Robert Irvine's Method For Perfectly Fried Eggs

When it comes to cooking, sometimes the dishes and methods that seem the simplest are actually some of the most complicated. Take, for example, rice. You'd think every cook has mastered this most basic of side dishes, right? But actually, it's notoriously difficult to turn out fluffy rice that's neither undercooked and crunchy nor overcooked and mushy. There's a reason the grain has been the downfall of so many "Top Chef" contestants, and also why "how to cook rice" is one of the most-searched queries on Google.

Another dish that seems basic, but is surprisingly difficult to master is a simple egg omelet. Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck actually makes all of his aspiring line cooks pass the test of cooking a perfect omelet, commenting, "I tell people when they come to my restaurant and want to be a cook, I say, 'Make me an omelet, and I will see what kind of a cook you are.'"

But what about a simple fried egg? We don't know about you, but we have trouble with this one sometimes. When we want a runny yolk, it turns out hard and chalky. And when we want tender but well-set whites, they either come out runny and raw or almost burnt. Luckily, chef and "Restaurant: Impossible" host Robert Irvine is here to school us on how to achieve the perfect sunny. 

The perfect fried egg isn't always an easy feat to master, even for the accomplished home cook. Thankfully, Irvine has some tips for how to get it right. Over on their Twitter page, Food Network shared a video of the host demonstrating his best method for frying an egg. The chef starts with a small pan in which he heats up some grapeseed oil, which is a good, neutral-tasting option for high-heat cooking. Irvine stresses that room-temperature eggs are the best for frying, and he cracks one egg into the hot oil. Next, he uses a tablespoon to rapidly spoon hot oil over the top of the egg to help it cook from above, as well as below. 

Lastly, he plates the egg and sprinkles it with some salt and pepper. Using a fork to break open the egg yolk, Irvine comments that this is the test he uses to make sure the yolk is runny, and wouldn't you know it is. So there you have it, the perfect fried egg, according to Irvine, calls for a hot pan with grapeseed oil, a room-temperature egg, spooning the oil over the top, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to finish.