How to Master Pan Temperature for Perfect Fried Eggs in Stainless Steel Pans

[@drewjones3146]

Single best advice for stainless steel egg cookery!!! Works like a charm. Goodbye, finally, Mr. Nonstick Pan. Woot!

[@HappyGuy11]

This video really makes sense! There were so many KZbin videos talking about the Leidenfrost effect and how to use it to get the correct cooking temperature, I had to figure out for myself that the resulting temperatures were way too high for fried eggs. I have no trouble making delicate fried eggs in cast iron and carbon steel skillets, but it doesn't seem to be as easy in stainless steel. I guess I'll have fry some more eggs in stainless, until I get a good result every time. One thing you don't address is the fact that, if it's set for a cast iron or seasoned carbon steel skillet or a Blackstone griddle, your infrared gun won't read the correct temperature of a stainless steel skillet until you put butter or oil in the pan. You can reset the emissivity of the temperature gun when using it for stainless, but it's just easier to heat the pan, use the behavior of the butter to get in the right temperature range, and add the butter or oil. Once the butter or oil is in the pan and heated, the gun will give you an accurate reading to guide your cooking.

[@billb5732]

Best video out of dozens I have seen on the topic. +1 Soooo much easier to measure the temperature rather than guess.

[@mikefisc9989]

Sometimes if I want over easy eggs, but I have multiple eggs in the pan I will use lid with the pan. The key is to add a bit of water to the pan, then put the lid on. The steam will cook the tops of the yolks. The longer you leave the lid on the more firm the yolks will become. You can get the yolks done exactly as you like them by varying the time. Thanks for the video Uncle Scott. I always appreciate your helpful tips.

[@brando8086]

This is called steam basted eggs if you ever want to order it in a breakfast restaurant. I also like my eggs this way

[@Mangolite]

If you’re cooking sunny-side-up eggs and want the whites near the yolk to cook, baste them with the hot grease or butter in the pan.

[@misskfountain4070]

You are absolutely the best. After watching your videos, I through away my nonstick cookware and use carbon steel or stainless. I now have fun cooking and am happy to say Thank you!

[@silvermediastudio]

Great explanation and demos. Sometimes, I like a fried egg with crispy edges. For this, I do get the stainless pan up to Leidenfrost temps, a little water beads and doesn't sizzle. I spray the dry pan with avocado oil and quickly wipe it out with a paper towel, similar to seasoning cast iron, getting a thin layer everywhere. I wait a few seconds for the pan to come back up to temp, then a little more avocado oil and in goes the egg. I leave it alone until the edges are getting done and I may nudge the edges with a fish turner, waiting for it to show me it's released. Rarely do I need to scrape under it to get it to slide around. Before it's done the way I like, I'll add a little butter to finish it, at which point I want the butter to brown a touch anyway. Might not be for everybody, but I put it over some seasoned or dirty rice, or on sourdough toast, and it's delish with a nice crispy texture. Once you get the technique, it can produce both a crispy edge to the white and a runny yolk. The pan is also easy to clean out, just another wipe with a paper towel gets it done and ready for whatever is going in next.

[@marambula]

your stainless steel pan vs potatoes video was awesome too. My electric glass top burner needs to be set to level 1/10 for my slightly undersized pan. Potato is the perfect practice, even though everyone wants to learn the egg first with sytainless steel. “If I can’t even do a friggin EGG why do I even own the SS pan?” I’ve had so much success with a stainless steel pan since the eureka moment your potato video elicited for me, and it was a great method for learning MY pan and MY stovetop, since everyone’s setup is different. it’s fascinating how much heat energy the pan loses when food or just butter contacts the surface. The water content in the butter probably cools the pan more than >/equal weight of cooking oil since the phase change of water boiling out from the butter releases so much energy. my pan is as small as it can be to cook just 4 eggs adequately but that experience is very different than cooking just 2 eggs in the same pan because of that initial temp drop.

[@MrBadger]

Class is in session! Excellent educational video, the bread and butter of this channel. Nice to see some love for the stainless steel pans. Lately I use SS for the majority of my stovetop cooking, but always go to carbon steel for eggs. My homework for the weekend is to dial in my Sardel 10" SS pan for the perfect over medium egg. Should be close to the setting I use for my 9.5" de Buyer Mineral B omelette pan. I reckon the butter will let me know. Your insightful analysis of when and why to give the goose inspired memories of a childhood game we played in school when it was too cold to play outside. Duck, duck, goose. Just like when cooking eggs, you had to very strategic when timing the goose.

