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A fried egg is an egg cooked by frying, typically in butter, cooking oil or margarine, for the purpose of eating.
Fried eggs are popular in North America, Britain and Ireland, where they are normally regarded as a breakfast food. They are also popular in Japan. They are an essential part of a full English breakfast.
Methods of frying
When ordering eggs in North America, one is invariably asked "how would you like your eggs?" This often bewilders visitors from Britain or Ireland, where this terminology is rarely used. North Americans may choose between the following methods (and refer to the British and Irish method as 'Sunny side up'):- 'Over hard', also called 'hard' — cooked on both sides until the yolk has solidified.
- 'Over medium' — cooked on both sides until the yolk is fairly thick but still a liquid.
- 'Over easy', also called 'runny' — cooked on both sides but yolk is still liquid. This is occasionally called 'sunny side down.' These are also commonly referred to as 'dippy eggs' by Pennsylvania Dutch persons living in south central and south western Pennsylvania and 'treasure eggs' in the southwest.
- Sunny side up — cooked only on one side; yolk is liquid (the oil or fat may be used to baste the sunny side, however).
- Another style known simply as 'Fried' - eggs are fried on both sides with the yolks broken until set or hard. These are common in asian variations of western breakfast.
Variation
Cover the bottom of a heavy sauté pan with a few tablespoons of some sort of fat (cooking oil, margarine, butter, bacon fat, etc.). While the oil is heating, use a drinking glass to ream a circle out of a slice of plain bread with a good crust. When the oil is hot, add the bread and lower the heat. In a minute, when the bread is browned, turn it over and break an egg into the center, and sprinkle with salt, fresh black pepper and dried herbs (optional). Cover the pan and cook until the white is just set.
In the United Kingdom and the American South and other portions of the English-speaking world, this concotion is often known as "eggs in a hole". It is often a breakfast favorite among children.
Other fried egg methods
The 1918 Fannie Farmer cookbook says that fried eggs should be cooked on one side and then have molten fat spooned over the tops.
Egg alternatives made mostly from pasteurized egg white to lower the food energy, fat and cholesterol are commercially available products for making scrambled eggs.
A single sunny-side-up egg served over white rice is a popular side-dish eaten at lunch time in Mexico and other Latin American countries. It is also popular in east Asia.
Omelettes are fried eggs mixed with various fillings and spices.
Health
'Sunny side up' eggs have experienced a decline in popularity as fears of salmonella poisoning have become more prevalent. Some restaurants have added legal disclaimers to their menus, warning against eating undercooked eggs. (In some of the United States, such as Michigan, this disclaimer is required to be present for all restaurants serving eggs.)Other meanings
The term "fried egg" may also refer to:
- the ball landing in a sand bunker in golf, with at least half the ball under the level of the sand.
- (humourously) the breasts of a flat-chested woman.
See also
Spejlæg | Spiegelei | Huevo frito | Telur mata sapi | 目玉焼き
"Fried egg"