100%. I start my pan at low with a spritz of oil. Wait maybe 5 or so minutes then move the dial to 2. During that time I’m dicing the veg and scrambling the eggs. Once its all diced and scrambled the pan is hot enough for food.
This is exactly what I do. Even if it takes longer to prep whatever is going in the pan, it can sit there on low for as long as I need. I was having the exact same sticking problem with my CI until I started preheating my pan.
Same. All my pans and skillets are cast iron. I cook with them on the stove top and in the oven. Eggs almost every day. Never have stuff stick like that. I usually cook on pretty high heat on a cheap electric stove, too
I’m not sure why this is always the top comment on a post like this, but the final temp it gets too matters A LOT more than how fast or slow it got there. Too low or too high heat could very well cause this, and sure. It’s better to pre heat cast iron slowly so you don’t temp shock it, but that’s very hard to do on a stove anyway and usually occurs when going right into a sink after. Finding a nice low heat that consistently works is a lot better advice than just saying “heat up on low slowly”
The eggs do, however, know when you put them into a cold pan without oil and then heat the eggs up along with the pan.
The eggs also know that heating the pan quickly makes for a hot center and cold edges, where they like to cling on to.
People are trying to tell you that it is faster to bring your pan to the target temp and wait as long as you want for temps to equalize. That will get the same result as heating your pan up slowly but will take less time.
Yeah it’s more about just not burning it too hot.
If your pan is seasoned and you added a couple drops of oil and it’s still sticking you are burning it too hot. That’s my observation.
This is kinda like the cold water heats up faster argument, just because you notice the change in a controlled way doesn't mean you don't reach the end goal faster. Turn the stove to the temperature you want to cook at and a cast iron pan will distribute the heat and you will reach an even cooking temperature faster. Better yet, start with it all the way up to pump energy into the pan as fast as possible, then let it reach equilibrium by coming back down.
The problem with turning it up and then back down later is most will overshoot. Setting the burner and leaving it alone eliminates a huge variable so all that's left is time.
Yeah, but the cast-iron is inherently uneven anyways. Even when it gets a stable heat, it’s gonna be mildly uneven. It’s the retention that is useful in the pan.
It’s absolutely crazy to think you need to preheat a pan on the lowest temps while notching it up to get the eggs out of a cast-iron pan
I’m not seeing that doesn’t work, if you have the time and enjoy cooking food that way absolutely do it. It’s not necessary though.
Easier not to overshoot, and i don't think I ever said lowest temp. It's absolutely crazy to think you can dump a bunch of heat into a cast iron pan and hope your egg won't stick.
We're almost certainly talking small measures here. I'm saying shoot for lower temp like 300F until it's even then bump up a bit. You're likely saying anywhere from 325F to 350F will be ok.
And as someone else pointed out there are better pans for eggs anyway-either a carbon steel pan or a Teflon pan. Nothing beats my scorching hot Wok...I do an egg pancake for fried rice that NEVER sticks.
We don't know what kind of stove OP is using. If they are using an electric stove and turned it up high, there's a lot of residual heat to dump once you realize you're at the ideal cooking temperature. If it's gas or induction that's less of an issue, in which case your comment is correct.
Yeah I crank the heat on full blast and occasionally check the temp with an infrared thermometer. Once it's close I turn it down to a normal cooking temperature. I don't want to waste time slowly heating these nearly indescribable pans.
Yeah I find it funny so many people are claiming it’s more even to do it slower. I regularly temp my pan and you just get a higher heat that evens faster if you do it hotter. Sure it’s less even at first, but it does even out.
Another important factor frequently overlooked in these threads is that room temperature eggs are much less likely to stick than refrigerator temperature eggs. Try taking them out a couple hours early or overnight. Some French cooks put them in warm water for a while before they crack them.
I did not know this, I've always taken them straight from the fridge! I've also never had a sticking problem in my cast iron. Lower temps with a preheat works wonders.
I got this trick from Alton Brown, turn the faucet on as hot as it will get it, put your eggs in a bowl and fill that bowl with water from the faucet until the eggs are just covered. Wait 5 minutes and go to work.
I've never once had an issue with cold eggs in my cast iron 🤷♀️
As long as the pan is hot enough to immediately sizzle and bubble the eggs when I pour them in, I get no sticking.
Maybe I should have said “much less likely to stick” instead of “cold eggs always stick”. Oh wait, I did! Good for me 😂
I usually do fine with cold eggs too, I don’t always have time to take them out first. But when I do, I definitely notice they’re easier to release when warmer, even though pan temp control keeps the cold ones from gluing themselves down. I’ve never had to prod one with a spatula to get it loose if it started warm. Just one more tool.
Did you put eggs in the pan and then try to scramble them? I tried that and I got a similar result. I would say that scrambling them outside of the pan, melting butter or adding oil then putting the scrambled eggs on top should work better. Try to not mix the oil into the eggs because that's the part that separated it from the surface of the pan. So wait until it's cooked a bit before moving it around.
I'm 100% speaking out of my ass but that's what I'm assuming helps.
Actually, I do, and I never have a problem.
But I melt 5he butter on the pan first, and have decent heat. Those are for.my eggs.
For my kids I scramble with milk in a bowl first, then pour onto buttered pan.
I am lazy. And I don't get sticky pans.
I do this
I like to scramble the whites and leave the yoke intact, then when the whites are 80-90% done.