[@amycastor2872]

The man who saved breakfast. Thank you for this

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Wasn't that a John Wayne movie?

[@uk919]

This is why I love this channel. Thank you. UK from Canada.

[@xflyer87]

It’s a mystery why you don’t have 300,000 followers. I love your video content and your friendly manner. I bought my new pans with your help. I didn’t get De Buyer because of the weight and on the Matfer Bourgeat Black Carbon Steel fry pan and the Mauviel 10.5 inch fry I took your advice because I have an electric cooktop right now ❤❤. It’s also fun just watching you cook. 🎉

[@HRussock]

Great video and super-helpful to know the exact temperature range - thanks so much!

[@AzTurboMini]

This video is much appreciated Scott! 💪

[@Lonewolf_1776]

I need a how to cook on stainless steel 101 video

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

More videos on the way!

[@filmaadin]

Specifically, how to cook meatloafs in a stainless steel pan without sticking to subsequently creating a pan sauce. I failed

[@garryhammond3117]

Great detailed (fail safe) tutorial Scott - Thanks - Cheers!

[@RED-if5xx]

OMG - Thank you so much for this. It worked perfectly.

[@H4KnSL4K]

Great clear instructions - Thanks!

[@IsomPhilips]

This is the way. I do this just about every morning in an AllClad 10" Stainless skillet at around 275 degrees. And indeed it is easier with an induction cooktop to get the correct temp

[@BCSpecht89]

Great, informative video as always, Uncle Scot. Thanks. Happy holidays to you and your family.

[@priayief]

That's helpful. I'll give it a try. Thanks.

[@Flexin010]

Perfect examples. I shall try. 😊

[@jack_batterson]

Used a Heritage 8" stainless steel pan to make two sets of two eggs this morning. • Room temp eggs • Preheated the pan until the lip felt hot to touch • Touch of coconut oil • "French teaspoon" of butter foamed up nicely • Zero sticking. Eggs glissaded across the pan effortlessly and a flip to over-easy was child's play. Heritage makes a beautiful pan and deserves an @UncleScott trial & review.

[@darkhorsefive0]

I have a few pieces of Heritage stainless. Love it!

[@pacman_17]

I never knew what the butter bubbles meant. That's usually when I drop my eggs in. Very informative video.

[@PetersPianoShoppe]

I prefer some browning and crispy edges on my fried eggs. But nevertheless, the proper temperature control you explain here is essential to not having a sticky disaster in a stainless steel pan.

[@guyjordan8201]

Thanks Uncle Scott

[@severoon]

FYI, the infrared thermometer method may not be as accurate as you would like when measuring stainless steel. This is because stainless (or any reflective metal) is pretty good at reflecting the infrared light hitting it, so it acts more like a heat "mirror" than a heat emitter, and the IR gun ends up measuring the temperature of the thing "in the mirror" rather than the temperature of the actual pan. Even worse, the IR gun can get really confused when there's something transparent in a stainless steel pan, like boiling water. You can set the emissivity on some of Thermoworks IR guns and that will give a better result, but it can still be confused by the environment. This is why the Pro-surface thermapen is unmatched when it comes to getting an accurate pan temp.

[@neiltrotter5933]

This is correct. I tried (twice) to use the IR thermometer to get my stainless steel pan to ~137C, then add butter. The result was instantly burned butter, and a quick check with the IR thermometer showed that the temp had surged to way above 200C. Suspecting strange physics voodoo, I looked into this, and found that what is happening is due to low emissivity of the stainless steel, so although the IR thermometer shows only ~135C, the temperature is actually somewhat higher, and this is only "released" to the IR thermometer when the butter hits. I haven't tried other suitable thermometer types, as I don't have any here, but I think the best method might be Scott's eyeballing of the butter.

[@steveluter2562]

This answers my question. I used IR thermometer and when finally reached 270 I suspected it was way hotter. I put the butter in and it immediately caught on fire.

[@normrubio]

Room temp eggs is the biggest tip

[@poirierfelix3831]

Learn to READ YOUR BUTTER! Badass advice. If uncle hadn't already been in your name I'd have called you uncle anyway.

[@johnknapp6328]

Great Video I get a laugh out of the channels that brown the eggs and they stick. I have stainless but I do like my blue diamond. You can put cold butter cold eggs and they will slide around, matter of fact you have to re teach your flip, your contents might be out of the pan its so slick. Now and then I like to challenge myself and use the stainless.

