Why Chrissy Teigen's Egg Frying Method Is Creating Major Controversy
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Should eggs be fried in oil or butter? Really, you can't go wrong with either. Both are rich, flavorful fats, which means they'll contribute both texture and taste to whatever it is you're throwing onto the skillet — be it a steak, some fresh vegetables, or just a couple eggs. Still, somewhere in the world, the oil-versus-butter debate rages on, and Chrissy Teigen walked right into that debate by frying some eggs in olive oil (via Insider). Isn't the internet bewildering?
Teigen — who co-wrote two cookbooks with food writer and recipe developer Adeena Sussman (via Amazon) — is no stranger to weird social media wars. The model-slash-cookbook collaborator regularly shares cooking and baking tips and tricks. But when Teigen shared a video of herself frying two eggs in a sizzly puddle of olive oil — to be eaten with catfish later — things got dicey, according to Today. Some Twitter users responded with approval — others with disgust. The oil-versus-butter battle grew stronger than ever.
"Rookie mistake. Use butter," one user commented. "Way to (sic) salty and oily — all that oil on the plate — John will have blocked arteries," another replied. No matter the state of husband John Legend's arteries, we can settle the oil-butter debate here and now.
Butter, oil — you can't go wrong
While some swear by butter — and others might swear by bacon fat — Teigen's choice of olive oil is completely valid. Chef José Andrés, who's got several Michelin stars under his belt, jumped to Teigen's defense, according to Insider. (Andrés opts for olive oil, too.) Ann Maloney, now a recipe editor for the Washington Post, has suggested using both oil and butter — in the same skillet! — to enrich the egg-frying process, according to The Times-Picayune.
On the other hand, butter makes so many dishes delectable — from cakes to bisques to pasta dishes. Eggs are no exception. Julia Moskin, a food writer with The New York Times, melts butter in a skillet and even bastes the eggs with little spoonfuls of hot butter as they cook.
It depends on your preference — something Teigen's Twitter follows might not have figured out. Olive oil has a higher smoke point than that of butter, so frying an egg in olive oil will allow for those crispy, oily edges, according to recipe developer Caroline Lange (via The Kitchn). While butter can't reach that level of heat — making it more difficult to achieve crispiness on the egg — it does supply the rich, decadent flavor we know and love so much (via My Recipes).