A fried egg is one of the most common breakfast items eaten by millions every day in the UK - but did you know you've probably been cooking them wrong your entire life?
That's the claim from one top chef, who says people up and down the country make several simple mistakes when it comes to rustling up a perfect fried egg, the Irish Mirror reports.
Yasmeen AlSawwaf shared her egg-cooking tips with Eat This, Not That, to help us take our fried eggs to the next level - and said your first port of call should always be a non-stick pan.
The chef insisted that melting butter or clarified butter in a non-stick pan before frying your eggs will "add a lovely flavour" to the finished result while stopping your eggs from becoming stuck to the pan in the process.
Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.
Yasmeen also cautioned against cracking your eggs directly into the pan and said you should always crack them into a bowl first to make sure the yolk doesn't break.
And another of the chef's tips stated that fresh eggs are a must.
Yasmeen said: "Fresh eggs are essential for perfectly fried eggs. When an egg ages, the whites and yolk thin out. This means that the white will spread instead of being compact and thick and the yolk won't sit atop the whites perfectly."
There's even a perfect temperature for frying eggs, as Yasmeen said you should be aiming for a "high heat" between 255°F to 280°F - or 123°C to 137°C.
She added: "Having high heat means that the eggs could brown and blister before being properly cooked in the centre.
"Fried eggs should be shiny and have fully set whites and shouldn't be blistered or browned, while the yolks should be properly cooked according to your preference."
And it's not just fried eggs that Yasmeen is an expert on, as she also shared her secrets for the perfect boiled, poached, and scrambled eggs.
Boiled eggs
For boiled eggs, the chef suggested making sure you use a saucepan that's deep enough for the eggs to be fully submerged and filling it with enough water to keep the eggs covered by at least two inches.
Yasmeen also said it's important to salt the water, wait until the water is simmering before you start your timer, and always wait until your eggs have cooled before you peel the shells.
Poached eggs
Poached eggs are notoriously tricky, but Yasmeen's simple tips could help ensure you nail them every time.
The chef said it's vital that you add salt and vinegar to the water to help the egg set, and insisted you should always crack your eggs into a bowl first.
It should take around three to four minutes to perfectly poach an egg, and Yasmeen said that using a saucepan that's at least six inches deep will help you achieve that sought-after "teardrop" shape.
Scrambled eggs
According to Yasmeen, the secret to good scrambled eggs is adding stock, milk, or cream to boost their flavour and texture.
The chef also recommends throwing in some cheese or herbs but said this should be done just before the eggs are ready, rather than at the start of cooking.
Scrambled eggs should start life on a high heat, but Yasmeen said turning the heat down to low will result in a "creamier" finished product.
She said: "The lower the heat and the more constant your movement, the creamier your scrambled eggs will be."
Yasmeen's final tip was to remove the eggs from the heat when they're still slightly underdone, as the residual heat from the pan will continue cooking them.
Have you got a story to share? We want to hear all about it. Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk
