Ghee Is The Key To Perfectly Fried Eggs That Don't Stick To The Pan

Eggs have long been a favored breakfast dish for many reasons: they are relatively easy to make, high in protein, and, of course, delicious. Those of you who enjoy fried eggs, in particular, may be on the lookout for simple hacks that will make your fried eggs even tastier, and one is to use ghee instead of butter.

One of the pain points of making fried eggs is that they tend to stick to the pan when cooking. But using ghee (clarified butter) instead of regular butter to coat the pan works like a charm because it can cook at a high temperature without smoking.  While butter is great for cooking eggs in terms of flavor, there is nearly no margin for error in terms of heat, and if you let it warm too high or for a few seconds too long, it's going to turn into a burnt mess in the pan. Ghee still gives you a pleasant buttery nuttiness without blackening or going up in smoke. 

Clarified butter or ghee is a cooking lubricant that has been stripped of its milk solids and water content so what is left behind is pure butter fat. It is this feature that enables ghee to have a higher smoke point as well as a more neutral flavor in comparison to butter or even certain oils. This is also why it does particularly well when used to cook omelets and other types of eggs.

But it's still possible to go wrong frying eggs, even using ghee. When using ghee as opposed to butter or oil, your pan needs to be really hot. Ghee also needs to be completely melted and swirled such that it coats every inch of the pan; if this isn't the case, then the eggs may stick. Fortunately, ghee is easier to cook with at a higher temperature because it doesn't burn.

Apart from the ease of use mentioned above, ghee is great to have on hand for all kinds of cooking applications. And because of its high smoke point — roughly 485 degrees Fahrenheit compared to butter's 350 degree limit — can more or less be treated as a flavorsome cooking oil. Because ghee does not contain water, it does not attract bacteria and is extremely shelf-stable. Ghee is also casein and lactose-free making it the preferred option for those who have dairy intolerances or allergies. 

According to the ancient Indian science of Ayurveda, ghee is considered anti-inflammatory, better for digestion, and more nutritious than butter. And Healthline indicates it contains neither trans fats nor cholesterol. With all these benefits, we recommend you make the switch from butter to ghee for your fried eggs but also whatever else might be on the menu.