[@clayjay3648]

Well this is right on sir! Please visit cooking duck and goose eggs. I eat them exclusively, and the dynamics are very different. Would love to hear your take :)

[@Nope145]

I eat duck eggs exclusively as well. I find for over easy eggs they tend to cook a little quicker.

[@sachertorte64]

"For those who want to master this topic; you need to eat a lot of eggs" 🤣

[@leeh9420]

Great vid - appreciate it! Going to try it tomorrow!

[@JohnVarner]

Good video, I’ll second the surface thermometer. It’s not cheap, but it’s still only about a 10th of the cost of that induction burner. I use mine all the time to get my pan to the approximate temperature range I’m looking for before putting the food in. It works really well, and infrared is not reliable with stainless steel because it’s tough to get the emissivity right.

[@winmod70]

I received a new stainless 10" skillet (made-in) yesterday. I unboxed it, washed it, dried and put on the stove using your butter test to fry an egg over medium. Perfect! Question for you: can the butter method be used to scrambled eggs and/or make a French omelet or does a different technique need to be used?

[@fylosofer]

Why does the butter need to be salted? What does the salt in the butter do? Will unsalted butter not perform as well?

[@davidross8668]

In the restaurant we crack our eggs into a small sieve to remove the excess water from the egg and so you get a perfectly round egg

[@sandragoodman2059]

Very useful! Thanks!

[@dancalabro5261]

Well done Scott! No, not the eggs, the video! Would love to see your temperature how to for a French omelette in a stainless pan.

[@dougkrogh2766]

Me too

[@pacman_17]

I can crowd 3 large eggs into an 8" De Buyer now thanks to some of your tips. I've been doing it in the All-Clad for many many years. But I wanted to play with carbon steel pans again.

[@M_Ladd]

Great job! Thank you very much!

[@vizzo7]

fantastic video. i hope to see one with carbon steel where you also give the temperatures. it should also be possible to cook eggs in olive oil and also let some drops of oil seal the egg yolk outter sphere

[@edwardcasper5231]

I simply use a carbon steel pan to fry eggs. I've found that they're much more forgiving than stainless steel. I have never liked the taste of eggs cooked in butter, so the butter indicator doesn't work well for me. But regardless of the pan one uses, temperature is vital to getting good results with any food.

[@HrWisch]

This video is about stainless steel. Uncle Scott has already done multiple videos about how to prepare fried eggs in carbon steel.

[@edwardcasper5231]

@@HrWisch You obviously ignored my point.

[@marambula]

regardless of the cooking method used temperature is probably important. I’m glad for this video specifically about temperatures for stainless steel and sorry you don’t like butter. but that’s just like… your opinion man

[@edwardcasper5231]

@@marambula I like butter - but not with fried eggs. As for cooking eggs in stainless steel pans, I find carbon steel is much more forgiving. I'm a big believer in the idea of using the tool that makes a particular job easier. I got decent results cooking eggs in my 35-year-old Revereware stainless steel pan, but I found that both potatoes and eggs are easier to cook in a carbon steel pan.

[@VeiledDancer]

I would thumb up this video a million times if I could 😂

[@Layarion]

i wanna know if that sensor on the control freak is accurate though.

[@gixster92]

could you please explain, the carbon steel video temp was 230, for stainless steel 270-290, why the difference?

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

I don't have a scientific answer but the starting temp for that third egg in the carbon steel video was 260, so only ten degrees less than the 270 - 290 range. And it's a "fuzzy" window anyway, so it's pretty close. My guess: I think a well-seasoned carbon steel is slicker and the eggs are a little easier to slide than with stainless steel so you can use a little less heat, AND because carbon steel is thicker and heavier (more thermal mass), I think there is more heat stored up in the pan to transfer to the egg than with stainless steel.

[@sds7c4]

Hey, Scott. What’s the wooden appliance on the left side of my screen (your right) with the hopper and spout???

[@Yazeed99]

Looks like a komo grain mill, not sure which model

[@Paulklampeeps]

In my experience butter is really the game changer. If it's only oil it will stick most of the time

[@jenswurm]

Hypothesis: the water in the butter helps to cool down the pan from too hot to the right temperature. Perhaps that's also the mechanism behind the Chinese tradition to discard the first oil in the pan and to add another splash of oil - it cools down the pan a bit.

