Steps

Boil Eggs Step 1 Version 2.jpg

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1
Choose your preferred style of boiled eggs. Are you someone who prefers a so
ft-boiled egg or a hard-boiled egg? Occasionally, you might even have to make di
fferent levels of boiled egg just to please every member of the household! The t
imes suggested throughout this article are dependent on personal preference, so
some experimenting should take place. The types of boiled egg are:
Coddled, or soft-boiled
very gooey yolk.
Mollet eggs these will have a semi-liquid yolk; outer white is firm enou
gh for shell to be peeled.
Hard-boiled yolk is cooked to firmness.
2
Choose your method. As you will see from the following various suggested met
hods, making boiled eggs is something of an art form that has arisen through tri
al and error for many centuries. If you don't already have a preferred method, p
erhaps try out each method to achieve the desired result before choosing one tha
t you intend to rely on.
For soft boiled eggs, the rule of thumb is to use the shorter cooking ti
mes for softly set whites and runny yolks. Increase the cooking time for firmly
set whites and slightly set yolks.[2]
For hard-boiled eggs, bear in mind that cooking the eggs any longer than
12 minutes should not be done because this risks turning the whites rubbery and
the yolks crumbly.[3]
If you want the egg yolk to remain centered (often important for appeara
nce when using a hard-boiled egg for a special dish), cook the eggs in cold wate
r from the start and slowly bring to the boil. Stir gently using a wooden spoon
as this happens, until they're boiling, and you'll find that the yolks stay cent
ered.[4][5]
Note that when a method suggests boiling once the eggs are in the water,
that this means simmering. Rapid boiling will cause the eggs to turn rubbery an
d tough. [6] High cooking temperatures toughen the protein in eggs, and since eg
gs coagulate with heat, the best cooking methods will always involve cooking slo
wly at a low temperature.[7]
3
Prepare the egg. Eggs that have been refrigerated for several days have a hi
gher pH and are more likely to crack, but they are easier to peel. Cooking exper
t Rose Elliot recommends pricking the egg at its rounded end prior to boiling.[8
] She suggests that doing this helps the air to escape and prevents the egg from
bursting or cracking.[9][10] Special egg-prickers can be purchased, or you can
use a needle. Alternatively, if you've never found this to be an issue with the
eggs you use because you've kept them at room temperature or they're fresh from
the hens, then you probably don't need to worry about it.
In each case, you can boil more than one egg at a time; just be sure the
re is sufficient room. It is possible to purchase special egg holders for more t
han one egg boiling speak to a kitchen retailer for more details.
If the eggs do crack, a few drops of vinegar will stop leakage from the
shell.[11]
A cracked egg can also be wrapped in aluminum foil and boiled.[12]
4
Remove hot eggs with care. Use a slotted spoon to remove eggs from boiling w
ater and take the usual precautions around hot water.
Method 1 of 5: Soft-boiled egg - cold water to boiling

