How to boil an egg

jackyann

Rosemary7391 wrote: »

As a physicist I'd say it does make a difference. 100 degrees isn't the problem; it's how much energy it takes to get to 100 degrees. You need more for a bigger pan full of water; said bigger pan of water will cook the egg more quickly if you boil it first then put the egg in, but more slowly if you put egg and cold water in, then boil. Haven't an envelope to hand so not sure what order of magnitude those changes are, but with something as quick as an egg it might be noticeable.

That's it Rosemary (I am not a physicist, just got A level) - it is the variables, which is why you have to keep them to a minimum. I keep a small old saucepan just for egg boiling. Actually, the physics graduate I refer to was a flat mate. I thought that the air temperature in our very draughty flat (cold spot just by the cooker) was one of them and the very cold water from the pipe in winter. I also suspect freshness is an issue with the whites - as easily seen when poached.

It's always those wretched variables, so easily assessed when poaching, but can't be seen when boiling.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Boil Vigorously in pan of water.

Perfect. Out of fridge, in boiling water for 4'45". In the time for the eggs to do, you can easily do six slices of Marmite Soldiers with proper butter. You'll dip them all.

Soft Boiled, not runny. Out of the fridge, in boiling water for 8'30".

Hard boiled. out of fridge, in water. Boil vigorously for 12'00". Peel immediate and rinse in cold water. Slice and put between two slices of buttered marmite bread.

Or you could just fry it in the pan and put on to hot buttered marmite toast!

misty6

Wow all these different ways of doing it!! Mine is different again! This is how I do it:


Put 2 large eggs in a small saucepan. Cover with cold water from the tap and add a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and set your timer for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Boil for the whole time - don't turn it down. Run cold water over them and serve immediately - with soldiers


My eggs are usually at room temperature but the ones I had this morning were in the fridge as it's been so hot, so I boiled them for about another 10 seconds or so. Obviously if your eggs are slightly bigger or smaller then you need to adjust the time accordingly. That is just trial and error.


Good luck!!

monnagran

Don't get your knickers in a twist. It really doesn't matter what method you use, sometimes it will work and sometimes it won't. Like most things in life really.

When I was at college in the fifties, three covered bowls sat on the "serve-yourself" breakfast counter. They were labelled SOFT, MEDIUM and HARD.
I don't know why they bothered. They contained hard soft-boiled eggs, hard medium-boiled eggs and granite textured hard-boiled eggs.

x

freyasmum

I too had been put off of eggs for SO long due to disgusting stringy whites, bleurgh :eek:

For large eggs:
To soft cook:
Bring 1/2" of water to boil in a pan over medium high heat.

Place eggs into pot (tongs or a steamer basket works well) and cover. Cook for six and a half minutes.

Take pot off heat, remove cover and run until cols water for 30 seconds. Serve.

To hard cook:
Bring water to boil and place a steamer over the pot (or use a steamer, I don't have an electric one..) and steam the eggs for thirteen minutes. Put into ice bath for fifteen minutes.

I hard cook six at a time and then refrigerate any we don't have. My daughter loves to snack on them!

The steam is a constant temperature so should take away one of the variables, and eggs should always be fridge-cold.

retiredlady

How do you stop that awful grey ring around the yolk when cooking hard boiled eggs?

[Deleted User]

I bung them in the pan of boiling water for four minutes I also !!!!! a small hole in the bottom of the egg with a pin and stick a splodge of vinegar in the pan as well.Hard boiled I cook for 6 minutes in boiling water then put the egg into a jug of cold water to cool quickly

jackyann

retiredlady wrote: »

How do you stop that awful grey ring around the yolk when cooking hard boiled eggs?

cool them very quickly - some may regard it as wasteful, but I have a bowl of ice water ready, pour out the hot water and run in some cold, until the eggs can be handled, then straight into the ice water.

Having said that, you don't get the grey ring if you cook them *middling* ie the yolk very slightly soft, but some may not want that

DigForVictory

When my family want to get picky about how runny their eggs are, I let them cook.

I'll happily scramble an egg, but the gentil arts of boiling & poaching eggs remain fraught with variables beyond my control & the sooner my offspring appreciate the assorted challenges the sooner they can take over the cooking.

My answer, therefore, hand egg to child & ask them politely to boil it til the white is all set but the yolk is runny. Full success earns £10. Partial success & they get All the Washing Up...