Is it okay to eat eggs "over easy" these days?

[eddie101]

I used to prefer "sunny side up", but I don't do that anymore for the obvious fear of catching a disease. I'm thinking over easy would be a better option, but even with that there is that risk. What do you think?

[SGNick]

Phhhht... even if there were, it wouldn't stop me from eating them. I eat 2 of them every other day.

[The Funk]

I do, and have not gotten sick yet.

But I eat cage free organic eggs, from local farms if possible. Factory eggs are much more likely to be suspect.

[beckerman]

One person gets sick from an undercooked egg after 10,000 years of human consumption and suddenly "they" tell us it's bad. I've been eating soft boiled, sunny side up or over easy eggs every Sunday for forty years; Eat what you like, screw "them"!

[smallbutmighty]

I used to prefer "sunny side up", but I don't do that anymore for the obvious fear of catching a disease.

What makes this fear more "obvious" now than 10, 20, or 50 years ago?

It strikes me as similar to not eating Halloween candy because of the "obvious fear" of finding a razor blade in something....

[eddie101]

One person gets sick from an undercooked egg after 10,000 years of human consumption and suddenly "they" tell us it's bad. I've been eating soft boiled, sunny side up or over easy eggs every Sunday for forty years; Eat what you like, screw "them"!


No offense but you MUST be an Eagles fan. :rotflmao

[bluesdoc]

The trick for safe sunny side up eggs is to use a fairly hot pan and then when the eggs are about 3/4 cooked, dump some water elsewhere in the pan and cover with a lid. The steam cooks the top surface enough so there's no more runny white, but the yoke retains its liquid goodness when cut into. It's basically a modded fry/poach technique.

jon

[fredgarvin]

Fear of our own food seems to be the latest fad in the fear mongering media. Don't buy in to it.

[taco-man]

But I eat cage free organic eggs, from local farms if possible. Factory eggs are much more likely to be suspect.How so? I read that the USDA doesn't see any advantage (for humans). Possibly the opposite. I don't believe everything I read though, so just wondering.
Articles:

TIME (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2002334,00.html)

U.S. News (http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/infectious-diseases/articles/2010/08/25/buy-organic-eggs-to-avoid-salmonella-poisoning-maybe-not.html)

[GAD]

I used to prefer "sunny side up", but I don't do that anymore for the obvious fear of catching a disease. I'm thinking over easy would be a better option, but even with that there is that risk. What do you think?

Obvious fear? Was the fear obvious 10/20/30/40/50 years ago?

I eat my eggs sunny side up all the time.

From some egg website (http://www.incredibleegg.org/egg-facts/egg-safety/eggs-and-food-safety):


Scientists estimate that, on average across the U.S., only 1 of every 20,000 eggs might contain the bacteria. So, the likelihood that an egg might contain Se is extremely small – 0.005% (five one-thousandths of one percent). At this rate, if you’re an average consumer, you might encounter a contaminated egg once every 84 years.

Of course it's an egg website, so let's assume the risk is double that. I'm still eating eggs the way I like them.

Fear is a way to keep people watching the news. Fear is the mind killer.

[gunslinger]

Try to eat eggs from a reputable company. The safest way to eat them is to cook them thoroughly. I wish I could put raw eggs in a smoothie. But I don't dare risk it.

[Killcrop]

I agree, the media loves those food hysteria stories. I guess they figure it glues people to the tv. I'm not worried about eggs...unless we start importing fresh eggs from Asia or something. Which wouldn't surprise me.

Salminella seems to be showing up in the stranges places. Seems like these days you have to be more worried about your spinich being contaminated than chicken. Crazy.

As American's we are freaked out about it. In fact most would never consider eating medium rare chicken but acording to Anthoney Bourdain, its normal in Asia to eat undercooked chicken. They prefer it that way.

[Analog Delay]

The trick for safe sunny side up eggs is to use a fairly hot pan and then when the eggs are about 3/4 cooked, dump some water elsewhere in the pan and cover with a lid. The steam cooks the top surface enough so there's no more runny white, but the yoke retains its liquid goodness when cut into. It's basically a modded fry/poach technique.

jon

That's one approach. I do something similar but I do it because it makes the eggs taste better, especially on a sandwich.

When the white part gets solid enough, I flip the eggs over, then turn the flame off. Let the eggs sit in the hot pan (sans flame) for about half a minute or so. Then put them on a bagel or roll with bacon etc. The yolks are just cooked enough that they don't get all over your hands, but they're still gooey enough that the flavor is there.

