How to Make Crispy Fried Eggs in a Stainless Steel Pan

For the longest time I struggled with cooking using stainless steel pans. Consistency was a real bug-a-boo for me, and I had trouble replicating and executing dishes to a high standard. Breakfast has always been my favorite meal, and when I dine out fried eggs are part of my go-to order, but I always struggled to cook them on my own. Recently I got a brand new All-Clad set with 7 different types pans and was immediately excited to make them my go to cookware when prepping my meals.

But it didn’t go exactly as I anticipated.

I tried a few different recipes for eggs and just couldn’t seem to get it right. The stainless steel heated up so quickly, and I found that the food always got stuck to the pan. The eggs would break down and and fall apart when I tried to move it around, which was frustrating to say the least. Also, after the cooking was finished, there always seemed to be a leftover residue embedded in the pan that I just couldn’t scrape off. Trying to clean the pan became a time sucking nightmare.

Finally I had enough. I found myself going back and using my old nonstick pans and cast iron skillet, and started to completely ignore my new stainless steel set.

That all changed when I stumbled upon the Crispy Fried Eggs Method by Chef Frank Prisinzano. Chef Prisinzano is the owner of red sauce restaurants Frank, Lil Frankies, and Supper in Manhattan and is famous for his Instagram stories and cooking methods.

The Crispy Fried Eggs Method piqued my interest immediately, as it was commonly highlighted as a staple on Franks Instagram stories. He was very clear on one important detail: for the perfect crispy eggs, stainless steel pans are an absolute must. No exceptions, no other pan would do. So I decided to give it a shot. I dusted off my stainless steel pans and began gathering everything needed for the recipe.

The supplies included:

• Stainless Steel Pan ✓
• Fish Spatula ✓
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil ✓
• Black Sea Salt ✓
• Oregano ✓
• Red Pepper ✓
• Eggs (of course) ✓

With all the tools at my disposal, I was ready to go. For those that don’t know what a fish spatula is, this is what you’ll want:

I preheated my stove burner on medium to medium-high, and placed down my stainless steel pan to heat up.

Once the pan was sufficiently hot, I added a generous dash of supermarket quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. You want the cheap stuff here as no point in cooking in good olive oil.

The pan should be hot enough that it smokes slightly and immediately upon impact.

Then, it was time to add the eggs.

The eggs immediately started to bubble and smoke a bit, creating a soufle like texture around the egg. Don’t worry – this is just a normal part of the cooking process. If you feel that the smoke is excessive, just turn down the heat slightly. After all, you can’t expect to fry an egg without a bit of smoke.

Now the next step is where I learned the most valuable lesson of all with this method.

DO NOT TOUCH THE EGGS!

Let them sit. Let the heat and the oil and the steel do its thing.

I found this to be the crucial key in cooking with stainless steel. Once the eggs were properly cooked they would release themselves from the pan. Any premature spatula flip, or unnecessary movement would surely be met with a a ruined egg and a dirty pan.

So I remained patient and directly seasoned my egg. Be as generous as you’d like with the seasonings. I sprung for lots of salt, black and red pepper, and oregano, but feel free to add whatever spices are desired.

After a few minutes I could start to see the top whites were cooked properly, and the edges of the eggs were getting crispy and brown. This was exactly what I was looking for, and something that I found to be missing when I had tried using stainless steel pans in the past.

The eggs were almost done, and I gave it a gentle nudge with my fish spatula to ensure they were ready to release.

Bingo. It slid right off the pan and easily transferred them onto my plate with very little difficulty.

The fried eggs looked amazing, and were definitely more appetizing than any I had managed to prepare before. Crispy, well seasoned, and ready for me to enjoy.

Before I dug in I had one last step to complete. I cracked the gooey yolk and spread the generous yellow filling all around the outer whites. I wanted each bite to be packed with flavor.

I also wanted to make sure that the bottom was cooked properly, so I flipped it over and BAM. Perfection. Crispy and brown, but not charred or burnt.

The fried eggs were finally ready to eat, and boy was I starving.

Simply put, they were delicious. The creamy egg yolk combined perfectly on the well seasoned egg whites, and together with the crispy edges it was a winning combination.

Each bite I took I found to be well balanced, and had everything that makes fried eggs such a simple yet essential dish.

The Crispy Egg Method has undoubtedly found itself a permanent home in my cooking arsenal, and has become a steady, regular part of my breakfast.

Crispy Fried Eggs

These crispy fried eggs are not only delicious but they are the first step in mastering cooking technique with stainless steel. Learn how to manage heat, balance flavor, and create the best fried eggs you have ever had.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 2 mins

Cook Time 2 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 1

Calories 220 kcal

Equipment

• Stainless Steel Pan
• Fish Spatula

Ingredients

  

• 2 Whole Eggs
• 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Cyprus Black Salt
• 1 tbsp Oregano
• 1 tbsp Crushed Red Pepper

Instructions

 

• Pre heat pan on the stove over medium high heat
• Pour olive oil in pan and you should immediately see a little smoke
• Place cracked eggs into pan and they will immediately bubble
• Top with seasonings and no not touch until done
• When eggs are cooked they will naturally release and pick up with a fish spatula

Notes

• Make sure you are using a stainless steel pan
• Make sure the pan is hot enough before you place the eggs otherwise they will not cook right
• Use enough olive oil to ensure the eggs get crispy
• Season generously any way you like!

Keyword crispy eggs, eggs, fried eggs

It’s certainly a must try and if you want to jazz yours up a bit try it with some of these seasonings we found at Trader Joes.

Here are a couple of tips to not remember when preparing this simple yet delicious dish:

• Use Stainless steel only!
• Make sure the pan is hot enough.
• Use enough olive or cooking oil (about 1/8″)
• Season generously any way you like!

And that’s about it. Pretty simple, right?

For more methods and delicious food content make sure you follow Frank Prisinzano himself on Instagram. Trust me, your stomach will thank you.