OK, it should be a simple thing to do. Fry some eggs and flip them over.
No matter what I do, I can’t do it right. The yolks always break.
Tell me your fool-proof method.
Former Fry cook here: It’s all in the wrist. Make sure you have enough oil/butter. This lubicant must be hot but not too hot . A small pan(I use non stick) Crack eggs carefully into pan. Wiggle the handle making sure the eggs are not stickin, when the whites are just turning solid, grab the handle of the pan and pull it towards you sliding the eggs toward you too. The quickly flip the eggs in the air and cook on the other side. REpeat process in reverse to serve.
I always impress my sweetie at breakfast I know how to do a French omlette roll too. 
First, use a non-stick pan (I prefer either a flat griddle or a large saute pan. Second, do not turn the heat up past about medium. Crack the eggs into a bowl so you don’t run the risk of breaking the yolks when breaking them into the pan. Get the butter hot and slide the eggs into the hot pan. You might try this with just one egg first to get the hang of the next step.
When the egg is set on one side (I tend to fuss with the whites to get them to cook faster), turn the spatula upside down, work it under the edge of the egg closest to you, and roll it over with a gentle flick of the wrist. Notice there is no lifting and flipping going on here. When done (check by cutting into the white), slide out of the pan onto a plate. With multiple eggs, you may have to move them about the pan to facilitate turning, but this shouldn’t result in busted yolks if you’re using non-stick.
Fresh egg yolks tend to break easier, week old eggs are better for frying and hard boiling (they peel easier).
Use plenty of oil or a good non-stick pan, keep the heat below med., if the eggs develop a “fringe” your pan is definitely too hot. Break the eggs into a bowl, rather than directly into the pan. If they stick at all, work your spatula gently around the perimeter until the egg slides in the pan, then slide the spatula completely under and gently flip the egg. You can also cover the pan to cook the tops, in lieu of turning them.
I love eggs, but they raise hell w/ your cholesterol.
Crack the eggs into hot butter in a small non-stick skillet. Salt and pepper them.
Now, quick, dip your hand under the kitchen faucet and dash a teaspoon or two of water just the the edge of the pan…and clap a lid over it!
Sixty seconds later you’ll find the steam has cooked the tops of your eggs for you, you have a lovely pair of (more-or-less) easy-over eggs, and you slide them out onto your plate next to th’ toast and bacon.
Foolproof? It’s IDIOT-proof, I tell you.
Learn to prefer them sunnyside up.
Years ago I read a book by some “master” chef. He said that when he hired chefs he used to ask them to fry an egg as their test. He expected them to slowly cook the egg (3 - 4 minutes) and not turn the egg at all. He said that anyone that fried eggs quickly did not understand what they were cooking.
Here’s what works for me:
I use a cast iron skillet, well seasoned, but you could use any kind you like, as long as it is well lubricated. I like cast iron because you don’t have to worry about the surface and thus can use a metal spatula to turn the eggs.
Use medium heat, not high. Lubricate the pan with something – Bacon grease tastes good, but probably isn’t the best for you. Use just enough to cover the bottom of the pan – you don’t want oil standing in the pan, you aren’t deep frying. Use the freshest eggs you can get, the yolks will hold together better.
As far as turning goes, I like to use a metal spatula because they are thinner than any plastic/silicon one I’ve ever seen. I try to go in where the yolk is closest to the edge. I’m trying to get the whole yolk entirely on the spatula. If I can do that things are simple – I just gently lay the egg over into the pan and let it cook on the other side. If you can’t get proper spatula placement things are tougher and you’re much more likely to break the yolk.
I’ve gotten to where I can successfully make an unbroken yolk about 8 of 10 times.
This is actuly called “basting,” but you’re right. It’s easy and it’s idiot proof.
If the eggs are coming right out of the refrigerator, I always put them in a bowl of hot water for about 10 minutes - this ensures that the yolks are at room temperature.
