Over Hard Eggs are delicious on a sandwich, piece of toast, or just on their own. The yolk is firm, just like a hard boiled egg. The best way to cook over hard eggs is low and slow in a little bit of butter. This ensures they do not dry out and are not over cooked.
An over hard egg is typically fried in oil or butter until the yolk is cooked completely through, like a hard boiled egg. Over hard eggs are very different from both hard boiled and scrambled eggs though.
Eggs over hard are great for those who cannot or do not like to eat undercooked eggs with a runny yolk. They are perfect for making to-go breakfast sandwiches (think bacon, egg, and cheese) because there is no runny yolk that will get everywhere.
You can also serve them as a side dish to sweet breakfast dishes, like this sourdough french toast.
When cooked correctly, over hard eggs are delicious. The key is to slow cook them in salted butter for lots of flavor and moisture. You also want to be sure to not dry them out by over cooking them. Hope you enjoy! xx
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Highlights
- Simple & Easy - These over hard eggs only require 2 ingredients, eggs and butter.
- Kid Friendly - Fried eggs with a firm yolk are perfect for kids or picky eaters who do not like a runny yolk.
- Moist & Flavorful - The slow cooking method and salted butter ensures these eggs are not dry.
- Versatile - Over hard eggs can be served on their own, breakfast sandwiches, or on avocado toast. The options are endless.
- Healthy - Eggs are packed with protein and fat, making them a very satisfying breakfast.
Ingredient Notes
- Salted Butter: Swap for unsalted butter and add a pinch of salt to the egg as it cooks.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Helpful Equipment & Tools
- Calphalon Classic Hard-Anodized Nonstick Pots and Pans: I absolutely love this set of everyday nonstick cookware. It is heavy duty and conducts heat extremely well.
- DI ORO Chef Series Standard Flexible Silicone Turner Spatula: This spatula is heat resistant, safe for nonstick cookware, and inexpensive.
Instructions
Overview
- Heat the butter.
- Crack the egg.
- Flip & serve immediately.
Step by Step
Step 1: In a small frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat until the butter is foaming.
Step 2: Add the egg. Turn the heat immediately down to medium low. Season the egg with pepper (and salt if needed).
Step 3: Cook for about 2 minutes. The yolk will be runny still but the white should be opaque. (If you prefer to break the yolk, gently use a spatula to break it before flipping.
Step 4: Flip the egg. Cook for another 2 minutes or until the middle of the egg feels firm when pressed with a spatula. Remove from the heat immediately.
TIP - Do not flip the egg until the egg white is firm
TIP - After the egg is done, remove it from the pan immediately so it does not overcook.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make Ahead: These eggs are best served fresh. So there is no prep that can be done in advance.
- Refrigerator: I recommend only making as many eggs as you plan to eat. If you happen to have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing eggs.
Expert Tips
- Use butter. Butter gives the egg tons of flavor and ensures it does not stick to the pan.
- Use a nonstick pan. This ensures the egg is super easy to flip. A well seasoned cast iron skillet will work as well.
- Season before flipping. The seasoning will stick to the egg better while it is still raw. I recommend adding any spices immediately after cracking it into the pan.
- Break the yolk before flipping. If you want the yolk to be more distributed across the egg, break it with a spatula before flipping. Tilt the pan to control the yolk from running off. This is not necessary, but some prefer it.
- Do not flip the egg too early. Since this is an over hard egg, there is less of a risk of over cooking the yolk. You want the egg white to be completely opaque before flipping the egg.
- Remove the egg from the heat. As soon as the egg is finished cooking, remove it from the pan. The residual heat in the skillet is enough to overcook it.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe can be doubled. If you are cooking eggs for a crowd, you can use a large skillet or griddle to cook multiple eggs at a time. Be sure to scale the butter as well.
- The same process can be followed for over medium, over easy, or even sunny side up eggs. Of course, if you are making a sunny side up egg, you will not flip it. The cook time can just be reduced to ensure the yolk is runny to make over medium or over easy eggs.
Variations
- Seasoning: Aside from salt and pepper, you can add whatever spices you prefer on these eggs. Some of my favorites include, everything but the bagel seasoning, za’atar, italian seasoning, and chili flakes.
- Cheese: You can add a slice or cheese or a sprinkle of shredded cheese to these over hard eggs right after flipping.
FAQs
I prefer butter for the flavor, but avocado or olive oil will also work.
Yes. Eggs that are cooked over hard have a completely cooked egg yolk that resembles the yolk of a hard boiled egg.
Yes. Eggs are loaded with protein and fat. Over hard eggs are also safer to eat because they are cooked completely.
A fried egg is any egg that is cracked in a pan and fried, but not scrambled. Fried eggs can be cooked differently. One of the ways to cook a fried egg is over hard.
Over easy is flipped and quickly removed from the heat. The yolk is running and the egg whites might still be slightly wet around the yolk. Over medium is flipped and cooked slightly longer than over easy. The yolk is still jammy, but the white is cooked more. Over hard eggs have a completely cooked yolk and white.
As long as the eggs are pasteurized, there is an extremely low chance that the eggs contain salmonella. However, there is always a risk of food borne illness when consuming undercooked foods. But in general, it is considered safe to eat eggs undercooked as long as they have been pasteurized.
There are actually only 4 levels of doneness when it comes to fried eggs.
- Sunny side up
- Over easy
- Over medium
- Over hard
Related Recipes
Watch the How to Video
BEST Over Hard Eggs
Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon salted butter
- 1 large egg
Optional
- cracked pepper
Instructions:
- In a small frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat until the butter is foaming.
- Add the egg. Turn the heat immediately down to medium low. Season the egg with pepper (and salt if needed).
- Cook for about 2 minutes. The yolk will be runny still but the white should be opaque. (If you prefer to break the yolk, gently use a spatula to break it before flipping.)
- Flip the egg. Cook for another 2 minutes or until the middle of the egg feels firm when pressed with a spatula. Remove from the heat immediately.
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