[A-Bone]

The risk of food poisoning has always been a matter of odds. What has changed is the monocultural agribusiness model and "super-farming" idea, which has dramatically increased the potential scale or reach of harm in the event that there is contamination. Even this has not turned it into a certain or necessarily even a more-likely-than-not situation. But it has made it considerably more likely than it was in the past.

Anyone that would suggest otherwise does not realize how profoundly different the agricultural production landscape is. In the US there are about 76 million incidents of food borne disease on an annual basis. Most of these are not serious, but the average number of annual fatalities from food contamination in the US is around 5,000.

[neastguy]

my wife has been making me egg white omelets lately... w/ green onion .. dash of bacon bits and garlic pepper and powder.. and a tad of whatever cheese we have laying around... .. dam, I don't miss the yolk at all..... tastes great and healthier... at any rate, I've never gotten sick from sunny side up... and thats using cheap eggs

[The Funk]

How so? I read that the USDA doesn't see any advantage (for humans). Possibly the opposite. I don't believe everything I read though, so just wondering.
Articles:

TIME (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2002334,00.html)

U.S. News (http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/infectious-diseases/articles/2010/08/25/buy-organic-eggs-to-avoid-salmonella-poisoning-maybe-not.html)


Those articles focus on the nutrition of the egg based purely on the protein content of the white, which is not where the nutrients actually are. Free-range organic birds eat what that normally would eat, and therefore their omega6/omega3 balance is better, and the eggs contain actual vitamins.

Also, they taste significantly better.

[Tonekat]

One person gets sick from an undercooked egg after 10,000 years of human consumption and suddenly "they" tell us it's bad. I've been eating soft boiled, sunny side up or over easy eggs every Sunday for forty years; Eat what you like, screw "them"!

I like soft cooked eggs, including the "65 degree" egg. But TGPers constantly cite an amorphous entity behind the warnings ("they" and "them").

I really don't think reasonable warnings are anything more than advice:

If you do X, then Y may happen, so be aware when you do X.

Can you imagine the uproar if no warnings were given, or if the warnings were restricted to the industry? "Why didn't you tell us?"; "You're supposed to protect us, where were you?" followed by: "Who do I sue?"

[ford]

One time I watched this boxer put a bunch of them in a blender.. blend em.. and drink em raw.... and then he went on to become the champ...:D

[A-Bone]

One time I watched this boxer put a bunch of them in a blender.. blend em.. and drink em raw.... and then he went on to become the champ...:D

But not the first time. The first time he just "went the distance.":boxer

[eddie101]

One time I watched this boxer put a bunch of them in a blender.. blend em.. and drink em raw.... and then he went on to become the champ...:D

Sounds like Tyson, but he does not appear to be a poster boy for the egg industry. :D

[Endr_rpm]

I like mine over easy, but if your cholesterol levels are ok, you can always just put a crap ton of butter/bacon fat/ what have you in the pan and baste the top of the egg to cook the white with the hot melted fat. yes, it tastes as good as it sounds.

[GAD]

Sounds like Tyson, but he does not appear to be a poster boy for the egg industry. :D

Have you seriously not seen the movie in question?

[Polynitro]

is chicken little laying these eggs?

[Bluedawg]

is chicken little laying these eggs?


sounds like it doesn't it

Sometimes I thinks she's a leading candidate for the primary symbol of our modern culture

:bonk

[eddie101]

Have you seriously not seen the movie in question?


No, I have not. What did I miss other than :boxer

[Analog Delay]

One time I watched this boxer put a bunch of them in a blender.. blend em.. and drink em raw.... and then he went on to become the champ...:D

That must have been from the Director's Cut DVD. I just remember him cracking the eggs in a glass and drinking them. No blender involved.

Skip ahead to 1:30.

6U2HME7PoBI

[smallbutmighty]

Seriously.....there is still someone that has never seen Rocky? One of the best movies EVER!!!

And just to clarify: he does not put them in a blender. He puts them straight into a glass, and swallows it all down whole.

And he does not go on to be the champ. That's the point of the whole movie: personal victory trumps all.


Edit: Analog Delay bet me to the....erm......punch.

[Julia343]

Yo! Adrian!!!!!

..... it's Rocky with Stallone.

[Midnight Lady]

I like soft cooked eggs...Yeah, I'm with you! As long as it is cooked (ie heated) sufficiently, there is no real issue.

+1 to bluesdoc for the suggestion about adding water to the pan and covering it.




This is the same issue as has been discussed previously about raw oysters and undercooked or raw hamburger meat.

[tjmicsak]

Is there a risk?
Sure, but that is mostly with large egg factories that have been documanted on TV news programs like 20/20 or 60 minutes where they take eggs and recycle them into freshly dated packages.

