Bobby Flay's Pro Tip For Fried Egg Yolks That Never Break

Part of the joy in a perfect fried egg is popping the yolks when you're ready. If the yolk has remained fully intact during the frying process, that is, because we've all accidentally popped a yolk while cracking it into the pan. Despite being a life-long chef, Bobby Flay once admitted to Food Network that he's not immune to doing so himself, but he's got a little tip that'll help you prevent breaking more yolks in the future.

"Whenever you're cooking eggs, what you want to do is crack them into a ramekin first," he said. "So if I break the yolk, which I do as often as you guys do, I don't break it in the pan. I break it in the ramekin." The other benefit of cracking the egg into a ramekin is that you can gently tip it into the pan without violently slipping it through a jagged shell (he suggests you tilt it in about an inch above the pan), which will also help you maintain its integrity. This should help set the stage for that perfect egg pop later, whether it's on a breakfast sandwich, on some crusty toast, noodles, rice, or however you typically enjoy them.

Cooking eggs sunny side up is one thing, but keeping yolks intact with eggs cooked over-easy is a whole different subject. As you all know, trying to flip your eggs upside down without breaking the yolk can easily end in disaster. The real trick is to add a touch of steam by adding a few teaspoons of water per egg, then covering the top of your pan with a lid. The longer you keep the lid on, the further the yolk will cook from the top down into the center while still maintaining a runny core. 

If you like your over-easy eggs crispy, simply remove the lid and let the last few drops of water steam off before letting the egg cook until you have those lacy edges. You could always start a new career as a line cook at Waffle House where you'll eventually become an expert on everything egg-related, including the art of scrambled eggs. If that sounds like a big change, it might be better to just start cracking your eggs into a ramekin. Even celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay aren't perfect in the kitchen, but you can certainly hedge your bets.