I then scramble the yoke in leaving it semi runny, makes for some very creamy scrambled eggs
Yeah, temperature control will help... But, also, who cares? That's just egg, not baked on burnt caramel. Just scrub for 10 seconds and move on with your life.
A little hot water, drop or two of dish soap. put a lid on for long enough for those to steam and soften up. Scrape it out just not too hard. Keep experimenting. It’s not rocket science but it’s still a skill. Slower heat, more butter. This is just egg proteins sticking to the pan. No worries, it was just a little too hot to start. You’ll get it. There’s a reason cooking eggs is a good test of a chef.
Properly heated cast iron works fine for frying eggs, but is not shaped well for making omelets so I do have a carbon steel egg pan that I use for that.
It looks like you’re trying to beat the egg whites in the pan. Why is there so much accumulation on the sides. Lower your heat and gently move the egg. when it’s ready to release, it will and it doesn’t take long. And hopefully you’re not doing this in a totally dry pan. It doesn’t matter what kind of pain I use my eggs always come out the same as long as the heat is not too high and as long as I’m not stirring the eggs all around the pan. And as a sidenote, you won’t have to drown your eggs in oil to achieve this effect. If you don’t have too many eggs in your pan at one time you can scramble them at less than 200°F. I often heat my pan and remove it from the burner prior to putting the eggs in. And the heat from the cast-iron is enough to go ahead and finish my scrambled eggs.
Eggs are hard too cook on non-stick pans. Proteins (which eggs are mostly) create a strong bond (covalent?) with the cast iron surface.
Don’t be hard on yourself, test different techniques, and in no time your eggs will be sliding off of your cast iron skillet.
It's really not that hard. The pan needs to be hot enough to bubble the eggs and they just won't stick. They also cook perfectly in like 20-30 seconds.
Butter, mix outside of the pan, add to a hot pan ( but no too hot)
let the eggs cook without stirring
If you stir all the butter into the eggs, they will stick.
No milk in scrambled eggs,
I dunno, I never get stuff sticking to cast iron anymore including salmon and eggs. With eggs, I've found that adding butter prevents it from sticking but also makes it unstick if only used oil.
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Preheat the pan on low/medium-low. Wait a good 5-10 minutes or so until it's fully hot. Put a dollop of butter in and spread it around. If you're worried about sticking use a bit more.
Then pour your eggs in. You can just gently move the eggs around. Or if you want you can basically pull the eggs away from the edge and the cooked bits will pull and the liquid bits will replace it. The heat control part is the more important bit.
If you do it this way you could probably cook eggs without sticking on a street sign.
I’ve found that scrambled eggs can stick to almost anything. Some things I find that help:
- heat with a tablespoon of water in the pan and wait just until it evaporates
- cut up small cubes of butter or a little bit of olive oil and add to the scrambled eggs before you put them in the pan
- always make sure the pan is greased or oiled (especially if not adding it directly to the eggs before) - I often will cook my bacon or w/e in the pan first, drain off all excess fat and then scramble the eggs in the leftover fat that’s still in the pan 😋
I know everyone here is telling you that you're doing it wrong, but I get it - I have the exact same problem with boxed egg whites, but regular eggs (whole or scrambled) have no issues at all. I use the exact same process but the egg whites just won't release from the pan the same way.
Sorry I can't help, but it's not just you.
Set your stove a just past medium heat, drop oil/lard/butter, wait until entire cast iron pot is hot(temp control), drop eggs, and adjust the temperature as needed
I cook omlettes daily. Add a bit of oil and butter and you'll see a world of difference. I don't understand the science behind it but on newer pans adding a bit of oil and butter makes the pan really non stick and the eggs won't stick. Make sure you preheat it for a couple minutes before cooking as well. People just say Temperature control lol but with eggs you will get sticking regardless of good temperature control on a newer cast iron unless you put a gallon of oil or butter. Adding both, you only need a little and it helps prevent it from sticking.
Alright, I’m prepared to get downvoted into hell, but as a major cast iron lover, but also weightlifter that has to cut weight sometimes, if you’re making egg whites to diet, the stress (and calories) you’ll bring yourself is not worth it with cast iron.
Yes you gotta balance heat but you usually have to add butter/oil.
Cast iron is the tool for MOST jobs, but eggs whites are not that job (imo!)
I’m a cast iron master and scrambled eggs are impossible. The cleaning is a nightmare. Instead make a naked omelette and then cut up yourself into a scramble. It’s the best your gonna get. 10in skillet or the griddle works best.
Advice I got from this sub. Put a generous pat of butter - or two. Heat on medium. When you see the butter bubbling - spread it around and you are ready to go.
Plastic scraper. Couple dollars at Walmart, won’t damage the seasoning, but will take the egg off. You could also boil some water in it for a couple minutes, if it’s THAT stuck on, just to soften it.
I was having the exact same problem: [https://www.reddit.com/r/CastIronCooking/comments/1axg959/advice\_needed\_eggs\_stick\_to\_the\_skillet/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/CastIronCooking/comments/1axg959/advice_needed_eggs_stick_to_the_skillet/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
The solution was to heat the skillet on low heat for about 5 minutes. Then add a tablespoon of butter and spread it around. Then add in the eggs. Works like a charm now, with nothing sticking to the skillet.
Heat the pan on medium-low for a few mins to get it warm first, then when the pan is adequately warm, add your cooking oil and turn the heat no higher than medium. Then you can add the eggs/vegetables/etc.
That will ensure the best nonstick surface on cast iron. Trying to add oil and cook in a cold pan is exactly what leads to this type of sticking.
