You Should Never Crack Eggs Into A Cold Pan

Eggs are a nutritious and versatile breakfast option that is easy to make. But it may be because they're so simple to whip up that you might be cooking them in an ineffective way without even realizing it. Just as you would never put food into an oven that wasn't preheated, you shouldn't crack an egg into a skillet that hasn't been brought up to a hot enough temperature to cook your eggs to your liking.

Whether you like them fried or even scrambled, you should always crack them open into a warm pan that will begin cooking the eggs as soon as it makes contact with the pan's surface. This may seem like a tip that's solely aimed at saving you time, but it's about a lot more than that. Believe it or not, if you place your eggs in a pan that isn't adequately preheated, you may actually run the risk of your eggs sticking to the pan, no matter what type of cookware you use.

In order to keep eggs from sticking, you typically melt a pat of butter into the pan to lubricate the skillet. If the pan isn't hot enough, the butter won't melt before you add the eggs, so it won't create a barrier between your eggs and the pan's surface. Even if you don't use butter in your pans, you should always make sure the pan is warmed up a little before adding oil or cooking spray.

No matter the type of fat or lubricant you use in your pans, the foolproof way to ensure that your pan is hot enough and ready for your eggs, is to test it with a splash of water. Obviously cooking with butter is one of the easiest ways to visually know when a pan is heating up since you can see when the butter is melted and starts to foam. So if you're using butter, this is your cue that the pan is hot enough, but to be certain, run your fingers under the tap or dip them into a cup of water and shake a droplet from your fingertip into the pan. If the water droplet sizzles when it hits the pan that means it's hot enough for you to crack your eggs into and ready to cook your eggs to perfection.