Smothered Eggs
Put not quite as much hot butter and lard, or ham dripping in a pan as for frying eggs in the ordinary way. Break the eggs to be used on a plate, and when the fat is hot slip them into the frying pan evenly, not on one side, or the grease will slip out from under and they will stick to the pan. Sprinkle with pepper and salt. Pour over them a teacupful of boiling water. Cover quickly with a closely fitting lid. Let them steam four or five minutes, or more, according to the degree of hardness required. They will be found nicely whitened over the top like eggs that have been dropped in boiling water, and much more palatable than those poached without fat.