Basted Eggs: How to Baste Eggs in 6 Steps

A basted egg is a cooked egg that uses steam to create a thin layer over the egg yolk. Basting is the process of adding liquids—sauces, juices, or water—to food as it cooks. In general, basting is a cooking technique used to keep meat moist; however, you can also use this method to cook eggs. Adding hot water to the egg helps cook the top layer, so you don’t have to flip the egg over to continue cooking.

While basted eggs are not fully submerged into boiling water like poached eggs. Similar to sunny side up eggs, basted eggs are cracked directly on the frying pan. However, basted eggs have a slightly cooked yolk, instead of a runny yolk. Therefore, when you eat and enjoy a basted egg, the egg yolk won’t drip across the plate. Basted eggs are also a healthy alternative to fried eggs. Basting eggs instead of frying them uses less butter and oil to cook the eggs, reducing the overall fat content.

One of the challenging steps in cooking over easy or fried eggs is flipping the egg over. Oftentimes, flipping the egg is a messy process that results in egg yolk smeared across the pan. Basted eggs are easier to make than over easy eggs because you don’t have to flip the eggs to cook both sides.

With minimal cook time, basting eggs is an easy breakfast recipe to whip up before heading out the door. In most cases, the total time to baste an egg is around 5 minutes.

1. 1. Heat pan: Place a frying pan on the stove, and set the flame to low heat. Even if you’re using a nonstick pan, add a thin layer of butter, about a 1-inch scoop, to coat the pan. The melted butter will prevent the egg from sticking. If you’re using large eggs, opt for a bigger frying pan. When you crack the eggs, you’ll want to give the egg whites enough room to spread out across the pan.
2. 2. Crack eggs: Using two hands, gently tap the eggshell on the side of the frying pan. As the eggshell starts to crack, hold the egg over the pan. Separate the two ends of the egg, allowing the egg whites and egg yolk to fall evenly into the pan.
3. 3. Cook: Set your stove to medium heat and let your egg cook for about 30 seconds, or until the egg whites turn from clear to white.
4. 4. Add hot water: Gently pour 1 tablespoon of water into the pan. The water will help create a thin, white layer over the top of the egg.
5. 5. Continue basting: Set the stove to high heat or cover the pan with a glass lid to increase the basting process. The extra steam produced from the pan cover will help baste the eggs faster. Some foodies even prefer steam-basted eggs. Baste the eggs for 2 minutes, or until the yolk develops a white film on top. This indicates that the egg is cooked and ready to serve.
6. 6. Serve the eggs: Using a spatula, gently remove the egg from the pan. Sprinkle kosher salt and drizzle olive oil to serve basted eggs atop avocado toast or serve plain with bacon as a side dish.

Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Alice Waters, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, and more.