Whether you’re pressed for time when cooking or you’ve got a large household to feed, any tricks that can make cooking a little easier are worth a small investment. While eggs are simple to make, an egg ring ensures your eggs look great and taste great, every time.
Even the most experienced cook can find it tricky to cook an egg to perfection with an egg ring. It can take a little getting used to, but the results are well worth it.
An egg ring is a small piece of kitchen equipment designed to sit in a frying pan. You simply crack an egg into the egg ring to cook eggs in a consistent shape. Egg rings come in lots of different sizes, shapes, materials and colors.
Metal egg rings are usually made from stainless steel. Many steel egg rings are also coated in a nonstick coating, similar to that found on a frying pan. Stainless steel is a good option as it typically distributes heat more evenly than silicone, meaning your food is cooked more evenly.
Silicone has become a popular material for baking equipment such as cake pans. You can find many different sizes of egg rings available in silicone. While it may be less likely to retain its shape than a metal egg ring, silicone is nonstick and often much easier to clean. It also won’t scratch your skillet or any other surfaces in your kitchen.
Most egg rings are round so you can cook perfectly round fried eggs. However, you can also pick up egg rings in fun shapes and themes, such as heart-shaped egg rings for Valentine’s Day, if you want to get a little creative.
Even if you’re going for a standard circular egg ring, you can choose between a range of diameters depending on your depth preferences. Plus, you can use egg rings to keep lots of different types of foods a consistent shape and depth. If you’re cooking eggs or mini omelettes, a small or medium size egg ring is best. If you want to try out larger foods such as pancakes, an egg ring with a larger diameter is preferable.
If you want to use egg rings to cook for large groups, you can also try connected egg rings to batch cook your fried eggs.
Silicone egg rings are generally easier to clean, but most metal egg rings are dishwasher-safe. To prevent rust, however, metal egg rings are best cleaned and dried by hand. If your metal egg rings have a nonstick surface, you should avoid any abrasive cleaning product or tools.
Popular features of egg rings include nonstick surfaces. You can also get egg rings with handles. Handles make it easier to move and lift the egg rings when they’re hot.
Egg rings, or griddle rings as they’re sometimes called, are suitable for everyone from beginner at-home cooks to professional chefs. For beginner cooks, they make it easier to learn how long you need to cook your eggs and other items. For professionals, they provide a quick and easy way to time your cooking and produce consistent results.
You also don’t have to like eggs for these rings to be useful. Larger egg rings can also be used to cook items such as pancakes, omelettes, burgers and more.
Whether you’re planning to cook eggs, mini omelettes, pancakes or hamburgers, there are a few core steps to using an egg ring effectively.
Uneven pans or textured surfaces can cause runny items like eggs to seep out at the bottom of the egg ring. Choose a flat skillet without warping for best results.
Add some oil to your skillet and preheat it. Oils with a high smoking point such as extra virgin olive oil are best to prevent smoking and burning. A medium or high heat is best for eggs and they should begin to sizzle as soon as they hit the pan.
If you’re working with silicone egg rings, they generally don’t need to be greased. For metal egg rings, use a pastry brush to coat the inside with oil or use some foil and a small amount of butter. Once they’re greased, add your egg rings to the surface of your skillet. Allow the egg rings to preheat for around 30-60 seconds before adding your eggs.
Crack a single egg into each individual egg ring. Cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on how well-done you like your eggs. You’ll know your egg is done if you can shake the egg ring and the egg comes away from the sides of the ring.
Even if your egg ring has handles, they’ll be hot from cooking. Take a pair of tongs or wear oven mitts to remove your egg rings from the pan.
Turn off the heat and use a spatula to scoop your cooked eggs from the skillet and season whatever way you prefer.
Cuisinart CGR-400 Ultimate Griddle Ring Set
This set of nonstick metal griddle rings includes multiple sizes so you can cook eggs, omelettes, pancakes and more to perfection.
Sold by Amazon
Genuine Fred Funny Side Up Silicone Egg Mold
If you like a bit of whimsy with your breakfast and you’re looking for a silicone option, this fun dog-shaped egg mold is perfect.
Sold by Amazon, Sur La Table and Bed Bath & Beyond
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Lauren Farrell writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