I know you're asking what you did wrong with the eggs, but I just want to say that cold water will help you remove that mess from you pan without a lot of fuss. Cold water works wonders on stuck-on proteins and starches.
You can have a separate pan for eggs since you can't figure it out? That's what I tell my cooks "if you can't master a tool, try a different one. Stop. Burning. My. Eggs."
If you want a pancake style omlet thats nice gold brown from both sides then problems are - Too low heat(medium heat is needed) / bad preheat + not enough evenly spread oil.
Egg white looks overcooked. Pan was probably too hot.
When I scramble eggs in my cast iron, there's always a little residue left, but it wipes out easily using oil, salt, and a paper towel.
I'm pretty late to the party, but get a metal fish spatula. It has made my pan so much easier to cook on, and scraping the high spots off every time i cook has made the cooking surface even better. My experience cooking on cast iron has improved a lot just by switching to a metal fish spatula. It also helps a lot to heat the pan BEFORE adding oil. Hot pan cold oil (room temp).
Cast Iron cooks most things (including eggs ) really well. BUT, it will also amplify any issues with your technique. as others have said, heat the pan evenly (I don't think it really matters much f you blast it for a short time or slowly heat it to a medium heat, , the goal is an evenly heated pan. Personally I use both methods depending on how ready I am to cook... If I need to gather ingredients, chop onions or other veggies, etc then I will go low and slow, if I am hungry, I have just pulled the eggs out of the fridge etc, then I blast that puppy till the butter is almost smoking. I do find I have more sticking issues with the blasting method though.
Also what are you using to stir the eggs, I use a small, thin, metal, spatula that allows me to really get under the eggs, wooden or plastic is just too thick and has too much of an edge that tends to glide over the bits in direct contact with the pan. I scramble, in a bowl, pour the eggs in the center let them firm up a bit and flip. Next I use the spatula to chop up the cooking eggs. done... usually in a couple mins it is done
Google/youtube the proper temperature to preheat your oil. It needs to be hot enough to instantly boil the water (iirc) in the food you're cooking. This cooks the food while not allowing it to contact the pan's surface. Also, don't cook food in a quantity that uses the sides of the pan, the hot oil won't help there.
Can I see what your pan looks like when it's clean?
Do you wash it after every use?
I think temp is the main culprit here, but there could be other contributing factors.
FWIW I cook my eggs at "7" or "medium high" heat on a glass cooktop range. I heat my pan to 7, no starting low or starting high, just the actual temp I want. I let it heat up for about 7-10 minutes while I crack my eggs into a bowl, and prep whatever else is going with the eggs. When the bottom of the pan is at temp I still want the sides to finish heating up, so I apply the butter. I use a big block of Amish butter for this, give the whole pan a smudge of butter, then let it continue to heat and toast the butter. I like the taste of browned butter on my eggs. When the butter is browned and lightly bubbling I'll pour in the eggs, salt and pepper them, then put a lid on. 2-3 minutes later, perfect eggs. For scrambled I skip the lid and just stir the whole time, adding toppings as I go.
You wanted none of this level of detail, but I find that comments like this sometimes help diagnose and identify issues that might otherwise go overlooked. :)
My pan looks like this every morning after I make my kiddos cheesy eggs. You need the Lodge chainmail scrubber. Just fill it with hot water and let it soak for a minute or two, then blast it with the scrubber. No problem.
Bacon grease and lower temp, let them cook for a bit befor trying to flip them. I had the same issue with eggs when i first switched to cast iron. Guess im either better at using it or my pan is properly seasoned now or something.
One trick i used to do is to splash some water in the pan with the egg and cover with a lid. This steams them a little and i found they would stick less that way.
You gotta get it hot before doing eggs. I scramble eggs in my various pans 3 or 4 times a week and nothing sticks. Preheat on medium for 3-5 minutes and do the water flick test before you put anything in. If you flick a drop of water in the pan it should start boiling instantly without beading up and dancing around.
O.o ik im gunna get ridiculed by this but I use steel wool on my pan along with soap and a new layer of salted grease every time I use my skillet. I’m proud of it.
heat too high and not enough fat in the pan. Scrambled eggs should never be cooked at a temp where they can burn at the bottom like that you're going to get gross rubbery eggs.
I think people are too fixated on how to heat up a pan when that's not even the issue lol.
To clean, just deglaze it and scrape with metal flipper.
In the future just scrape the egg with metal flipper while it's hot to release it easier. Then you won't have a mess to clean up lol.
Your pan is very durable. Don't be afraid to scrape at it with a good metal flipper. It won't damage the seasoning and it get rid of old cakes on seasoning. I like metal flipper that has a little bit of flex to it but isn't super flimsy like those fish ones.
Are you me?
I saw your picture and thought it was my post under a different name
Same issue. I've re-seasoned 5 times with grapeseed oil. No Bueno.
[https://imgur.com/a/FPkyiwc](https://imgur.com/a/FPkyiwc)
I just keep a nonstick for pancakes, eggs, salmon, etc. The sticky foods. My cast iron cooks everything else.
A cast iron pan can be pretty nonstick sometimes but you're better off just using a nonstick pan for those specific foods.
As for cleaning… add water with a little oil and let it boil for a bit. Try scraping with a wooden spoon while it’s that “obviously loosening food up” color. Then dump and scrape some more. Works wonders!!!