[@xxgg]

oh my god! $1500 USD for that portable induction he is using !?!

[@Lonewolf_1776]

Wait until you find out how much his stove cost😂

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

They were on sale for a mere $1199!

[@AereForst]

GreenPan induction cooker, $99 at Costco.

[@xxgg]

@@AereForst That has full temperature control settings as well? or are you saying buy any cheap model and use a thermometer?

[@AereForst]

@@xxgg it has temperature control settings but to get the exact temperature of the pan surface for this video you’ll need a laser thermometer ($23 at Harbor Freight)

[@leon9021]

This is a method too few know about. It really is as simple as melting down butter and letting the egg sit. However, if one wants crispy eggs without using butter which is something I quite enjoy, then the method really is that Leidenfrost hot pan. I dont know why but it seems adding very little oil, just a thin film works best, maybe because it creates a very light and quick seasoning of the pan surface or its just easier for the water contents of the egg to cook out fast enough for it not to reach the pan and stick. Adding too much oil seems to make it stick more anyway, quite the tricky method with a small window of success but a nice feeling to nail it down none the less.

[@CoolJay77]

Indeed, there are at least a dozen of styles of fried eggs that require different amounts of oils and heat setting strategies.

[@kevinhenshaw9997]

Hey Uncle Scott I have a question. I have a Made In 12.5 stainless steel pan that I’m using on a gas burner of about 6 inches and 15,000 BTUs and am experiencing a high spot in the center at low medium to medium heat. Is the pan too big for the burner? What should I do?

[@dougkrogh2766]

How about scramble eggs?

[@offhue8462]

Hello Uncle Scott, can you cook frozen parathas (South Asian uncooked dough) in carbon steel or stainless steel (of course, without defrosting and making a mess)?

[@sgharpsr]

Does the 270-290 also work for carbon steel?

[@13Voodoobilly69]

I own multiple stainless steel, carbon steel and cast iron pans and I can tell you without a doubt this video is correct. I used to struggle with eggs but learned about proper temp. A few years ago try it. You will be very happy. 👊🙌

[@BrianMcKee]

Even for crispy fried eggs, the temps they recommend are way way way too high. You'll burn the egg before the whites around the yolk is set right.

[@13Voodoobilly69]

💯🎯 facts right here.

[@ve2166]

Question - why salted butter? Just for flavor?

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

I don't think it matters but I was just trying to be clear on exactly what I was doing so that people can try to replicate it.

[@markhamstra1083]

“Leidenfrost”, not “Liedenfost” - which means that the first syllable is pronounced like “lye” or “lie”, not like “lee”.

[@tzu-yuhuang5283]

But I love crispy eggs.

[@stoempert]

Then turn up the heat when the egg has released.

[@charlie_u.k.]

I love your videos. Have you done any reviews on De Buyer CHOC pans? I'd like to hear your opinion on them!!

[@sanyo1208]

Uncle Scott, can we get another vid for French omelets? Also for carbon steel pans?

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Yes... or at least there will be a segment in the upcoming All-Clad D5 review. Got a pretty good one in the stainless steel.

[@hepgeoff]

Great info as always! I'm assuming this holds true for carbon steel pans as well, right?

[@madthumbs1564]

Carbon steel pans require seasoning, Stainless it's optional. You don't need high temperature for a seasoned pan -butter will do. The watery part of his yolk was already over cooking before the other part started cooking. -Textural differences like rubbery white is something I avoid.

[@hepgeoff]

Yes, I’m aware carbon steel pans need seasoning. All of mine are. Just wondering if the pan temperature is the same as stainless for carbon steel.

[@coonfreddy1957]

Regardless if it is stainless steel or cast Iron it will stick Especially if it's dirty.😊

[@H4KnSL4K]

I use bacon grease, and don't slide my eggs around. My solution was to fry slices of shallots and see how they sizzle

[@marambula]

I use a tiny bit of saved bacon grease and also a tiny bit of butter in the middle. mmmm love the bacon smell, and I like the way it coats the pan using less oil/fat than just butter.

[@tacticalcenter8658]

Do the water trick and lower the temp. Its easy and the proper way.

[@marambula]

lower to what temp? what’s the proper temp to lower it to?

[@sneadcl]

Why salted butter?

