If You're Not Making Fried Eggs Like Bobby Flay, You're Doing It Wrong

Whatever you're frying up eggs for — a savory, breakfast sandwich with bacon and cheese, to stack on your juicy burger, or to cut into over a plate of freshly fried hash browns — it's worth knowing how to do it right.

We love turning to Bobby Flay for all kinds of cooking secrets. Who knew that a sprinkle of simple panko breadcrumbs could perk up dishes from brownies to pasta? And he saved us from overcooked steaks, with the tip to pull the meat from the heat just before it reaches the desired temperature. Crushed ice on pizza? Okay, that was a tricky one to wrap our heads around. Flay and Giada De Laurentiis picked up this unlikely method, one that helps ensure a perfect balance of crispiness and chew in the crust, while filming Bobby & Giada in Italy.

What's his secret to getting a perfectly fried egg every time? Well, if you're cracking your eggs right into the pan, then you're doing it wrong. The secret is simply to keep a small dish or ramekin on hand for your egg before it gets cooked.

Flay always does this one thing before frying an egg: He cracks it into a small dish, not directly into the pan. Why? According to Food Network, there's always the risk of a broken yolk when you crack an egg. If that broken yolk goes right in your hot pan, your perfect, fried egg is ruined. By cracking the egg in a dish first, you get to check the yolk. If it's broken? Save it for another recipe, and crack a new egg in the dish. When you have a yolk that's intact, simply slide it from the dish into the hot skillet. Flay shared that this is a step often used by restaurant chefs.

Flay also reaches for a nonstick pan for frying eggs, and cooks it in a blend of butter and olive oil. Bon Appétit shares that frying an egg in olive oil gives the egg thin, crispy edges. Butter, of course, brings delectable flavor to your finished egg (via Kitchn). Put the two oils together, and you have one delicious and amazing fried egg. If you're in need of more tips, Flay covers eggs and all other things breakfast on his show, Brunch @ Bobby's on The Cooking Channel.