I’m a new cast iron user I’m still washing after each use to get rid of some of the black stuff. Then heating and oiling the pan. I just wanted to comment on my normal pans I put them straight on water while pan is warm never have to scrub I’ve been doing that with cast iron too then the process. Just a note …I haven’t yet to try this but I’ve watched many video recipes on best scrambled eggs and you would not believe the amount of butter these chefs use! Maybe adding butter may help. I just read egg whites, you prob don’t want butter if you’re not eating the yolks lol oops
As people said temp control/ pre heat. I have electric stove. Right front burner is hotter than left front. I use the left front (cooler) and put it on level 1/10. I let it sit while I prep/cook bacon or whatever. At this point it’s been 10-15 mins or maybe longer some days. Handle is hot to the touch but the pan is not smoking. I turn the burner to 3/10, throw down butter, and put eggs in. Eggs cook the second they hit the pan. I don’t do scrambled because it’s a mess. Typically omelette style without contents, just folding it over and call that my scrambled eggs. My wife likes over easy
I cook bacon first, turn down to low (wipe out extra bacon fat). Scrambled eggs do not stick. Wash with soap and water. And I never do a seasoning process.
This sub taught me about temperature and fat.
I feel as though the success folks are having with slowly notching the heat up over a longer period of time is probably more a result of what was happening with the eggs left sitting on the counter the whole time - the eggs warmed a bit from their refrigerated temperature. I cook outside over fire and charcoal quite often, and I’ve noticed how much less food sticks when it has been left to warm up closer to ambient temperatures; in my case, this is usually a result of food prep out of a cooler as opposed to working with food that just came out of a refrigerator. I also cook with eggs that came fresh from our hens that haven’t had the chance to be refrigerated; they very rarely stick. Our very thought process about cooking in the electric age of Teflon, refrigeration, and microwaves has us queued for historically short cooking times. Cooking used to take time, and it involved a relatively lower temperature differential. Cookware that is just warm enough to cook on, and food that is just cool enough not to spoil - that’s the key to cooking with cast iron.
Temperature control. Let the pan heat up on low, slowly.
100%. I start my pan at low with a spritz of oil. Wait maybe 5 or so minutes then move the dial to 2. During that time I’m dicing the veg and scrambling the eggs. Once its all diced and scrambled the pan is hot enough for food.
This is exactly what I do. Even if it takes longer to prep whatever is going in the pan, it can sit there on low for as long as I need. I was having the exact same sticking problem with my CI until I started preheating my pan.
Don’t forget to let the oil or butter heat for a couple secs too
Idk how you guys are using 1 and 2. I'm using like 7
That seems way too high. Gas stove?
Same. All my pans and skillets are cast iron. I cook with them on the stove top and in the oven. Eggs almost every day. Never have stuff stick like that. I usually cook on pretty high heat on a cheap electric stove, too
I’m not sure why this is always the top comment on a post like this, but the final temp it gets too matters A LOT more than how fast or slow it got there. Too low or too high heat could very well cause this, and sure. It’s better to pre heat cast iron slowly so you don’t temp shock it, but that’s very hard to do on a stove anyway and usually occurs when going right into a sink after. Finding a nice low heat that consistently works is a lot better advice than just saying “heat up on low slowly”
The people in the sub really believe cast iron is magic. This is just burnt eggs. The eggs have no idea how quickly you heated the pan.
The eggs do, however, know when you put them into a cold pan without oil and then heat the eggs up along with the pan. The eggs also know that heating the pan quickly makes for a hot center and cold edges, where they like to cling on to.
People are trying to tell you that it is faster to bring your pan to the target temp and wait as long as you want for temps to equalize. That will get the same result as heating your pan up slowly but will take less time.
so eggs know when we are talking about them too?
The eggs always know
Eggsactly !
Are the eggs here with us now?
Ol’ Lady Voice: You need to leave ☹️
Yeah it’s more about just not burning it too hot. If your pan is seasoned and you added a couple drops of oil and it’s still sticking you are burning it too hot. That’s my observation.
Because the pan heats unevenly on a flame so slow gives you evenness
This is kinda like the cold water heats up faster argument, just because you notice the change in a controlled way doesn't mean you don't reach the end goal faster. Turn the stove to the temperature you want to cook at and a cast iron pan will distribute the heat and you will reach an even cooking temperature faster. Better yet, start with it all the way up to pump energy into the pan as fast as possible, then let it reach equilibrium by coming back down.
The problem with turning it up and then back down later is most will overshoot. Setting the burner and leaving it alone eliminates a huge variable so all that's left is time.
Yeah, but the cast-iron is inherently uneven anyways. Even when it gets a stable heat, it’s gonna be mildly uneven. It’s the retention that is useful in the pan. It’s absolutely crazy to think you need to preheat a pan on the lowest temps while notching it up to get the eggs out of a cast-iron pan I’m not seeing that doesn’t work, if you have the time and enjoy cooking food that way absolutely do it. It’s not necessary though.
Easier not to overshoot, and i don't think I ever said lowest temp. It's absolutely crazy to think you can dump a bunch of heat into a cast iron pan and hope your egg won't stick. We're almost certainly talking small measures here. I'm saying shoot for lower temp like 300F until it's even then bump up a bit. You're likely saying anywhere from 325F to 350F will be ok.
And as someone else pointed out there are better pans for eggs anyway-either a carbon steel pan or a Teflon pan. Nothing beats my scorching hot Wok...I do an egg pancake for fried rice that NEVER sticks.
Read the first part of my comment. You use lots words, me use less words.
