The Common Pantry Ingredient You Probably Never Thought To Add To Fried Eggs

A plate of fried eggs is a delicious and nutritious way to start the day, but there's so much more we can do with them than simply cracking eggs into a pan. When it comes to enhancing eggs, we're spoiled for choice. One great ingredient that you might not think of is a pantry staple that's also great for cleaning the kitchen: vinegar. It might sound odd, but it's the key to better eggs in the morning.

Eggs are naturally rich and fatty, especially when we fry them in butter or cooking oil. Vinegar is a good ingredient to add to fried eggs because it's an acid that helps to cut through the fat of the butter and eggs to create a more balanced dish. It also helps the eggs denature and cook more quickly, which means the whites get nice and crispy while the yolk stays creamy.

Vinegar with eggs might be an uncommon sight in America, but it's better known in other locales, such as France. When cooking eggs, some Parisian chefs use extra butter, then reduce the remnants with a wine vinegar to create a sauce and pour it over the fried eggs. It's not the simplest way to cook with vinegar, but it is a particularly tasty one that makes your breakfast feel gourmet.

The Parisian method is a tasty one, but it's not the only way to use vinegar for your fried eggs. Simply adding a bit while they're frying in the pan is a good way to add some acidity and make a more complex meal. Just take care with how much you use, as vinegar is strong and too much can overpower the flavor of the eggs.

When you hear the word "vinegar," your mind likely goes to white vinegar, a common variety used for cooking and cleaning. White vinegar is just fine for cooking eggs, but it's not the only option. There are plenty of different types out there, and each has its own unique flavor profile to lend to your breakfast. Apple cider vinegar and red wine vinegar, for example, tend to be sweeter and carry a fruity edge you may enjoy, while high-quality white wine vinegar can do the same but with a bit more subtlety.

Almost any kind of cooked eggs is a great complement for vinegar. It's a common addition to poached eggs (where it is said to help the egg white stay cohesive), and scrambled or sunny-side-up eggs can benefit just as much as fried. In fact, one of the best boiled egg hacks involves using vinegar to make them easier to peel. No matter how you like your eggs, it's likely they'll benefit from a splash of vinegar, so don't be afraid to give it a whirl.