Fresh eggs when kept cold are relatively safe for the most part.
You have the same risk as eating Sushi or raw clams/Oysters.

I eat over-easy just to cook the runny top slightly so there is still the same yolk as a SSU using the pan flip.

I also eat raw clams and oysters and sushi often.

I really like soft boiled eggs with S&P but hate the time it takes to get them in a dish as they get cold too quickly. When I was a kid my mom used to serve them in egg cups where you eat them right out of the shell, but there is no room for dipping then

[Stevil]

"fear does not exist in this dojo"
my main concern with eggs is that for some reason my digestive system tends to turn them directly into noxious gas, which is bad for people around me. a balance of cheese, toast, hash browns, bacon, ect. tends to reduce the effect.

[Tonekat]

<snip> I really like soft boiled eggs with S&P but hate the time it takes to get them in a dish as they get cold too quickly. When I was a kid my mom used to serve them in egg cups where you eat them right out of the shell, but there is no room for dipping then

You, sir, need to discover "toast soldiers" for dipping in that egg in a cup!

[Route234]

I like mine over easy, but if your cholesterol levels are ok, you can always just put a crap ton of butter/bacon fat/ what have you in the pan and baste the top of the egg to cook the white with the hot melted fat. yes, it tastes as good as it sounds.

This FTW. Just put a little hot grease over the top to just barely cook it and the bottom will be crisp as can be and super soft on top. Not exactly the best way to keep yourself in shape but dam if it isnt delicious.

[taco-man]

Those articles focus on the nutrition of the egg.Actually, here is an excerpt from the US News article. This is why I asked the question.
Are organic eggs less likely to carry salmonella? What about those sold on farm stands?
"I've not seen any evidence suggesting that these eggs are any safer," says Martin Wiedmann, an associate professor of food microbiology at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Although many of us buy specialty eggs for ethical reasons, some new buyers may be having a "gut-level reaction" to news that the contaminated eggs came from giant industrial farms, he says; it's akin to assuming that cars are a safer mode of transport than planes whenever we hear about a jetliner crash. No doubt, hens raised on organic farms live more enjoyable lives—they aren't confined to cages and are free to wander—but studies haven't shown that well-treated hens are any less likely to carry and transmit salmonella to the eggs they lay. In fact, some studies indicate that they may be more likely to be exposed to the bacteria, often found in dust on the henhouse floor, than hens confined to battery cages, which don't touch the ground. What's more, a recent study conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture found that eggs from "cage-free" hens were more likely to contain chemical contaminants, probably from the soil in fields where the hens were allowed to graze.
Of course, this doesn't address the antibiotic issue and some other nutritional stuff, but I think this "undercooked" egg discussion really boils down to salmonella (no pun intended).
I can see the logic that a factory has more ability to spread disease far and wide, but I haven't figured out why organic eggs are safer. I found a couple of articles that mention some unnamed "studies" that say cage-free is safer because hens aren't as close to one another. But I guess that cage-freedom doesn't necessarily equal cleanliness. That's about as far as I have looked into it.

[gunslinger]

The healthiest way to eat them really is hard boiled. That way you don't have to worry about bacteria or added fat.

[dkaplowitz]

That must have been from the Director's Cut DVD. I just remember him cracking the eggs in a glass and drinking them. No blender involved.

Skip ahead to 1:30.

6U2HME7PoBI
I remember seeing that in the theater when I was 8 years old. I went right home and tried the raw eggs thing. I wretched when the first yolk hit the back of my throat.

[eberg15101]

I've been eating sunny side up for as long as I can remember, and I've been fine:huh

[dkaplowitz]

I've been eating sunny side up for as long as I can remember, and I've been fine:huh
Soon it will be against the law.

[teleman55]

Over medium tastes better.

[mhz88]

I remember seeing that in the theater when I was 8 years old. I went right home and tried the raw eggs thing. I wretched when the first yoke hit the back of my throat.

I did the same thing, i came back from the gym and decided to try it out... with 5 eggs.. those were the days of weider protein pills that they recommend that you chew, only that when you do, they get stuck up your throat.

[Turbo Gerbil]

I make my own Mayo using raw eggs all the time.

[Rick51]

The trick for safe sunny side up eggs is to use a fairly hot pan and then when the eggs are about 3/4 cooked, dump some water elsewhere in the pan and cover with a lid. The steam cooks the top surface enough so there's no more runny white, but the yoke retains its liquid goodness when cut into. It's basically a modded fry/poach technique.

jon

Try leaving a few T. of bacon grease in the pan. Baste the tops of the eggs with the bacon grease (use a spoon, not a brush :rotflmao).

