To boil eggs perfectly, follow these expert steps:
- Start with cold eggs and boiling water:
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Gently lower fridge-cold eggs into the boiling water using a slotted spoon to avoid cracking
- Adjust heat to a gentle simmer:
- After adding the eggs, reduce the heat so the water is at a bare simmer or gentle boil. This prevents the eggs from bouncing and cracking
- Cook for the desired doneness:
- For soft-boiled eggs: cook for about 6–8 minutes.
- For hard-boiled eggs: cook for 10–12 minutes (some recommend 11 minutes for hard-boiled)
* Avoid overcooking (e.g., 15 minutes) to prevent rubbery whites and greenish yolks
- Immediately cool eggs in ice water:
- Transfer the eggs to an ice bath or cold water immediately after cooking to stop the cooking process and make peeling easier.
- Leave them in the cold water for at least 10–15 minutes, or even refrigerate overnight for best peeling results
- Peel under running or cold water:
- Crack the shell starting from the wider base where the air pocket is.
- Peel the shell under cool running water or in a bowl of water to help remove the shell smoothly
Additional tips:
- Use a pot large enough so eggs are in a single layer without crowding
- Starting eggs in boiling water rather than cold water leads to more consistent results
- Adjust cooking time slightly for egg size (extra-large or jumbo eggs may need a bit longer)
This method ensures vibrant yolks, easy peeling, and perfectly cooked eggs every time
. Summary of cooking times:
Doneness| Time in boiling water (minutes)
---|---
Runny yolk| 6
Soft boiled| 6–8
Hard boiled| 10–12
Following these steps will give you perfectly boiled eggs, whether soft or hard, with minimal fuss
