Cracking Eggs

I just enjoyed a very nice over-easy egg. It's my favourite way of cooking eggs but I rarely do it because I find it so difficult.

I'm a clutz getting eggs out of their shells. I break the yolks at least a third of the time. It's so bad that I usually take the easy way and softboil them or scramble them, Your basic fried egg is elusive.

I know a couple of tricks: I crack the egg on a flat surface and break it into a bowl. Then I can slide my eggs into the pan safely. But I need more hints!

short sharp hit on the edge of the pan

enough to crack it well  but not a lot of depth

using two hands peel both sides away quickly and close to the pan

practice makes perfect

*sports the one handed crack

Original Post by 32123:

short sharp hit on the edge of the pan

enough to crack it well  but not a lot of depth

using two hands peel both sides away quickly and close to the pan

Yep, that is how I do it.

UD

Original Post by 32123:

practice makes perfect

So true. I was terrible at cracking eggs, I either broke the yolk or broke the shell badly and bits of egg pieces would end up in the pan in the egg white and I'd spend time trying to scoop them out when the egg is already turning white from the heat!

Now I do it like a pro (not one handed though). I crack on the side of the pan, enough to make a little open "wound" and stick my fingers in it and split the shell apart. Even people who have been cracking eggs for years sometimes get one that cracks funky and makes a mess.

Mmmm eggs.

I  hate egss, so i can't help you..

The flat surface is good.  Another one is to gently tap the egg three times on the edge of your bowl or pan.  You'll get a nice little horizontal crack on the egg and can usually pull the egg apart into two perfect halves.

It looks like we have a consensus. Lysistrata's method and similar ones are the runaway favourites. Thanks, guys!