1
Choose room temperature eggs.[13]
2
Lay the eggs gently in an empty pot.
3
Cover the eggs with about 1" or 2.5cm of water. Use room temperature water.
If the water is cold, the eggs will take longer to cook. If the water is hot, th
ough, you may risk the water getting too hot too early and overcooking the eggs
(that is, exposing the eggs to boiling temperature for too long).
4
Add one tablespoon of salt or vinegar to the water. This helps the proteins
in the white coagulate faster so any cracks in the shell quickly get plugged.[14
]
5
Cover the pot.
6
Bring the water to a boil. Stay close and listen; you should be able to hear
the water come to a boil. Do not remove the lid to check. Remove the pot from h
eat as soon as the water is boiling. The eggs will not overcook. Keep the lid on
so the water remains at slightly below boiling point. At this stage, decide abo
ut how long you want to leave the eggs in for:
Let the eggs sit for 3 to 5 minutes for coddled or "soft-boiled" eggs runny yolk.
Let the eggs sit for 5-6 minutes for Mollet eggs - slightly runny yolk.
Remove the eggs as soon as the water boils. This is one method suggested
by the Larousse Gastronomique for the cold water to boiling method.[15]
Method 2 of 5: Soft-boiled egg - plunging
1
Bring the water to the boil in the pot.
2
Select room temperature eggs.[16]
3
Add the eggs to the boiling water. Decide how long to plunge the eggs for:
Plunge the eggs into the boiling water and boil for three minutes.[17] R
emove after the time is up.
Plunge the eggs into boiling water and boil for one minute only. Remove
the pot from the heat and leave the eggs to stand for 3 minutes before removing
them from the hot water with a slotted spoon.[18]
Method 3 of 5: Hard boiled eggs - cold water to boiling
Boil Eggs Step 14 Version 2.jpg
1
Choose the eggs. The best eggs for hard-boiling are eggs that are several da
ys old. [19] A fresh egg will be much harder to peel as the white still sticks t
o the shell. If you are planning on peeling the hard-boiled egg for other uses,

keep this in mind if boiling eggs freshly collected from your hens.
2
Place the eggs into the empty pot. Add salt or vinegar to the water if you a
ccidentally crack an egg. It may help the proteins in the egg white thicken fast
er to plug the cracks in the shell.[20]
3
Fill the pot with enough cold tap water to cover the eggs. Leave about 1 inc
h (3 cm) of water over them. Use cold water to help keep the eggs from overcooki
ng, although doing this increases the cooking time.
4
Add just enough salt to make the water taste salty. This can make the eggs e
asier to peel because, as mentioned earlier, the proteins coagulate and firm up,
making the white easier to separate from the shell. Also, eggs that are less fr
esh are easier to peel because their higher pH strengthens the membrane. (This c
an be simulated by making the cooking water more alkaline with a half teaspoon o
f baking soda per quart of water.)[21]
5
Put on the lid. Bring the water to the point of boiling, over high heat. Fro
m here, there are different approaches to the boiling times and methods:
This following method assumes you started with cold, refrigerated eggs.
As soon as the water boils, turn off the heat, but keep the pot on the warm stov
e. Do not remove the lid. Leave the eggs in the hot water for ten to fifteen min
utes.[22] It is important you do not start the timer until the water starts boil
ing, and that you turn off the heat. Too much time will make the eggs discolored
and smelly, while too little time will cause them to be runny.
The Larousse Gastronomique recommends that eggs (room temperature) shoul
d be cooked for 10-12 minutes and then plunged into cold water for 7-8 minutes.
This will allow them to cool prior to shelling.[23]
6
Stop the cooking process. Chill the eggs by placing them under cold running
water or in a bowl of ice water. Let them sit for a few minutes until the eggs a
re cool.
Method 4 of 5: Hard boiled eggs - adding to boiling and simmering[24]
Boil Eggs Step 20 Version 2.jpg
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1
Fill a small saucepan three quarters of the way with water. Bring the water
to the boil.
2
Place the egg(s) into the boiling water. Start timing from this point.
3
Keep the water at a steady simmer. The hard boiled stage is reached at:
8 minutes for a lightly hard boiled egg
10 minutes for a dark yellow moist dry yolk and a set white
15 minutes for a light yellow, dry, and granular yolk.
4
Plunge the boiled egg into cold water once sufficient cooking time is over.
Doing this stops any further cooking and stops the development of a gray line be
tween the yolk and the egg white.[25] Peeling is easier under cold water, or col
d running water (see next).

