A fried egg is a fried egg, right? Not exactly. It's easy to level up your fried eggs, and you can do it with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.
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00:00A fried egg is a fried egg, right? Not exactly. It's easy to level up your fried eggs, and
00:06you can do it with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.
00:10If you love all things pickle-flavored, or you never hesitate to use the leftover pickle
00:14juice in the bottom of the jar for a salad dressing or marinade, you'll want to use this
00:18trick. It's offered up by content creator Dan Klapsen. In a TikTok video, he shows how
00:22you can simply add a bit of pickle juice straight from the jar to your almost-done fried eggs.
00:27Simply pour over the top as a finishing flourish, and let the juice reduce off.
00:31"...looks like some pickle juice might have fallen in."
00:33The result is a ton of extra flavor, and commenters have chimed in with explanations as for why
00:38this works. Pickle-adjacent flavors are already favorites when paired with eggs, such as dill
00:43and fermented accents like those from kimchi. Don't use all your pickle juice on your fried
00:47eggs, though. You're going to need a little bit to add to your Bloody Mary.
00:52Whether you call it Chili Crisp, Chili Oil, or Chili Sauce, this highly popular condiment
00:57is more or less always delicious. If you're unfamiliar, it's a mix of fried-until-crispy
01:01chili peppers and similarly flavorful ingredients infused in oil, along with some seasonings.
01:06You can easily make your own Chili Crisp at home, but you can also buy it in the store,
01:10thanks to the condiment's growing popularity.
01:12Chili Crisp is an excellent addition to your fried eggs for a few reasons. One, it adds
01:16a ton of flavor, especially if you prefer your eggs with a bit of a spicy kick. Two,
01:21since the Chili Crisp is oil-based, it can take the place of whatever fat you might normally
01:25fry your eggs in. To use it, add the Chili Crisp to your pan and bring it to heat. We
01:29recommend using more of the oil and less of the crisp for this. However, if you do get
01:34some bits in there, make sure to keep the heat at medium or below to ensure they don't
01:37burn. Once your spicy oil is hot, fry your eggs and get ready for a big burst of flavor.
01:44If you have a full spice rack, reach for some paprika. Made from ground, dried peppers,
01:48paprika lends extra flavor to your fried eggs, especially if you opt for one of the more
01:52interesting varieties. Go Hungarian for complex, sweet-leaning deep flavors, or try Spanish
01:58for a smokier slant. Regional paprikas use unique blends of pepper, ensuring a different
02:02profile across each spice.
02:04Let's invite some of this to the party! Ooh la la! Paprika? Eureka!
02:10In addition to sprinkling a little paprika over your fried eggs as you cook them, you
02:14can add it to your cooking oil before you fry your eggs. This is similar to how you
02:18might make an infused paprika oil, which is often seen in sauces, marinades, or as a garnish.
02:23Harissa paste is essentially chilies blended with garlic, oil, and spices. Sometimes, additional
02:29ingredients are added, like tomatoes or citrus juice. There are varying levels of spice,
02:33but harissa is always super fragrant. All you have to do is add your preferred amount
02:37of harissa to your skillet while you heat your oil. Then, add your eggs and fry them
02:41like normal. The result is an extremely flavorful egg, with just a tinge of red.
02:47If you like sesame in any form, you might like sesame seeds on your eggs. But don't
02:51just go with plain ol' sesame seeds. Instead, use toasted sesame seeds, which have a far
02:56nuttier flavor. You can toast sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat for just a few minutes.
03:01However, if you're already frying some eggs, you can shorten the cooking process by toasting
03:05your sesame seeds first, then frying your eggs in oil in the same pan. For more varied
03:09flavors, try using different kinds of sesame seeds beyond the most common white variant.
03:14Black sesame seeds are crunchier and more fragrant, while white sesame seeds are sweeter.
03:19For a little Italian flair, fry your eggs in pesto. This simple mixture of basil, olive
03:23oil, parmesan, and pine nuts offers unmistakable flavor. Additionally, because it's oil-based,
03:29it's a perfect option for frying your eggs. Just add the pesto to your pan, followed by
03:33your eggs. This simple idea works for all types of eggs, not just fried.
03:37Still, using pesto for your fried eggs is as straightforward as swapping the pesto for
03:41cooking oil, then adding salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. You can add pesto on top
03:46of your fried eggs as well. Pesto-fried eggs go great as a topping for a scrumptious piece
03:50of buttered avocado toast.
03:52Who doesn't love buffalo sauce? Savory, tangy, and perfect on wings or in a dip, buffalo
03:57sauce pairs amazingly well with fried foods and cheese. And it's a perfect accompaniment
04:02to your fried eggs, especially if you also melt some cheese on top. It's also a great
04:06addition to a fried egg and cheese breakfast sandwich.
04:08Y'all still got that delicious buffalo sauce.
04:11Consider actually cooking your eggs in the buffalo sauce. Add a few teaspoons of sauce
04:15to the pan per egg — you're trying to fry your egg, not poach it, after all — then
04:18crack your egg onto the sauce. Cook like normal, flipping and allowing the egg to reach your
04:23desired doneness.
04:25If you're not already using leftover bacon grease to fry your eggs, then where are you
04:29putting it all? Bacon fat is an amazing cooking fat that adds salinity to your dish. It just
04:33makes sense to use bacon fat to cook the rest of your breakfast. You can, of course, cook
04:37your bacon in your pan, then cook your eggs in the residual bacon grease. However, you
04:41can also use pre-cooked and stored leftover grease.
