Knowing how to cook up a light, fluffy serving of perfectly seasoned scrambled eggs may be the mark of a good chef. Erica Linnell, the owner and private chef at Tiny Town Culinary in Victor, Idaho (just outside of Jackson, Wyoming) says it’s as much about the type of eggs she’s cooking up as it is the pan. And no, all pans are not created equally. In Linnell’s eyes, there are two that share the title of the best frying pan for eggs.
Linnell cooks gourmet, multi-course meals for both locals and guests across the globe who visit the Jackson Hole region of Wyoming, serving up everything from local-forward meals to Moroccan-themed cuisine that’s rooted in rich flavors and fresh ingredients. She’s also a pro cooking instructor who’s cooked with a whole bunch of different pans.
Her tried-and-true for eggs served up her favorite way (omelet form) is the All Clad non-stick 8-inch pan. “The angle of the sidewalls makes it really easy for flipping omelets,” Linnell says. “I also find the non-stick to be a little more durable than an entry-level pan.”
The All-Clad is also great for scrambled eggs, she says. And it’s a kitchen staple for both professional and at-home chefs thanks to its price point and usability. It boasts an aluminum core with two layers of stainless steel for maximum durability and both fast and even heating with three layers of PFOA-free nonstick coating—ensuring your eggs, however you cook them, slide right off the slick outer coating.
If kitchen space is a restriction, the All-Clad will cover your bases as the best frying pan for eggs of any sort. But if you have the room to opt for a runner-up pan, too, Linnell’s other pick may surprise you. “For non-omelets (that is, anything you don’t need to flip), I like the Le Creuset enameled cast iron skillet because I prefer to not cook with the PTFEs in Teflon,” she says. “But I would have to be the Incredible Hulk to flip eggs in a cast-iron skillet!”
To clarify, PTFEs are fluorinated plastics that coat the inside of nonstick pans. Although they are considered safe for food usage, Linnell leans toward pans without extra coatings to keep her cooking organic, even if it tests her cooking skills. Cue: cast iron, which allows for a much more organic approach to cooking up fluffy eggs. The trick with this hearty, heavier-duty pan is to add your own nonstick coating by way of a little butter or olive oil.
When in doubt, though, the All-Clad never lets Linnell down. But when she feels like testing her skills, she goes for the hearty cast-iron, as it’s true to her western roots.