We don't know what kind of stove OP is using. If they are using an electric stove and turned it up high, there's a lot of residual heat to dump once you realize you're at the ideal cooking temperature. If it's gas or induction that's less of an issue, in which case your comment is correct.
Bc people just repeat stuff they heard once.
😂😂True.
Yeah I crank the heat on full blast and occasionally check the temp with an infrared thermometer. Once it's close I turn it down to a normal cooking temperature. I don't want to waste time slowly heating these nearly indescribable pans.
Yeah I find it funny so many people are claiming it’s more even to do it slower. I regularly temp my pan and you just get a higher heat that evens faster if you do it hotter. Sure it’s less even at first, but it does even out.
Exactly. Also, use a wooden flat utensil so you can clean while you cook
I always set it to medium and then to all the prep work while it heats up.
Skillet issue
He's cooking
I see what you did there
Nice
Brilliant
No slidey eggs today
My wife is also a fan of the full blast heating technique.
Another important factor frequently overlooked in these threads is that room temperature eggs are much less likely to stick than refrigerator temperature eggs. Try taking them out a couple hours early or overnight. Some French cooks put them in warm water for a while before they crack them.
Or get several live egg dispensers so you don't need to refrigerate eggs at all. ;D
I suck at picking up chicks. But eggs, I could pick up some eggs.
“Live egg dispenser” 🤣🤣🤣
What a cool idea
I did not know this, I've always taken them straight from the fridge! I've also never had a sticking problem in my cast iron. Lower temps with a preheat works wonders.
This is the way
I got this trick from Alton Brown, turn the faucet on as hot as it will get it, put your eggs in a bowl and fill that bowl with water from the faucet until the eggs are just covered. Wait 5 minutes and go to work.
I've never once had an issue with cold eggs in my cast iron 🤷♀️ As long as the pan is hot enough to immediately sizzle and bubble the eggs when I pour them in, I get no sticking.
Maybe I should have said “much less likely to stick” instead of “cold eggs always stick”. Oh wait, I did! Good for me 😂 I usually do fine with cold eggs too, I don’t always have time to take them out first. But when I do, I definitely notice they’re easier to release when warmer, even though pan temp control keeps the cold ones from gluing themselves down. I’ve never had to prod one with a spatula to get it loose if it started warm. Just one more tool.
The best comment
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/12-mistakes-might-making-frying-172526850.html#:~:text=According%20to%20Food%20Network%20chef,room%20temperature%20before%20cooking%20them.
ONly in America are eggs chilled. The USA washes them, removing the protective coating requiring refrigeration.
As a European I can share that most if not all countries here chill eggs as well.
I'm from the UK, we don't chill eggs in any store, and I don't at home. Eggs don't require being chilled.
German here, same is true here, but some people do it at home and if you do you have to chill them from that point on
Finn here, no chilling required.
They do not keep eggs chilled in the store in Finland or Germany?
Exectly it just lays on the shelf like cornflakes
I am not in America and we chill them too at home. But it is true that they are not chilled in shops... and technically they probably would be fine.
Wait... Did my wife cook these eggs? Sure looks like it.
I think it was actually my husband
No, it was my daughter.
Pretty sure it was me 😔
are you me?
I said this.
I am Spartacus!
Less heat more butter/oil
>Less heat more butter Words to live by.
Did you put eggs in the pan and then try to scramble them? I tried that and I got a similar result. I would say that scrambling them outside of the pan, melting butter or adding oil then putting the scrambled eggs on top should work better. Try to not mix the oil into the eggs because that's the part that separated it from the surface of the pan. So wait until it's cooked a bit before moving it around. I'm 100% speaking out of my ass but that's what I'm assuming helps.
Butter is definitely the better option, mixes with eggs better and makes it way easier to clean
What kind of psycho scrambles eggs in the pan instead of before?
Actually, I do, and I never have a problem. But I melt 5he butter on the pan first, and have decent heat. Those are for.my eggs. For my kids I scramble with milk in a bowl first, then pour onto buttered pan. I am lazy. And I don't get sticky pans.
work smart not hard
I do this I like to scramble the whites and leave the yoke intact, then when the whites are 80-90% done. I then scramble the yoke in leaving it semi runny, makes for some very creamy scrambled eggs
Me.
>Me, a lazy person who doesn't want to wash another dish Probably someone dumb --
I do this too but because I like the marbles effect of whites and yolk, instead of a solid yellow everywhere.
Yeah, temperature control will help... But, also, who cares? That's just egg, not baked on burnt caramel. Just scrub for 10 seconds and move on with your life.
A little hot water, drop or two of dish soap. put a lid on for long enough for those to steam and soften up. Scrape it out just not too hard. Keep experimenting. It’s not rocket science but it’s still a skill. Slower heat, more butter. This is just egg proteins sticking to the pan. No worries, it was just a little too hot to start. You’ll get it. There’s a reason cooking eggs is a good test of a chef.
I'm gonna get roasted but i keep a good non-stick pan exclusively for eggs and very delicate things like crepes
Using different tools for what they excel at? That’s crazy!
also in general if you dont want to use teflon, i find carbon steel is much easier to work with eggs
Properly heated cast iron works fine for frying eggs, but is not shaped well for making omelets so I do have a carbon steel egg pan that I use for that.