04:44When stashing your bacon grease for later use over fried eggs, let the grease cool,
04:48strain it to remove any solids, then store it in a glass jar in the fridge. The grease
04:52will harden into a Crisco-like fat, which you can then scoop and use as needed.
04:56If you crave a different kind of bacon texture in your fried eggs, consider using pieces
05:00of bacon meat while frying. You'll need pre-cooked bacon broken into small pieces for this technique.
05:05Crack your egg into the pan, and while the egg is still forming into a solid, drop small
05:08chunks of bacon into it. As the whites harden, your egg will be studded with bacon.
05:14Using cream to fry an egg produces a luscious texture that you won't get any other way.
05:18This is an option for those who want a fried egg that's on the silky and soft side, rather
05:22than one that's slightly crispy around the edges.
05:24For this method, you add heavy cream to a pan. Again, not too much, because you don't
05:30want to end up poaching the eggs. Then you crack the eggs on top and let them cook until
05:34done.
05:35The result is very similar to shirt eggs, which are made by pouring cream into ramekins,
05:38cracking the egg into the dish, then baking the combination until done. If you try this,
05:42though, be careful to manage your heat. You don't want to curdle the milk.
05:47If you take a handful of shredded or grated cheese, like Parmesan, sprinkle it into a
05:51circle on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and pop it in the oven, within a few minutes,
05:55you'll get beautiful golden circles of crispy baked cheese, like a little snack cracker.
06:00Then you can add an egg to it.
06:01Adapt this method for your fried eggs by placing small amounts of shredded cheese in a large,
06:06nonstick skillet. As the cheese begins to melt, crack your eggs onto the cheese. Once
06:10the fried eggs are ready to flip, slide your spatula beneath the cheese and turn the eggs
06:14over. You'll find that the cheese and eggs have fused together without mixing, so now
06:17you have a fried egg with a lovely, crunchy, all-cheese layer on the bottom.
06:23Much like harissa, Thai curry paste is a condiment made from a finely blended mix of chilies,
06:27aromatics, and spices, along with the occasional extra ingredient like dried shrimp or peanuts.
06:32And like harissa, Thai curry paste has a spreadable consistency that makes it perfect for frying
06:37an egg.
06:38What's that curry taste?
06:40Curry.
06:41To make a Thai curry fried egg, simmer a few tablespoons of coconut milk before mixing
06:45in Thai curry paste. Look for a smooth consistency, then crack the egg atop the mixture and allow
06:50the curry to cook it.
06:51You don't want to cover the egg completely, and the temperature should be high enough
06:54that the edges of the egg firm up rather than spreading into the milk. If you want to get
06:58extra fancy, you can serve your Thai curry fried egg on toast with a sauce made from
07:02basil, coconut milk, and fish sauce.
07:06While you might at first think that vinegar wouldn't pair well with something as simple
07:09as a fried egg, consider that pickle juice works, as do vinegar-based condiments like
07:13buffalo sauce. So breaking out your favorite high-quality vinegar is a worthwhile decision
07:18for frying eggs.
07:19But this isn't the place for your basic bottle of white vinegar. You want the liquid to impart
07:23something into the egg. For this option, don't cook your eggs in the vinegar. Instead, reduce
07:27the vinegar in a pan after your eggs are cooked, creating a sauce with the remaining
07:31butter. Then pour that over your eggs. Not feeling like going through the extra steps?
07:35You can drizzle wine vinegar on top of the eggs after cooking. Either way, the acidity
07:39will add layers of flavor to your eggs.
07:42If all these chili-based pastes seem a little out of your wheelhouse or just aren't ingredients
07:47you typically find in your personal pantry, consider going with a more basic paste, tomato
07:51paste. It's readily available and will add a bit of vegetal and fruity acidity to your
07:55fried eggs without increasing the heat.
07:58This can contain tomato paste!
08:01Thank you, Nelson.
08:03To fry your eggs in tomato paste, use a little bit of olive oil, then add the tomato paste
08:07to the heated oil. As the paste begins to cook, add the egg on top. The tomato-infused
08:11oil will add even more flavor to your egg. And then, when your egg is finished to your
08:15liking, you'll have an egg with very light garden notes, but also some of that cooked
08:19and caramelized tomato paste throughout.
08:21Salt and pepper are a must for this one, as tomato paste on its own can be slightly bland.
08:26Consider just using plain olive oil to cook your eggs rather than butter. While butter
08:30adds flavor to your eggs and the high fat content makes for a nice texture, olive oil
08:35has its benefits as well. For example, oil leads to a crispier finish, so if you like
08:39your eggs to have more of a cooked texture or egg whites that have browned on the edges,
08:43you'll prefer cooking your eggs in olive oil.
08:45Additionally, olive oil is healthier than butter, and although it's not the highest
08:49smoke point oil, it does take longer to start burning than butter, allowing you to cook
08:53your eggs at a higher temperature. Finally, olive oil is versatile enough that you can
08:57infuse it with any other flavors you might like for a perfectly textured egg that reflects
09:01your personal taste.
09:03Why choose when you can have both? Combine butter and oil to fry your eggs and find out
09:08why two fats are better than one. This method should be undertaken carefully, though. You
09:12want to get the high cooking temperature of the oil and the creamy flavor of the butter
09:16to merge so that you enjoy the benefits of both cooking fats.
09:21Add the oil to your pan first, let it come to heat, and then add in your butter. As your
09:25butter starts to melt, crack in your egg. The melting butter and egg will combine into
09:29one buttery treat while the oil does all the cooking to deliver that desired, crispy texture.
09:34Using this method, you can choose to either flip your egg to cook the top or spoon on
09:37some of the surrounding oil until the top of the egg cooks as well.