We Can't Decide If Frying Eggs In Cola Is Genius Or Tragic

Frying eggs in cola is an emerging viral trend on TikTok, leaving many curious about how cola might affect the taste of something as neutral as eggs. Eggs are like sponges, soaking in all the flavors they're cooked in. For most people, it stops at butter and salt, but sometimes it's good to widen your parameters. 

Sadly, we can report that by themselves, cola-fried eggs are neither the greatest tragedy of our time nor are they the genius revolution that will change the cooking industry. They fall a bit in the middle of "eh, that certainly tastes like an egg that's been cooked in Coke." Cola gives the eggs a slightly syrupy feel, but the sugar does aid in the caramelization of the egg whites. Slick and crunchy is an unusual texture, making this not the worst nor our favorite way to eat an egg. The cola itself gives the egg a certain sweetness and slight citrus tang, but it's hard to say if it's an improvement on plain butter. 

Another recent trend, however, is to put a fried egg on just about everything, and cola-fried eggs might make more sense when combined with other ingredients. Cola has been used in culinary applications for some time — from jello salads to barbecues. Cola goes well with meat, which benefits from a sweet-tangy accent. Some chefs use cola to braise their cuts, thanks to its ability to act as a tenderizer and its high sugar content, which promotes caramelization. 

Despite the fact that cola has proven to be useful in the kitchen, the idea of frying eggs with cola has given many pause. On TikTok, in response to one cola-fried egg video, one person wrote, "Yes officer, that's the guy," suggesting the TikToker be arrested for their culinary crime. Another commenter wrote, "Does this actually taste good?" However, you'll find just as many comments defending cola-fried eggs, with one commenter questioning if people had been living under a rock not to know cola can be used to cook.

Some chefs have opted to use cola as a modern twist on certain Asian egg recipes. Many of those recipes call for boiled eggs, which are then fried in a cola marinade. Cola is combined with soy sauce, creating a mixture that's sweet but salty. Perhaps the secret to cola-fried eggs is pairing them with other ingredients. Rice seems to be a popular pairing for instance, and the condiments that generally accompany fried rice are often on the sweet and syrupy side. Coca-Cola chicken is a traditional dish in Hong Kong, and why not put an egg on it?

Ultimately, however, you won't be able to decide if you like cola-fried eggs unless you try them yourself. On that note, be careful with cooking the eggs at a high temperature as the sugars from the cola will heat up things quickly. It's very easy to end up burning your eggs as a result.