Eggs are the most common food and they are eaten by millions of people across the world. Eggs can be cooked and prepared in different ways, however microwaving a sunny side up egg is defiantly the easiest.
How do you make a sunny side up egg in the microwave? Microwave an empty microwave safe plate on high for 15 seconds. Grease the surface of the plate with oil or butter, then crack a room temperature egg on top. Nuke for 45 seconds or until the egg white fully cooks and the yolk remains runny.
They are tasty, nutritious and they are good when it comes to satisfying hunger pangs. While they can be made using conventional gas stoves, in this article we will be learning more about microwave sunny side up eggs.
We will answer various questions that will answer doubts pertaining to the healthiness of microwave egg cooking. However, before getting further into the subject, generally there are three ways in which sunny side up eggs are prepared.
Can You Microwave Sunny Side Up Eggs?
Yes, it is possible to microwave sunny side up eggs. It can be done by heating the eggs in the microwave on high for around 30 to 45 seconds.
However, there are a few things that one should keep in mind while using a microwave for making fried eggs.
The yolk will be partially cooked due to the nature of a microwave. The heat is directed all around the egg, and not just underneath.
As a result, the egg will resemble an over easy egg more than sunny side up. The yolk will still be runny, however the top may be set a bit more than a true sunny side up egg.
You must avoid overheating the eggs as this could lead to an explosion of the yoke or the egg turning into a rubbery texture.
Further, once it is finished, make sure that the yoke is allowed to rest and carryover cook for around 30 to 60 seconds. Only after that should you cut it, which will prevent the risk of the yoke exploding after you cut into it.
Is It Safe To Eat Microwaved Sunny Side Up Eggs?
Yes, it is perfectly safe to cook eggs in the microwave. They are quite healthy and nutritious as they require less oil when cooking
There are a couple potential hazards to be aware of.
Explosion Hazard
When heating an egg yolk that has not been punctured, then you run the risk of exploding the yolk in the microwave. The yolk contains both water and fat molecules, which are trapped under the outer membrane of the yolk.
The water molecules will create steam that is trapped within the pocket. The superheated water can then explode if the pressure becomes too great.
Additionally, the same effect can happen if you cut into the old too soon after heating. The pocket of pressure needs to rest for 30 seconds before you can safely cut into the yolk.
Potential Food Borne Illness
Eating undercooked eggs is a safety hazard. According to the USDA, egg dishes should be cooked to a temperature above 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Runny eggs or sunny side up eggs are cooked to an internal temperature of 138 degrees Fahrenheit, which is far below the safety guidelines.
The potential risk of exposure to salmonella greatly increases when the proper cooking temperatures are not reached.
How Long Do You Cook A Sunny Side Up Egg In The Microwave?
The whole process of cooking a sunny side up egg in a microwave, should take about one minute. However, there are some proven and time-tested methods that should be followed for getting the best out of the process.
To begin with, you heat an empty microwave-safe plate in the microwave for 15 seconds. Once it has been done, you must grease the surface of the warm plate with butter or oil (1 teaspoon should be enough).
The plate has to be evenly coated with the butter. This will prevent the egg from sticking.
Once this has been done, the egg should be cracked on the plate and placed in the microwave for 45 seconds on high heat.
Can You Reheat Sunny Side Up Eggs In The Microwave?
Yes, there is nothing wrong in reheating a fried egg in the microwave, but the time limit should not go beyond 30 seconds if you want the yolk to remain slightly runny. Overcooking is almost guaranteed because it will be nearly impossible to heat the previously cooked runny egg without solidifying the yolk.
It would be safer to check the egg at 15 seconds, however the temperature will not be hot. If it is found to be sufficiently heated for your desired doneness, you can take it out from the microwave and it should be ready to eat.
Overheating the once cooked egg using a microwave during the heating process could lead to an explosion of the yoke as mentioned above. However, that risk is minimal because you really shouldn’t be nuking the reheated egg for very long.
Tips to Microwave Sunny Side up Eggs
Thus far, we have discussed a few helpful hints to successfully cook a sunny side up egg in the microwave. There are key details that will improve the final results and give you the runny egg consistency that you are looking for.
As mentioned above, timing is of crucial importance when it comes to making sunny side up eggs in the microwave. While under-cooking can be corrected, overcooking is a problem that cannot be rectified and the problem becomes irreversible.
If you are able to understand these tips, there is no doubt that sunny side up eggs in the microwave will certainly be achievable. Cooked eggs are delicious and nutritious.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you are planning to microwave sunny side up eggs:
- Crack the egg into a small bowl and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Always use a microwave safe when heating food in the appliance.
- Never microwave the eggs on a plate that is not heated, the egg yolk will overcook before properly solidifying the egg white.
- As mentioned above, you should ensure that the plate is properly greased with butter or oil. This prevents the underside of the sunny side up egg from stick or burning while being cooked in the microwave.
- It is extremely important to make sure that you keep a careful watch on the timeline as you cook your eggs in the microwave to ensure that you get the best of sunny side up eggs. At the most, the microwaving time should not take more than 60 seconds.
- In case of reheating, 15 to 30 seconds is enough in most of the cases and very rarely you would need more time than that. More than 45 seconds is going to make the yoke hard.
Microwave sunny side up eggs
There are various approaches to cooking eggs using a microwave. Here is the step-by-step approach to cook a sunny side up egg in the microwave.
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon butter or oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Use a room temperature egg.
- Nuke an empty microwave safe plate for 15 seconds on high heat.
- Grease the warm plate with oil or butter.
- Crack the egg in the center of the prepared plate.
- Microwave for 45 seconds.
- If not cooked properly, continue cooking for 10 second increments. In most cases the sunny side up egg would have cooked within 60 seconds.
- Allow the egg to rest in the warm microwave for 30 seconds to ensure that the yolk does not explode when cut.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 105Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 196mgSodium: 101mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 6g
Alan
Sunday 9th of July 2023
Thanks! That helped. I forgot how to microwave it and it's exploded a few times. I did read somewhere a while back that you should poke the yolk and that prevents it from exploding?