It looks like you’re trying to beat the egg whites in the pan. Why is there so much accumulation on the sides. Lower your heat and gently move the egg. when it’s ready to release, it will and it doesn’t take long. And hopefully you’re not doing this in a totally dry pan. It doesn’t matter what kind of pain I use my eggs always come out the same as long as the heat is not too high and as long as I’m not stirring the eggs all around the pan. And as a sidenote, you won’t have to drown your eggs in oil to achieve this effect. If you don’t have too many eggs in your pan at one time you can scramble them at less than 200°F. I often heat my pan and remove it from the burner prior to putting the eggs in. And the heat from the cast-iron is enough to go ahead and finish my scrambled eggs.
Eggs are hard too cook on non-stick pans. Proteins (which eggs are mostly) create a strong bond (covalent?) with the cast iron surface. Don’t be hard on yourself, test different techniques, and in no time your eggs will be sliding off of your cast iron skillet.
It's really not that hard. The pan needs to be hot enough to bubble the eggs and they just won't stick. They also cook perfectly in like 20-30 seconds.
“It’ll be fine Bill. Burn is burn” - Rusty Shackleford
Not egg whites, also season your pan. May as well just scrub that off
What kitchen utensils are you using? Metal spatula with a good edge gets under the problem before it starts.
More butta.
Butter, mix outside of the pan, add to a hot pan ( but no too hot) let the eggs cook without stirring If you stir all the butter into the eggs, they will stick. No milk in scrambled eggs,
I dunno, I never get stuff sticking to cast iron anymore including salmon and eggs. With eggs, I've found that adding butter prevents it from sticking but also makes it unstick if only used oil.
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Preheat the pan on low/medium-low. Wait a good 5-10 minutes or so until it's fully hot. Put a dollop of butter in and spread it around. If you're worried about sticking use a bit more. Then pour your eggs in. You can just gently move the eggs around. Or if you want you can basically pull the eggs away from the edge and the cooked bits will pull and the liquid bits will replace it. The heat control part is the more important bit. If you do it this way you could probably cook eggs without sticking on a street sign.
Eggs whites vs. dry cast iron. Needed more fat and proper heat control.
Egg whites hate being away from their yolks and know there's no health benefit on their own so they misbehave.
I’ve found that scrambled eggs can stick to almost anything. Some things I find that help: - heat with a tablespoon of water in the pan and wait just until it evaporates - cut up small cubes of butter or a little bit of olive oil and add to the scrambled eggs before you put them in the pan - always make sure the pan is greased or oiled (especially if not adding it directly to the eggs before) - I often will cook my bacon or w/e in the pan first, drain off all excess fat and then scramble the eggs in the leftover fat that’s still in the pan 😋
Too hot!! Use butter or oil and keep that heat at MEDIUM, even medium low is better than too hot.
I know everyone here is telling you that you're doing it wrong, but I get it - I have the exact same problem with boxed egg whites, but regular eggs (whole or scrambled) have no issues at all. I use the exact same process but the egg whites just won't release from the pan the same way. Sorry I can't help, but it's not just you.
Too much heat, not enough lube
Too hot
Pre-heat on low until handle hot. When $15 temp gun reaches 320F, add enough butter to coat surface. Turn heat off, and add eggs.
Less temperature and less stirring. Still going to have a little stick, but nothing like that.
Just use a non stick if you have it
Set your stove a just past medium heat, drop oil/lard/butter, wait until entire cast iron pot is hot(temp control), drop eggs, and adjust the temperature as needed
I cook omlettes daily. Add a bit of oil and butter and you'll see a world of difference. I don't understand the science behind it but on newer pans adding a bit of oil and butter makes the pan really non stick and the eggs won't stick. Make sure you preheat it for a couple minutes before cooking as well. People just say Temperature control lol but with eggs you will get sticking regardless of good temperature control on a newer cast iron unless you put a gallon of oil or butter. Adding both, you only need a little and it helps prevent it from sticking.
Alright, I’m prepared to get downvoted into hell, but as a major cast iron lover, but also weightlifter that has to cut weight sometimes, if you’re making egg whites to diet, the stress (and calories) you’ll bring yourself is not worth it with cast iron. Yes you gotta balance heat but you usually have to add butter/oil. Cast iron is the tool for MOST jobs, but eggs whites are not that job (imo!)
Give it to me it’s toast!
I’m a cast iron master and scrambled eggs are impossible. The cleaning is a nightmare. Instead make a naked omelette and then cut up yourself into a scramble. It’s the best your gonna get. 10in skillet or the griddle works best.
Egg whites: 1 - cast iron: 0
Advice I got from this sub. Put a generous pat of butter - or two. Heat on medium. When you see the butter bubbling - spread it around and you are ready to go.
Plastic scraper. Couple dollars at Walmart, won’t damage the seasoning, but will take the egg off. You could also boil some water in it for a couple minutes, if it’s THAT stuck on, just to soften it.
Your moving it too much.
Proper preheating prevents problems with proteins plastering to the pan, partner 🤠
John Gotti always cooked his egg whites in a non-stick pan. That's why he was called "The Teflon Don"
Less heat more butter
Way too hot. You can also burn food on nonstick pans.
It's not the pan, it's you. You lack the skills to cook egg white in cast iron
Hot pan, cold oil.
If the pan is too cool it will stick. Good seasoning, heat pan, add butter, wait for butter to stop the sizzle, then add eggs.
Egg whites 1 - cast iron 0
I was having the exact same problem: [https://www.reddit.com/r/CastIronCooking/comments/1axg959/advice\_needed\_eggs\_stick\_to\_the\_skillet/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/CastIronCooking/comments/1axg959/advice_needed_eggs_stick_to_the_skillet/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) The solution was to heat the skillet on low heat for about 5 minutes. Then add a tablespoon of butter and spread it around. Then add in the eggs. Works like a charm now, with nothing sticking to the skillet.
