Cooking eggs on cast iron sounds intimidating to some, especially if you’ve already tried and were left with a caked-on mess! With a well-seasoned skillet and by following my tips, you’ll make perfect cast iron skillet eggs in no time.
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Things you’ll need:
- Well-seasoned cast iron. If you’re new to cast iron cooking, it’s important to note that you need to season your skillet before trying to cook anything on it, especially eggs! Some newer pans will say they’re pre-seasoned, but you’ll want to season them yourself to be sure nothing sticks. To season your cast iron skillet, you’ll need a fat with a higher smoke point- such as coconut oil or avocado oil. Place a cookie sheet lined with foil on the bottom rack of your oven and preheat it to 450 degrees. Pour the oil into your skillet, and spread it around all surfaces with a towel. (The amount of oil you use depends on the size of your skillet. Generally, 1 tablespoon is plenty for a 12-inch skillet.) Place the skillet upside down on the top rack of your oven, and allow it to bake for an hour. Remove the hot skillet from the oven and allow it to cool! Read more about seasoning your cast iron on the Lodge website.
- Fat. When cooking with cast iron, fats are a necessity. Not only do they prevent your food from sticking at that moment, but they also add another layer of seasoning to the pan, making it even more non-stick with each use.
Preparing Your Cast Iron Skillet
Preheat your skillet
Preheat your cast iron skillet on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. This step ensures the entire pan is heated evenly, and is the most important step in making sure the eggs don’t stick!
Add the fat
Add a pat of butter to the pan and let it melt. Swirl the butter around until it coats the bottom of the skillet evenly.
Cook your cast iron skillet eggs
Now that your pan is ready to go, you can make your eggs scrambled, fried, or sunny-side up! I’ll share the details on how to cook each version below.
How to make scrambled eggs in cast iron
- Preheat your skillet and add the butter.
- Whisk 2 eggs with a tablespoon of heavy cream in a small bowl.
- Pour the mixture into the pan and add salt, pepper, and your preferred seasonings/toppings. Allow the eggs to cook for about 2 minutes, or until the bottom layer is evenly cooked.
- Use a spatula to lift the eggs and check the bottom layer. If cooked, flip the eggs over and scramble them up.
- Turn the burner heat off and allow the eggs to cook to your preferred consistency!
How to fry eggs in a cast iron skillet
- Preheat your skillet and add the butter.
- Crack the eggs into the pan.
- Allow to cook for about 2 minutes, using your spatula to determine if the bottom is cooked through.
- Flip the eggs ONCE, and allow them to cook according to your preferred egg yolk consistency:
- Over-Easy: Once the eggs are flipped, turn the burner off and cook for about 40 seconds. The egg whites should be fully cooked while the egg yolk remains runny.
- Over-Medium: Once the eggs are flipped, turn the burner off and cook for 1 minute. The egg whites should be fully cooked while the egg yolk is mildly runny.
- Over-Hard: Once the eggs are flipped, turn the burner off and cook for 1-2 minutes. Both the egg white and the egg yolk should be fully cooked and hard.
How to make sunny-side up cast iron skillet eggs
- Preheat your skillet and add the butter.
- Crack eggs into the pan.
- Place a lid over the skillet, and cook the eggs for 1 1/2 minutes.
- No need to flip! Simply enjoy this little dose of sunshine!
Do eggs always stick to cast iron?
Nope! If you properly season, preheat, and use the right fat – you can cook perfect cast iron skillet eggs without them sticking.
Why are eggs sticking to my cast iron?
If your eggs are still sticking to your cast iron skillet, I’ve got some troubleshooting steps you can try.
You may need to season the pan one or two more times using the instructions provided at the beginning of the post. Alternatively, you can cook some fatty foods (like bacon) in the skillet a few times before trying to cook eggs. Adding additional layers of seasoning will make the pan even more non-stick as time goes on.
Since cold food has a tendency to stick to cast iron, try leaving the eggs out of the fridge a few minutes prior to cooking.
Finally, make sure you’re allowing the bottom of the eggs to cook fully before your one-time flip. Flipping the eggs prematurely increases the chances that they’ll bind to the pan.
How to serve cast iron skillet eggs.
Nothing says good morning like farm fresh eggs served up with various tasty sides. Here are a few of my favorite ways to eat eggs in the morning:
- Scramble some eggs with your favorite veggies and serve on homemade sourdough flatbreads.
- For a fall breakfast, serve your cast iron skillet eggs alongside air fryer baked apples.
- Whip up some homemade pesto and spread it over two fried eggs for a lighter breakfast.
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