Eggs can be scary things. They have yolks which can be broken and whites that can contain bacteria. Some people say they are good for you, some say they aren’t. They can be cooked a thousand different ways. They can be intimidating. Eggs are just like you, they are much tougher than people think.

The key to frying anything is temperature. Just to be clear we are not talking about deep frying, we are talking about pan frying in a little oil or butter. Like I said, the key to frying is temperature. For eggs, you want a moderate temperature. So, if the dial for your burner goes up to ten you want to cook the egg on four or five.

The first thing you are going to do is heat up your pan. The time this takes depends on the type of stove you have, and the type of pan you have. Usually, it will take three to four minutes. Once the pan is hot (which you can tell by splashing a few drops of water on it) you want to add either a small spoonful of butter or oil to the pan. If you are using butter, swish it around the pan. Wait until all the butter is melted and it begins to foam. Now, crack your eggs into the center of the pan. If you are using oil, add it to the pan swish it around and then crack your eggs.

Preheating a pan is how you make sure something doesn’t stick. If you are cooking a steak or something and it is sticking let it cook another minute then try to flip it. It will release from the pan when it is ready. Same goes for BBQing.

While the bottom of your eggs are cooking season the top with a little salt and pepper. You will flip your egg after two or three minutes. The clear white will start to turn white white, then take your spatula, carefully and quickly slide it under the egg and flip it with a quick flick of your wrist. Let the eggs cook for one minute on that side. Turn the pan off, put the eggs on a plate and enjoy perfectly cooked over easy eggs.

This is pretty much how you fry anything. Hot pan, bit of oil, time. If you are frying meat wait until the edges start to brown and juice starts to rise to the surface. Then flip. Cook for another few minutes.

Stir-fry is done the same way but with a higher heat and instead of just leaving it alone for a few minutes, you keep it moving by constantly stirring it.

It is very, very rare that you will use the highest temperature setting on your stove for anything but boiling water. For most things a medium heat is all you need. I recommend that you never go above 7 on your stoves dial.