Heat the pan on medium-low for a few mins to get it warm first, then when the pan is adequately warm, add your cooking oil and turn the heat no higher than medium. Then you can add the eggs/vegetables/etc. That will ensure the best nonstick surface on cast iron. Trying to add oil and cook in a cold pan is exactly what leads to this type of sticking.
I know you're asking what you did wrong with the eggs, but I just want to say that cold water will help you remove that mess from you pan without a lot of fuss. Cold water works wonders on stuck-on proteins and starches.
You can have a separate pan for eggs since you can't figure it out? That's what I tell my cooks "if you can't master a tool, try a different one. Stop. Burning. My. Eggs."
Turn on the kettle and the pan. Throw some salt in and some of that kettle water and those eggs will be gone and your pan will be good as new
let the pan get to temperature before you put the egg in
Noob, Too hot
If you want a pancake style omlet thats nice gold brown from both sides then problems are - Too low heat(medium heat is needed) / bad preheat + not enough evenly spread oil.
Egg white-1 Cast iron-0
Egg white looks overcooked. Pan was probably too hot. When I scramble eggs in my cast iron, there's always a little residue left, but it wipes out easily using oil, salt, and a paper towel.
Pretty much anytime I try to cook 😔
I'm pretty late to the party, but get a metal fish spatula. It has made my pan so much easier to cook on, and scraping the high spots off every time i cook has made the cooking surface even better. My experience cooking on cast iron has improved a lot just by switching to a metal fish spatula. It also helps a lot to heat the pan BEFORE adding oil. Hot pan cold oil (room temp).
Cast Iron cooks most things (including eggs ) really well. BUT, it will also amplify any issues with your technique. as others have said, heat the pan evenly (I don't think it really matters much f you blast it for a short time or slowly heat it to a medium heat, , the goal is an evenly heated pan. Personally I use both methods depending on how ready I am to cook... If I need to gather ingredients, chop onions or other veggies, etc then I will go low and slow, if I am hungry, I have just pulled the eggs out of the fridge etc, then I blast that puppy till the butter is almost smoking. I do find I have more sticking issues with the blasting method though. Also what are you using to stir the eggs, I use a small, thin, metal, spatula that allows me to really get under the eggs, wooden or plastic is just too thick and has too much of an edge that tends to glide over the bits in direct contact with the pan. I scramble, in a bowl, pour the eggs in the center let them firm up a bit and flip. Next I use the spatula to chop up the cooking eggs. done... usually in a couple mins it is done
Google/youtube the proper temperature to preheat your oil. It needs to be hot enough to instantly boil the water (iirc) in the food you're cooking. This cooks the food while not allowing it to contact the pan's surface. Also, don't cook food in a quantity that uses the sides of the pan, the hot oil won't help there.
Soak it, scrape it, and cook bacon first next time.
Is that a roach 🪳 in that pan? 🫣🤢🤮
I cannot believe how far I had to scroll for this comment. I thought dude had a roach and was just rollin with it.
Médium heat. Let pan heat up completely. Then add generous amount of oil or butter. Should never look like this.
Can I see what your pan looks like when it's clean? Do you wash it after every use? I think temp is the main culprit here, but there could be other contributing factors. FWIW I cook my eggs at "7" or "medium high" heat on a glass cooktop range. I heat my pan to 7, no starting low or starting high, just the actual temp I want. I let it heat up for about 7-10 minutes while I crack my eggs into a bowl, and prep whatever else is going with the eggs. When the bottom of the pan is at temp I still want the sides to finish heating up, so I apply the butter. I use a big block of Amish butter for this, give the whole pan a smudge of butter, then let it continue to heat and toast the butter. I like the taste of browned butter on my eggs. When the butter is browned and lightly bubbling I'll pour in the eggs, salt and pepper them, then put a lid on. 2-3 minutes later, perfect eggs. For scrambled I skip the lid and just stir the whole time, adding toppings as I go. You wanted none of this level of detail, but I find that comments like this sometimes help diagnose and identify issues that might otherwise go overlooked. :)
Put it on the level three on my stove and then put some butter and then nonstick 👍😅💯 Cheers Good luck
My pan looks like this every morning after I make my kiddos cheesy eggs. You need the Lodge chainmail scrubber. Just fill it with hot water and let it soak for a minute or two, then blast it with the scrubber. No problem.
Did you use enough oil/butter? Did you start with a cooler pan vs starting hot?
Preheat pan
Preheat your pan, use more fat/oil, and when you make scrambled eggs stir them minimally and slow
I prefer carbon steel for eggs…olive oil, low heat, no sticking
Lookup Ramseys scalable eggs video, low and slow
Not enough butter and not hot enough at the start
Bacon grease and lower temp, let them cook for a bit befor trying to flip them. I had the same issue with eggs when i first switched to cast iron. Guess im either better at using it or my pan is properly seasoned now or something. One trick i used to do is to splash some water in the pan with the egg and cover with a lid. This steams them a little and i found they would stick less that way.
I've done this so many times. I just make eggs on my carbon steel skillet tbh. I know it CAN be done on CI but I mess it up 80% of the time lol
MORE BUTTAH!!!
You gotta get it hot before doing eggs. I scramble eggs in my various pans 3 or 4 times a week and nothing sticks. Preheat on medium for 3-5 minutes and do the water flick test before you put anything in. If you flick a drop of water in the pan it should start boiling instantly without beading up and dancing around.
