The topic of how to cook sticky proteins  has been discussed on r/LeCreuset from time to time. Here’s the method I currently use. It’s still under development but I thought I’d share it with you as a progress report. Comments and suggestions are welcome!

Here’s how I currently cook scrambled and sunny side up eggs using a small amount of butter + oil learned based on a video from MinuteFood.

https://youtu.be/994MjEQjO7c?si=Rv3HjAnDUNwkZ_NN

The main lesson I gained from this video is that phospholipids and proteins from butter form a barrier between the food and the cooking surface to help prevent sticking. With that in mind I  thought a minimal coating of butter first applied to the pan followed by and about 2-3 tsp of oil (10-15 mL) could work — it’s the method of the video but attempting to use less fat. 

The minor change is an attempt to accommodate the lower thermal conductivity of cast iron. I try to hit an average temperature of about 350F (177C) to stay below the smoke point of butter and olive oil. This is difficult because my gas burner which tends to concentrate heat in the center. The edges can be cool as 225-250F (107-121C) while the center can be the hottest at about 400F (207C). Except for the center, the pan stays below the temperature necessary for the Leidenfrost effect (392-419F, 200-215C). 

Current Steps:

1. Mise en place.


2.Trying to reach 350F midpoint between the center and the edge.  The infrared thermometer shows I overshot this by about 30F (17C). Whoops. 


3. Coat the pan with stick of butter. Just one swipe. 


4. Add 2-3 tsp (10-15 mL) oil.  Tilt pan to coat.


5. Add eggs


6. Cook eggs to achieve the desired outcome. I fold it for my son who likes his eggs in a sandwich. Also I tend to get sticking with at lot of stirring. 


7. Take of eggs just before desired doneness. Carryover cooking tends to finish cooking for me. 

The method is essentially the same for sunny side up eggs. I leave it a bit longer before moving it to avoid breaking the yolk.  For over easy eggs, I use a lid to allow heat to build up and cook from the top. 

As you can see it works for the most part. Minimal sticking, smoking, and browning of butter. 

I’ll update you as I make further progress. Maybe I’ll try a diffuser or attempt the method of repeatedly taking pan off and on heat made famous by a certain irritable chef. 

Cooking Eggs on ECI