker. Made by CHICHESTER.

Me cry. I've tried so hard to make the eggs not have this plastic like skin on the bottom. ��

I'll take photos soon to better explain. Photos speak a thousand words.

 

[newbiecool]

Use butter to fry gently.

My mom used olive oil and they always got crusty "lace" around edges. I hated them, tasted over cooked and burned to me.

Interesting. You think it's an olive oil related issue? Oliver and Gordon LOVE using olive oil on everything.

I've also suspected it is because of the olive oil. Gordon and Jaime use butter on YouTube when cooking eggs....

 

[Andy M.]

Interesting. You think it's an olive oil related issue? Oliver and Gordon LOVE using olive oil on everything.

I've also suspected it is because of the olive oil. Gordon and Jaime use butter on YouTube when cooking eggs....

If nothing else, eggs taste better with butter!

 

[newbiecool]

Another option is to add a little water to the pan before adding the egg, about 2 tbs. Also, as was aid above, the stove needs to be leveled. Add salt to the water too season the egg. Add butter to the hot water. Gently crack the egg into the hot liquid. Cook over medium heat. Baste the egg with the hot water from the pan to cook the top. The water will evaporate. When the whites are set, remove the egg to your plate. No more crispy edges, but a delicate egg with runny yolk. Serve on a toasted, buttered English muffin, or with toast.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Wonder how McDonald's make them? When I've bought the egg McMuffin, the eggs have always been perfectly circular and thick. Not thin crispy yucky.
Not even the slightest bit crispy or plasticy (plasticy is a more accurate way to describe how the skin under my eggs you see in the photos I've attached is....it's not really chewable).
No runny yolk.

I want to make them healthy but can't stand boiled eggs. And boiled takes too long.
Can't use spray oils as the manufacturer has written that sprays carbonise very fast forming a permanent layer on the non stick, removing the non stick properties.
Spray oils like pam is what all the fitness YouTuber's I watch use.
They never talk about their pans though. They use non stick tefal, but I bet they're replacing them every half a year to a year because of the carbonisation.

I though olive oil is healthier than oil?
Adding oil to water sounds like a dangerous thing to do. Or any fat for that matter....

Also the water would evaporate long before the egg was cooked.

 

[Andy M.]

McDonalds uses a ring to cook the egg in so it can't spread out on the griddle. A stainless steel or tin ring about 1" high and 2"-3" in diameter. If you use one, rub the interior of the ring with any fat so the egg doesn't stick to it. It takes longer to cook because the egg is thicker since it can't spread out.

 

[newbiecool]

Photos comparing with another pan someone in the house uses to cook eggs with. The smaller crap pan. She uses butter in that pan. Never olive oil and her eggs come out fine. She's able to flip it without issue, without the underside becoming over cooked and plasticy/crispy.

 

[msmofet]

Do you have a lid from another pan/pot that will fit over the top?

You can also use a pizza pan, heat proof dinner plate, sheet pan, another larger pan to use as a cover/lid. Or even some foil.

 

[newbiecool]

Photos comparing with another pan someone in the house uses to cook eggs with. The smaller crap pan. She uses butter in that pan. Never olive oil and her eggs come out fine. She's able to flip it without issue, without the underside becoming over cooked and plasticy/crispy.

Also note. Two different properties with 2 different kitchens and gas cookers. Yet the same issue on both with the greenpan as you can see.

It's water that I used to test the pans BTW in the photos

 

[Andy M.]

The fact that the stove(s) are not perfectly level is a minor issue.

First of all, the pan you are using is very big. This allows even four eggs to spread out a lot. That makes the whites spread out and cook thinner. I use an 8" skillet for three eggs. They don't fill the bottom of the pan. I understand this is the pan you have and you have to make do with that. Try tipping the pan lightly on the burner when you add the eggs. This will keep them from spreading out so much and help eliminate the feathery edges.

 

[newbiecool]

McDonalds uses a ring to cook the egg in so it can't spread out on the griddle. A stainless steel or tin ring about 1" high and 2"-3" in diameter. If you use one, rub the interior of the ring with any fat so the egg doesn't stick to it. It takes longer to cook because the egg is thicker since it can't spread out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGB4eDT6TrE - That is a video of McDonalds cooking ONLY eggs.
JUMP TO 0:19 and watch from there - They have some special cover with a hole in which they pour water. WTF?!

BUT you can see before they do that, they are already cooking the eggs o that surface. And obviously it's not sticking nor is it getting crispy. HOW?!

Later you will see them all use the egg making device on that special metal surface. It's not even a pan.

How is there no fat used to cook them?

1:45 is an overhead shot seconds before someone cracks eggs into the rings. There is no fat in them.

That surface cannot be non stick.
Anyone know what that surface/device is called?

I saw that same surface in a NAVY food video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywZevdHW5bQ
JUMP TO 1:37 into that video.

Notice he uses METAL utensils to cook with and what appears to be NO FAT. And his scrambled eggs are incredibly perfect. No browning, no crispy crap, just amazing golden scrambled eggs.

 

[newbiecool]

The fact that the stove(s) are not perfectly level is a minor issue.

First of all, the pan you are using is very big. This allows even four eggs to spread out a lot. That makes the whites spread out and cook thinner. I use an 8" skillet for three eggs. They don't fill the bottom of the pan. I understand this is the pan you have and you have to make do with that. Try tipping the pan lightly on the burner when you add the eggs. This will keep them from spreading out so much and help eliminate the feathery edges.

I've noticed that sometimes the eggs don't spread out and hold a classic fried egg shape. I reckon it's when they are fresh.

What about when people cook on things like a griddle (I googled what that thing is that I wrote about in the post I posted before this one - griddle I think is what it's called)?
They cannot prevent the eggs from spreading on such a HUGE surface unless they use rings and it doesn't look like most do: https://topelectricgriddles.com/cooking-eggs-on-a-griddle/

See in those images, the eggs hold their shape on a huge open surface.

 

[newbiecool]

WAIT Whaaaat. This guy who apparently works for McDonalds and filmed a video of him making eggs at supposedly McDonalds has the same crispy egg issue BUT he can separate them with ease using the thing he has: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTYk69JuyyQ
He also does seem to apply some kinda fat I am guessing prior to cracking the eggs.

Thoughts?

 

[Roll_Bones]

Heat pan well. Add butter or oil or both. Drop eggs and cook until they can be flipped.
Once flipped over remove the pan from the stove an d cover with something.
The eggs will continue to cook, but much slower.
A smaller pan is also a good idea. And why 4 eggs at once? Cook one at a time and keep them warm until you learn how to cook eggs.

Also since you like your eggs cooked well you are gutting pretty much what you asked for. Well done eggs.
I also think practice and experience is required when cooking anything. You seem to be lacking in experience.
I can make over easy eggs in a stainless steel pan. My wife cannot. She must have a non-stick and even then its iffy.......