Otherwise, it is difficult to get them to cook because they are ice-cold. If you don’t do this you have to cook the whites much longer than you would like, either scorching them, or turning them rubbery.
Ahem. Mr. Master Chef is an idiot. He must be accustomed to cooking for people who “dine”, not people who “eat”. 3-4 minutes for a fried egg may be fine if you’re cooking in some fancy-pants place where people come in in groups of one to four to linger over a breakfast that looks pretty on the plate. 3-4 minutes for a fried eggs is totally unacceptable in just about any other kind of breakfast restaurant. I’m accustomed to having up to 20 people in a party, with eggs cooked every possible way. And having only two burners upon which to fry said eggs. Sorry, Mr. Chef, but not everybody wants their eggs cooked sunny-side-up, and they don’t want to way an hour for breakfast. I cook them the way the customer wants them cooked, and serve them quickly.
This is absolutely crucial. I run hot water from the tap over my refrigerated eggs for several minutes before I break them into a bowl. Then I slip them all into the hot iron skillet at once, season them, and cover. I let them cook covered for a couple minutes, so they’re firm enough to flip without breaking. When I flip them, I only let them cook for another few seconds, then slide them out. Perfect almost ever time.
Just use enough butter, yes I fry my eggs in butter, to spoon over the top of the eggs.
I guess you could call it basting seeing as it’s what I do.
Works every time.
I don’t know if this helps, but I saw an ad on tv for some kind of spatula called the “grip and flip”, that’s basically a pair of plastic tongs and a spatula combined.
I have one of those. What’s scary is…I have no idea how I got it.
Won’t work with eggs though.
To continue to rip on the “master chef”…
Slowly cook fried eggs? But… but… then they would be cooked all the way through and not runny!!! What kind of insanity is that? The cooked outside of the fried egg only exists to allow us to safely put the warmed runny yolk on our toast. Mmmm.
Now scambled eggs are a different matter. Must be cooked over medium and constantly scrambled. Must avoid all semblance of hardness, but end as a silky smooth pile of slightly firm wet glistening gold. And scrambled eggs that get brown spots from high heat? Blech.
To the OP, I assume that you can succesfully cook the first side of the egg, flip it, and have the yolk break a little and start leaking after the flip which will then ooze out the whole yolk. The answer seems to be “practice”. But when I break my yolk, I find that if you stand the spatula upright at the leak, it often dams up the leaking yolk long enough for the yolk to cook at that point and seal the leak. At least well enoughto cook a skin on the yolk. Not perfect, but good stop gap.
Note: I am aware of the dangers of undercooked eggs. I also ride my bike to work with no helmet. I’ll take my risks where I find them. I cook my children’s eggs long enough to sterilize them.
Another former fry cook checking in (did my time at Waffle House in the early '90s). I have only one thing to add:
If you have a decent nonstick pan, you can practice flipping your eggs with a piece of heavy-ish bread (like a burger bun) in a cold pan; it will give you an idea of how to flip the eggs consistently, how they might slide in the pan, etc.
Also, don’t flip them too high; if you do it properly, they shouldn’t get more than a few inches above the pan. Once you get a little better at it, you’ll get the hang of flipping them a bit higher, and pretty soon you’ll be tossing them over your shoulder.
Three to four minutes is not going to render your yolk solid over the proper hear. When I fry my eggs, that’s generally how long it takes. Over higher heat, I end up with a burnt circumference and a rubbery egg white.
If you ever see the box this sucker comes in it shows a pancake being turned. Cool idea right? Look close, the top of the pancake is already cooked. Can you guess what will happen if you put the grip down on the top of an unturned pancake (or egg for that matter)
We have them in our kitchen, very rarely used. If my regular spatula is in the dishwasher, I MIGHT break it out to turn a burger patty or a grilled cheese sandwich.
Use plenty of bacon grease; instead of trying to flip the egg, use your spatula to flip the grease over the top of the egg until it reaches the desired doneness.
Putting water into hot grease is crazy and definitely not foolproof.