[@johnc4236]

I love, love, love my stainless set, had it for over 20 years now. But my morning egg is done in a medium cast iron. Even if I'm awake enough to multitask making my coffee, emptying the dishwasher and pulling off getting the egg done in stainless, it's still not worth the cleanup. Conspicuously absent from this video is the egg getting flipped and making it to the plate, and I think that speaks volumes. While I greatly appreciate this video for the technical look and the science behind cooking, I view eggs in stainless as more of an experiment than a cooking method I'm actually going to use. Still, big like from me, this only deepens my cooking knowledge.

[@mr.thegreat557]

Stainless steel is the best.

[@0529mpb]

Yeah, you do the same with cast iron and carbon steel. It's all about temperature control.

[@OneWildTurkey]

They don't sell nonstick eggs in my area. I've never seen them. 😉

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

They come from slippery chickens!

[@OneWildTurkey]

@@UncleScottsKitchen LOL! I'm really surprised we don't have them here in FL. So much stuff is slippery!

[@bioboertuur]

Still wondering about the temp in K or °C 😛 No idea how °F works Is 290°F hot or just warm to the finger? 31°F is still freezing, so ...

[@bioboertuur]

for the record, my like was nr 270 ;-)

[@VeridicusX]

As easy to remember as 2-3-4. Heat to between 133C and 144C. Eggs will likely go in at >122C rising. (Because the butter caused the temp to drop.)

[@colinprior7588]

​​@@VeridicusXhow much butter are you using to drop 10-20C degrees?...I don't think they want deep fried eggs

[@VeridicusX]

@@colinprior7588 Uncle Scott answers this very question in the video. I personally don't use butter, I use ghee from the fridge and the eggs are added at around 122C. I add oil and ghee and pour out any excess so that the pan is only lightly oiled.

[@dancingdog2790]

@@colinprior7588 Butter is 15-20% water, the phase change when the water boils off is what cools the pan.

[@HrWisch]

What if I like my fried eggs with a light crust and the butter browned? If I want a warm, soft egg with no browning, I boil it. I'm not saying, one way is correct and the other's wrong. But the title should at least make clear it's about overeasy eggs (which I find bland and boring).

[@stoempert]

The point is the correct initial temperature to get the egg to not stick. After that you can turn up the heat to get your desired outcome.

[@jordanxfile]

🍳

[@steverogers5956]

Or just use a well-seasoned carbon steel skillet and avoid all the micromanaging. Stainless is great for many things but for skillets carbon steel is just better.

[@marambula]

nah. just different. each is better at something different.

[@steverogers5956]

@@marambula of course... and for frying carbon steel is better. Of course it requires seasoning and a little care, but that's easier than trying to micromanage temperature every time you cook something.

[@apuz13]

Infrared thermometers are not good for checking temperature on stainless steel pans.

[@schwaggatolakhomeini]

Are you talking about induction? Either way, wtf are you talking about?

[@apuz13]

@ infrared red thermometers are not good to test temperature on stainless steel pans. Sorry my comment wasn’t worded properly. I will change it.

[@jkbcook]

@@apuz13yes I learned they don’t work on shiny surfaces. Sigh.

[@colinprior7588]

good to know that something as mandane as food waste doesn't interfere with the protection of your delicate palate

[@ridge181]

what is to his right? lol

[@stauffap]

I really don't get those Leidenfrost Vidoes. Why are people spreading this nonsense? I've been wondering that for a couple of years now. Your eggs will just be burnt and it won't even stick less. So far i just assume that those people don't really use their stainless steel pan or they are just in love with the Leidenfrost effect and how "sciency" this sounds even though it doesn't work for cooking and therefore is anything but science based advice. I use oil with my stainless steel pan and i do get a bit of sticking, but it's managable. I heat the oil until i see a tiny bit of smoke or shimmering, then i imediately take the pan off the heat and let it cool down to the temperatur i want to cook with. If you want to use oil that works the best so far. Margarine or butter make it a lot easier and it's probably a good idea to follow your advice then.

[@thejohnbeck]

probably one too many TED talks

[@UncleZopity]

Cool, but I'm not a filthy communist, so I eat at least four eggs in a sitting, and nobody has time for cooking them one at a time. Please do a video with multiple eggs.

[@Christopher-b1p]

Get a non stick pan stainless steel is a waste of time, for eggs. Especially the cleaning, after.

[@mr.thegreat557]

Non stick is poison. Stainless steel is the healthiest cooking material.

[@tacticalcenter8658]

Your IQ reduces with nonstick

[@Christopher-b1p]

@tacticalcenter8658 There are many types of nonstick pans.