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Over Medium Eggs have a delicious jammy yolk, neither too runny nor too firm. This easy 3 minute recipe teaches you how to make the perfect fried egg over medium. Enjoy for a quick and healthy breakfast!
I’m curious, how do you like your eggs? This simple question is actually a matter of debate here at home. My girlfriend is a fan of runny yolks, while I prefer it jammy. So we always end up cooking eggs in two different ways, over easy for her and over medium for me. I love them this way. And I’m pretty sure you’ll also love over medium eggs because they have jammy yolk and firm white. Quick and easy to make, they’re versatile and come in very handy for many occasions. Eggs over medium taste delicious for breakfast on top of avocado toasts, and in sandwiches for lunch.
Table of Contents
What is an over medium egg?
Over medium eggs are fried eggs with a firm white and a half cooked – half runny yolk. This cooking technique consists of frying eggs sunny-side up first, then flipping them over to cook for one minute more. They are in the midway between over easy and over hard eggs. A fully cooked white but a yolk that is neither too runny not too firm as it would be for hard boiled or air fryer hard boiled eggs.
How to make over medium eggs?
- Heat skillet with butter. Place a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat, then melt butter or heat olive until warm.
- Fry eggs sunny side up. Lower heat to low medium, then crack in egg and cook for about 2 – 3 minutes. At this point, the whites are going to be firm while the yolk is still going to be slightly runny.
- Flip and cook eggs over medium. With the help of a silicone spatula, flip over the egg and cook for 1 minute on the other side. The yolk should be jammy, not too firm. Serve seasoned with salt and pepper to your likings.
Watch the video recipe
Why frying eggs in butter?
Cooking over medium eggs in butter is recommended because it gives a rich and nutty savory flavor without browning the eggs. In case you are allergic or intolerant to dairy, regular butter can be substituted with dairy-free butter. You’ll get the same result. But if you simply don’t like butter, then replace with olive oil or avocado oil. Cooking fats like oil are good, but not the best because they tend to make eggs more browned and slightly bitter in taste.
Success tips
- Choose high quality fresh eggs, preferably large and from grass fed chickens. I find that grade AA eggs have a better taste, especially the yolk which is richer.
- Cook eggs in butter, also dairy-free if it necessary, but use butter. Trust me, it makes the difference because it gives a rich and savory taste. You can still use olive oil, but it may leave a slightly bitter and burnt aftertaste.
- Use a cast iron skillet or a non stick pan, well greased with butter. These are the best skillets because they ensure that your fried egg over medium doesn’t stick and nicely slides out once cooked.
- Fry egg over low medium heat, rather than high heat. Cooking on low temperatures ensures that the yolk gets perfectly jammy without the risk of burning the white. I also recommend making one egg at the time, do not over overcrowd the skillet.
How to know if an over medium egg is done?
It should take around 3 minutes. Cook eggs over medium for 2 minutes on one side first, then flip and cook for 1 additional minute. The white must be fully set while the yolk should be slightly soft. You can check if the egg is done by gently pressing its top with a fork or with your finger. Look for a slightly jiggly yolk that is jammy when poked.
Choosing the best pans to make over medium eggs
- Cast iron skillet. A cast iron skillet is the best option because it distributes heat evenly and prevents sticking. Further, it ensures that the eggs will slide out when it’s time to serve.
- Non-stick pan. Non stick pans are another great choice They ensure that your fried egg over medium does not stick, making the flipping easier. Just remember to grease the pan very well with butter or oil, also if it is nonstick.
- Stainless steel pan. If you only have a regular stainless steel pan, make sure you coat the surface with more butter. About one to one and half teaspoon of butter or oil will prevent eggs from sticking.
Storage directions
To store fried egg over medium, let cool first. Place leftovers in an airtight food container and keep refrigerated for a maximum of 2 days. Reheat in a warm cast iron skillet with little butter, or microwave for about 1 minute until warm. Make sure you do not cook it for too long, otherwise the yolk may get hard and set completely.
The perfect over medium egg cooks in about 3 to 4 minutes. Fry it sunny-side-up for 2 minutes, then flip over and cook on the other side for 1 minute more. Check for doneness by piercing or gently pressing its top with a fork.
Flipping eggs without spatula requires two things: the pan should be well coated with butter or oil, and the fried egg should be set before flipping.
To flip, gently tilt the pan towards you so the egg slides to the edge. Then quickly move the pan upwards in a smooth motion, flipping the egg so that it returns back to the pan. Before venturing out, I recommend practicing the technique with cold skillet and with something that is less fragile.
Both over easy and over medium eggs are fried on one side first, then flipped over and cooked on the other side to doneness. The difference lies in the yolk texture: runny yolk for over easy and jammy yolk for medium done egg.
One medium egg fried in a teaspoon butter provides approximately 99 calories, 6.3 g protein, 7.8 g fats, and 0.4 g carbohydrates. Precise nutritional values may vary, based on egg size and amounts of cooking fats.
Serving ideas
Over Medium Eggs
Instructions
- Place a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat, melt butter or heat olive until warm.
- Lower heat to low medium, then crack in egg and cook for about 2 – 3 minutes. At this point, the egg whites are going to be firm while the yolk is still going to be slightly runny.
- With the help of a silicone spatula, flip egg and cook for 1 minute on the other side. The yolk should be jammy, not too firm. Slide out egg on a plate, then serve with salt and pepper to your likings.
Notes
How to store over medium egg
- Place leftovers in an airtight food container and store in the refrigerator for a maximum of 2 days.
- Reheat cold over medium eggs in a warm cast iron skillet with little butter, or microwave for about 1 minute.
Eggs an excellent source of protein for me. Tks Matt
Hey dear Constantino,
thank your for your comment! Definitely, eggs are a superb source of protein. Perfect for a satisfying healthy breakfast!
I wish you a great Sunday,
Matteo
Over medium egg is my favorite for breakfast and lunch! Yummy!
Hey dear Liza,
I completely agree with you! Fried egg over medium like this is the best way to eat eggs to my mind, it combines the convenience of frying eggs with the perfect jammy yolk that is neither too runny nor too firm. So delicious for breakfast 😉
Have a great day,
Matteo