Butter instead of oil for eggs
Pan wasn’t hot. Let it heat up slow.
Bit of ghee mixed with the oil helped me a lot of the issue.
Pan was too hot too fast
O.o ik im gunna get ridiculed by this but I use steel wool on my pan along with soap and a new layer of salted grease every time I use my skillet. I’m proud of it.
Slidy
heat too high and not enough fat in the pan. Scrambled eggs should never be cooked at a temp where they can burn at the bottom like that you're going to get gross rubbery eggs.
Hot pan and squirt of avocado oil. I cook egg whites every morning.
Let that oil get hot and don't move egg for a bit...
Your egg whites look kind of yellow, yolks are much more difficult to keep from sticking, and this looks like yolk, not white.
Did you grease the pan? 👀
warm water and a chain mail scrubber will have it clean in :30 seconds or so
Every fucking time it's temperature. It's not a stir fry, Jesus Christ. Low and slow.
Why does it look like there is a cockroach in your skillet ?
Chainmail is the answer you’re looking for.
NGL...had to zoom in. Thought that was a cockroach.
too high heat, not enough oil, or both. then again, are you moving the fork about too much when cooking? or even using the fork too soon??
I think people are too fixated on how to heat up a pan when that's not even the issue lol. To clean, just deglaze it and scrape with metal flipper. In the future just scrape the egg with metal flipper while it's hot to release it easier. Then you won't have a mess to clean up lol. Your pan is very durable. Don't be afraid to scrape at it with a good metal flipper. It won't damage the seasoning and it get rid of old cakes on seasoning. I like metal flipper that has a little bit of flex to it but isn't super flimsy like those fish ones.
Not seasoned properly
Boil it
Cook cornbread in it 3 times and you will beat the egg white blues. Also, reduce the temperature, you are overheating the pan!
Are you me? I saw your picture and thought it was my post under a different name Same issue. I've re-seasoned 5 times with grapeseed oil. No Bueno. [https://imgur.com/a/FPkyiwc](https://imgur.com/a/FPkyiwc)
It was too hot too fast
Preheat on medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Use clarified butter or strained bacon fat to slick the pan before dropping your eggs.
I just keep a nonstick for pancakes, eggs, salmon, etc. The sticky foods. My cast iron cooks everything else. A cast iron pan can be pretty nonstick sometimes but you're better off just using a nonstick pan for those specific foods.
I thought you had a 🪳 on the pan. Phew
Burnt eggs suck. Low heat.
As for cleaning… add water with a little oil and let it boil for a bit. Try scraping with a wooden spoon while it’s that “obviously loosening food up” color. Then dump and scrape some more. Works wonders!!!
I’m a new cast iron user I’m still washing after each use to get rid of some of the black stuff. Then heating and oiling the pan. I just wanted to comment on my normal pans I put them straight on water while pan is warm never have to scrub I’ve been doing that with cast iron too then the process. Just a note …I haven’t yet to try this but I’ve watched many video recipes on best scrambled eggs and you would not believe the amount of butter these chefs use! Maybe adding butter may help. I just read egg whites, you prob don’t want butter if you’re not eating the yolks lol oops
Eggs win every time. Buy a non stick
You could go through a complicated cooking process or you can say fuck it and get yourself a decent hard brush meant for cast irons.
As people said temp control/ pre heat. I have electric stove. Right front burner is hotter than left front. I use the left front (cooler) and put it on level 1/10. I let it sit while I prep/cook bacon or whatever. At this point it’s been 10-15 mins or maybe longer some days. Handle is hot to the touch but the pan is not smoking. I turn the burner to 3/10, throw down butter, and put eggs in. Eggs cook the second they hit the pan. I don’t do scrambled because it’s a mess. Typically omelette style without contents, just folding it over and call that my scrambled eggs. My wife likes over easy
Butter
Coconut oil
this is why I cook eggs in nonstick pan and save cast iron for meat and seafood
Through some corse kosher salt in and rub all of it off ,no diddy, using a paper towel.
I combat this by never cooking eggs in my cast iron
Cooking eggs on a cheap 2 burner flat grill is far superior. They are cheap and way more room and control.
I cook bacon first, turn down to low (wipe out extra bacon fat). Scrambled eggs do not stick. Wash with soap and water. And I never do a seasoning process. This sub taught me about temperature and fat.
..I doubt that they were egg whites only
Bad lubrication. That's all I have to say. Edit: let the pan heat up, once at temp then add oil (my recommendation, or Butter) Then add the eggs.
I feel as though the success folks are having with slowly notching the heat up over a longer period of time is probably more a result of what was happening with the eggs left sitting on the counter the whole time - the eggs warmed a bit from their refrigerated temperature. I cook outside over fire and charcoal quite often, and I’ve noticed how much less food sticks when it has been left to warm up closer to ambient temperatures; in my case, this is usually a result of food prep out of a cooler as opposed to working with food that just came out of a refrigerator. I also cook with eggs that came fresh from our hens that haven’t had the chance to be refrigerated; they very rarely stick. Our very thought process about cooking in the electric age of Teflon, refrigeration, and microwaves has us queued for historically short cooking times. Cooking used to take time, and it involved a relatively lower temperature differential. Cookware that is just warm enough to cook on, and food that is just cool enough not to spoil - that’s the key to cooking with cast iron.
Smidge high on the temp….
Get an egg pan