A surprising new cooking trend taking TikTok by storm suggests ditching traditional oil for an unlikely kitchen staple when frying eggs – the humble cucumber.
The viral food hack involves rubbing a slice of cold cucumber on the bottom of a hot pan, claiming it creates a non-stick surface for a healthier fry-up. But does this method actually work, or is it best left to the world of social media novelty?
The expert verdict on the cucumber hack
Catering supply experts at Alliance Online have delved into the pros and cons of this unconventional technique. They confirm there is one noticeable advantage to the method.
Rubbing a cold, moist cucumber on a pan can leave a thin film of water and may slightly cool the pan's surface. When used with a well-seasoned or high-quality non-stick pan, this might create a brief period where food doesn't immediately stick.
However, the experts were quick to highlight the significant limitations. Unlike oil, which creates a consistent lubricating film and raises the surface temperature to help cook and release food, a cucumber only delivers a watery residue.
This moisture evaporates quickly and cannot withstand higher cooking temperatures or particularly sticky ingredients.
Why a good non-stick pan is the real secret
Rachael Kiss from Alliance Online, who has seen countless cooking shortcuts come and go, was clear in her assessment. "The real secret in 'miracle' frying tricks isn't the ingredient itself, like a cucumber replacing oil, but the non-stick pan you use," she stated.
She explained that a high-quality non-stick pan, with its specialised coating, allows food to cook evenly without sticking, even with very little or no added fat.
For home cooks and professionals alike, investing in reliable cookware makes a bigger difference in low-oil cooking than any single ingredient substitution.
Should you try the cucumber trick?
While the concept is a "fun and refreshing visual," according to Kiss, it should be treated as a novelty rather than a dependable cooking technique.
The method cannot replace the core functions of oil, which provides essential lubrication, aids heat transfer, and prevents sticking across a full range of cooking conditions.
So, while it might be an entertaining experiment for your social media feed, for consistently perfect, non-stick eggs, the advice is clear: your money and efforts are better spent on a quality pan than on a packet of cucumbers.
