There’s nothing worse than when the yolk of your sunny-side-up or over-easy egg breaks and oozes out, but fortunately, there are some ways to prevent this from happening.

The first step is to find a flat surface to crack your egg on, since cracking it on the lip of a bowl or the edge of a pan can increase the chances of loose shell fragments.

You should also cook your egg on medium heat to ensure it simmers evenly without the chance of over or under-cooking, which can easily happen when cooking on high heat.

Finally, be sure to use the proper equipment, which includes a non-stick pan and a lid. A lid is recommended to aid in an evenly fried and timely cooked egg.