Butter or Oil for Eggs? Chefs Explain Which Is Best

Butter wins for flavor and tender eggs, while oil works better for high-heat cooking. Some chefs say combining both delivers the best results.

*Butter is the better choice for most everyday egg dishes, according to chefs, but oil earns its place when you turn up the heat. The difference comes down to flavor, temperature, and the texture you want on your plate.

“I use both, but for different jobs,” chef Nelson Serrano-Bahri told Real Simple. Serrano-Bahri serves as director of innovation at the American Egg Board. He starts most eggs with butter when he wants richer flavor and better heat control.

Butter works particularly well for scrambled eggs and omelets because those dishes benefit from gentler temperatures. David Davidov, founder of The Cooking Foodie, strongly favors it for scrambling.

“For scrambled eggs, it’s butter or nothing for me,” Davidov said. “I go low and slow to keep them creamy; oil just makes them feel greasy in that context.”

EGGS ON YELLOW BACKGROUND — Depositphotos_

Scroll to continue reading

Detroit Crash Fuels Black-Muslim Tensions Amid Hate-Crime Demands | WATCH

From Clancy to Babers – Is Postpartum Ever an Excuse for Murder?

The Anatomy of Love: The Ashton Hall Collection Addresses a National Cause

A shared October – Nigeria’s Independence and Black History Month in the United Kingdom

Diddy Reportedly Gets Massages, Hennessy and Other Perks in Prison

‘The Game Continues’: New ‘Saw’ Movie Revealed With Mike P. Nelson Directing

Druski Turns Viral Skits into Bigger Hollywood Bets | VIDEO

SZA Gets Hometown Love With New Jersey Hall of Fame Honor

Do Puerto Ricans ‘Hate’ Being Black? Joseline Hernandez Has Something to Say | WATCH

Oil takes over when crispy fried eggs are the goal. Cookbook author David Leite reaches for olive oil because higher heat creates the browned edges he wants.

“Oil is perfect because it doesn’t have the water content of butter, which creates steam—the enemy of a good crunch,” Leite said. Oil also works well for frittatas because cooks often sauté vegetables or meat before adding eggs.

You don’t necessarily have to choose one fat. Davidov recommends combining them when you want butter’s flavor without limiting how hot you can take the pan.

“Toss a tiny splash of oil in the pan with your butter,” Davidov said. “The oil stabilizes it so you can get the pan a bit hotter without ruining the flavor.”

Health priorities can also influence the decision. The American Heart Association recommends nontropical liquid vegetable oils over solid fats such as butter because they contain less saturated fat.

So, butter remains the chefs’ favorite for many egg dishes. Oil becomes the better tool when you want higher heat and crisp edges. Combining them can deliver some advantages of both.