Cooking Eggs in Cast Iron

5 from 4 votes

Cooking eggs in cast iron can be a nightmare, or it can be as non-stick as a Teflon pan! I'm sharing my tips on how to cook eggs in cast iron the right way, so we can all enjoy our scrambled or over-easy eggs for breakfast.

Prep Time5

Cook Time2

Total Time7

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cooking Eggs in Cast Iron

Servings: serving

Calories: 198kcal

Author: Melissa Norris

Cost: varies

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet
Spatula

Ingredients

2 teaspoon butter or other oil
2 eggs

Instructions

Step 1: Place your cast iron skillet over medium heat and let it warm up until you start to see smoke (this may take 3-5 minutes).
Step 2: Add your fat of choice (I love using butter!) and swirl it around the pan.
Step 3: Add your egg(s), but don’t overcrowd the pan. Let them sit until they naturally release from the pan. You can test this by swirling your pan, and if your egg swirls freely, you’re ready to flip!
Step 4: Carefully flip your egg over and allow it to cook briefly on the other side (for over-easy) or a bit longer (for over-medium).
Step 5: Remove the egg from the pan and serve! But wait! Now is the best time to clean your pan while it’s still hot!
Step 6: To clean your pan, scrape any remaining residue with a wooden spatula or bench knife and wipe away with a paper towel. This is generally sufficient, but if you need to wash it quickly, allow the pan to cool slightly before running it under hot water and using a chain-mail scrubber to help remove any stuck-on food.
Step 7: Turn the heat on low to make sure the pan is completely dry (if you had to run it under water). Once the pan is completely dry, add a small amount of oil (I like to use olive oil or avocado oil) and wipe it all over the pan with a dedicated towel, including the sides.
Step 8: Finally, wipe away any excess oil with a clean spot on your towel. Allow the pan to cool completely before storing.

Notes

Pro Tips

There are a few things to keep in mind when cooking eggs in cast iron. You’ll want to make sure you don’t miss these tips, or you may end up with stuck-on eggs and a burnt mess.

Hot Pan – If you add eggs (or even fat) to your cast iron skillet before it has time to properly heat up, your eggs may stick.
Add Fat – Don’t skip the fat! Cast iron pans aren’t like Teflon (which you can cook eggs without a stitch of oil and they won’t stick); they need oil for them to work properly and keep your food from sticking. But just like your eggs, you don’t want to add your fat until your pan is properly heated.
Smooth Cast Pans – If you’re following all my tips and find that your eggs are still sticking, it may be the type of cast iron pan you have. The newer pans (especially Lodge) are a less-expensive rough cast that feels bumpy under your fingers. If this sounds like your pan, you want to get one that has a smooth cast. You can sometimes find these at thrift store or antique stores, or check out my new favorite USA-made cast iron from Smithey.
Use a Properly Seasoned Skillet – It’s important to start with a properly seasoned cast iron pan before trying to master cooking eggs. If you’re using a brand new pan, my advice is to cook fattier foods in it a few times before trying eggs (think bacon, ground beef, etc.).
Don’t Trust Pre-Seasoned Pans – If your new cast iron came saying it was pre-seasoned, just ignore that and follow my tutorial for how to season a cast iron skillet here.

Nutrition