Method 5 of 5: Peeling or slicing hard boiled eggs

Many hard-boiled eggs go on to star in other dishes, and they need to be peeled.
This part is easy, just take care not to burn yourself.
1
Peel the eggs when they are cool enough to handle. There are two possible wa
ys:
Peel them under cold running water. This method works if you don't want
to plunge them in cold water.
Try to crack the shells when they're cooling in water. This makes them e
asier to peel cleanly. When the eggs are done cooking, pour off the hot water an
d replace with cold. Pick up each egg (be careful, they'll still be hot), and dr
op it back into the pot of cold water so the shell cracks. As they cool, water p
ulls into the shells. It will be easier for the shell removal without the egg it
self. This is especially useful for dishes where appearance is important, such a
s with deviled eggs.
2
Roll the egg. If you're not using water, another method for peeling the egg
is to roll it on a hard surface.[26] This will crack the shell and loosen the me
mbrane. Only do this with eggs cool enough to handle, or use silicon mitts.
3
Slice hard-boiled eggs. If you intend on slicing boiled eggs, do as follows:
[27]
Rinse a knife in hot water.
Wipe the knife dry every few cuts to remove sticking yolk from the knife
.
Repeat as much as needed.
If you need to chop hard boiled eggs for a salad, mash them using a pota
to masher.[28]
4
Eat and enjoy!

Tips
Fresh eggs are less prone to cracking because they have a low pH in the whit
e, causing it to adhere to the inner shell membrane, essentially "sealing" it to
gether. However, this also makes fresh eggs more difficult to peel. To correct t
his, you can add a teaspoon of baking soda to a quart of water when cooking (whi
ch raises the pH and reduces adhering) but it might make the eggs taste slightly
more sulfuric.
The egg will take longer to reach the desired state if you are at a high alt
itude, use larger eggs, boil several eggs at once, use cold eggs, or use cold wa
ter.
If you want French oeuf a la coque ("from the shell"), where the inside rema
ins semi-liquid throughout, let the eggs sit for only 2-3 minutes.
Soft-boiled eggs aren't peeled. An opening is made on one end and the inside
is spooned out while leaving the rest of the shell intact.
Alternatively, you can steam eggs. Lay them gently in 1cm of water in a pan

with a close-fitting lid and apply heat.[29]

Some sources recommend making a shallow hole with a pin at the flatter end o
f the egg before boiling so that it'll let the expanding air escape thus reducin
g the chance of cracking[30] but studies have shown this isn't a reliable techni
que.[31]
If using an aluminum pot to boil eggs (something many people don't recommend
these days for health reasons), add 1 teaspoon salt to the boiling water and th
ere won't be any stains.[32]
Boiled eggs can be made by steaming. Bring water to a boil under the steamer
, add 1 to 7 eggs, put on a tight-fitting lid and switch off the heat. Time the
eggs from this point.[33]
If you are going to be cutting the boiled eggs in half, you might want to us
e the freshest eggs you can find. They tend to have a more centered yolk and les
s likelihood of greening.[34]
You can prolong hard-boiling for hours to enhance color and flavor, but only
if you strictly control the temperature. Chinese tea eggs are simmered (not boi
led) until set, gently cracked, and simmered for another hour or two with tea, s
alt, sugar and other flavorings mixed into the water. Middle Eastern hamindas ar
e eggs cooked 6-18 hours in alkaline conditions and at controlled temperature (1
60-165F, 71-74C) for browned flavor, tender whites, and a creamy yolk.[35]
Warnings
Using too much vinegar will cause your eggs to smell bad and taste like vine
gar. You need a few drops of vinegar.
If you leave the eggs in the almost-boiling water for more than 15 minutes,
they will come out with discolored yolks and an unpleasant, sulfuric smell. Few
people find this a tasty morsel!
Allowing egg shells in kitchen sink drains when using running water may caus
e drains to plug up. It is very difficult to remove eggshells from your pipes si
nce they are relatively heavy and tend to sink, getting caught on debris stuck t
o the inside walls of your sewer pipes. Always put a plug in place or a shield o
f some sort.
If you forget to remove the pot from heat when the water is boiling, you ris
k overcooking the eggs and getting rubbery whites and dry yolks.[36]