[dnauhei]

How so? I read that the USDA doesn't see any advantage (for humans). Possibly the opposite. I don't believe everything I read though, so just wondering.
Articles:

TIME (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2002334,00.html)

U.S. News (http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/infectious-diseases/articles/2010/08/25/buy-organic-eggs-to-avoid-salmonella-poisoning-maybe-not.html)

The USDA doesn't "See" any difference because it is completely corrupt and owned lock stock and barrel by the industrial food system. There is a huge difference. Every time you hear about a salmonella outbreak, it is never a small organic farm, it is always a huge industrial one.

[bsuite]

my wife has been making me egg white omelets lately... w/ green onion .. dash of bacon bits and garlic pepper and powder.. and a tad of whatever cheese we have laying around... .. dam, I don't miss the yolk at all..... tastes great and healthier... at any rate, I've never gotten sick from sunny side up... and thats using cheap eggs

I would be interested in why eating cheese is healthier than egg yolk. really.

[bluesdoc]

That's one approach. I do something similar but I do it because it makes the eggs taste better, especially on a sandwich.

When the white part gets solid enough, I flip the eggs over, then turn the flame off. Let the eggs sit in the hot pan (sans flame) for about half a minute or so. Then put them on a bagel or roll with bacon etc. The yolks are just cooked enough that they don't get all over your hands, but they're still gooey enough that the flavor is there.

Yes, similar effect, but my technique avoids the broken yolk flip thing, which can ruin an otherwise perfectly good egg breakfast..... :peenut :D

jon

[Jon Silberman]

I like mine sunny side down ... and don't turn 'em over!

;)

[gainiac]

The Best, Hottest, tastiest Sunny-Side Ups...

Olive oil.

Enough to cover the pan cold.

Get it nice and hot.

Crack and drop your eggs in.

When the bottom firms up start shaking the pan and roll the hot oil over the eggs.

When the top is firmed serve. I like mine over steamed rice.

[Mike Fleming]

I don't get it. i cook sunny side up. I use pretty low heat, I cover, and when the white starts climbing up the yolk, I consider them done. And the yolk is still super runny. I never have to splash grease or oil on the top to cook the top. Why do you guys have to do that? I'm not criticizing, i'm honestly just trying to understand the difference in our techniques.

[ACfixer]

I heard raw eggs cause the swine flu and carry anthrax. Run for your lives!

[gainiac]

I don't get it. i cook sunny side up. I use pretty low heat, I cover, and when the white starts climbing up the yolk, I consider them done. And the yolk is still super runny. I never have to splash grease or oil on the top to cook the top. Why do you guys have to do that? I'm not criticizing, i'm honestly just trying to understand the difference in our techniques.

1000 ways to skin a cat...

You cover.....That steams the top...

The hot olive oil crisps the bottom, cooks the top quickly...tastes really good as well and isn't "bad" like butter or grease...I find they really retain heat this way as well.

[Jon Silberman]

We've lost track, here, of the best reason for flipping your eggs over. Most to all of the yolk then hardens, making it easier to remove and throw the cholesterol out. Plus then your farts won't stick as badly!

[Mike Fleming]

We've lost track, here, of the best reason for flipping your eggs over. Most to all of the yolk then hardens, making it easier to remove and throw the cholesterol out. Plus then your farts won't stick as badly!



!!!!! You shouldn't be allowed to buy eggs. :)

[majorledhead]

I eat em. A good case of the squirts ever now and then is a great weight loss tool.

[schmidlin]

I eat em. A good case of the squirts ever now and then is a great weight loss tool.
THIS is why I tune into The Pub.

[eddie101]

And some people just had to go there........... :facepalm

[mignano]

thats the only way I ever eat my eggs - I order my meat rare too. I think there is just as much danger in eating food that is overly sterile and sanitized. My understanding is that your immune system requires natural bacteria to fight off in order to stay strong

I mean, look at Keith Richards. His immune system has been so tempered that he's invincible now.

[schmidlin]

And some people just had to go there........... :facepalm
:D:D:D

[Flyin' Brian]

Two words about using raw eggs:

Orange Julius (back in the good old days)

[Tuberattler]

You bet! over easy or sunny side up.. either way add another egg to that order, there's no rule book that says two for breakfast.. besides I'm having dinner.. Eggs, Hashbrowns, sausage and or bacon, dark toast floating in butter with blackberry jam.. and a LARGE glass of Milk please.. :)