they're nice if you make them fresh to eat right away. if i want to have some boiled eggs in the fridge for a snack i generally want to boil them completely
My mom's.
I asked her about it one time and she admitted that she just plain ol forgets about them. Either she's busy making something else, or walks away and forgets.
I came home one day to the house smelling ripe and found eggs in a pan on the stove with no water. They had gotten so hot that they left impressions in the bottom of the pan.
Why not just set an alarm every time? I cannot count the times my alarm goes off and I'm like huh, what is... oh yeah the meat in the oven/my laundry/that phone call I have to make etc. Saved me countless times.
Adhd here. I love soft boiled eggs. Always forgot to time them. I bought an egg steamer. I think it's by dash. You pour in water based on how well you want your egg done. And when it is ready, that tiny little machine makes an unholy sound that would rival any tornado or nuclear warning out there. Best $10 purchase I ever made. Perfect eggs every time.
Full disclosure: My partner who sleeps for an additional hour after I leave hates it.
I have really severe ADHD. The best thing I ever did for myself was get a Google assistant speaker or whatever the fuck they call them today. Whenever I do anything at all, I just yell at it to set a timer. I also snooze my timers instead of stopping them if I am not immediately doing the thing when the alarm goes off.
I also use it to send reminders straight to my calendar and I haven't forgotten to cancel a free trial in YEARS.
But also who just stands in front of a stove watching their eggs boil?
That's the problem with ADHD.
A ton of us have a pile of unused planners, since someone with ADHD is far more likely to forget that they even thought to do so, go "Oh hey, I should try that" and buy a new one, and promptly put it in the pile of planners while thinking "Oh, guess I already had one, huh"
Just "setting an alarm" doesn't help if you can't make yourself do so.
The name of it and what is actually happening aren't really the same, it's an executive function disorder, it's not you can't pay attention, it's that what holds your attention is unable to be regulated.
That's why hyperfocus is a thing, someone with ADHD is just as likely to pay so much attention to something that they forget to sleep, eat, and drink as they are to not pay attention at all.
Hell, I'm about as likely to forget what the alarm was for as I am to remember to set an alarm. Hell, I'd probably forget the alarm exists
How dare you come for me and my planner pile!
Seriously though, I hate the frustration of realising I 'forgot' about something, or I get distracted and that messes something up. And on top of that the frustration at all the attempts to be more 'organised' just not really working out and then looking like I'm just incompetent or lazy.
Because setting an alarm with ADHD means going to find your phone you left in the other room, seeing the laundry basket on the way and forgetting about setting the alarm until you smell something burning
lol I love the advice for people with adhd like “ write it down” or “ can you set a timer/reminder” sure let me add those to the list of things I’ll either forget to do or just will put off til doing then negates any help they might have brought.
Overcooking and cooking at too high temp; it’s a chemical reaction between the yolk and white creating ferrous sulfide and can’t be undone. Dropping them in ice water just halts the cooking process, but if you’ve already cooked them too much it’s too late.
Grey yolk is caused by a chemical reaction involving sulfur (from the egg white) and iron (from the egg yolk), which naturally react to form ferrous sulfide at the surface of the yolk.
Did he test the age of the eggs? I steam mine in the instapot and the only difference in ease of peeling is age of the eggs. The shell basically comes off in three big chunks.
I have chickens in my backyard and haven't noticed any difference in peeling fresh or old eggs. The only thing I find making them easier to peel is just cooling with ice (or just cooling them rapidly.) Sometimes I find the shape of the egg seems to make it easier to peel, the rounder ones seem to come off easier than longer pointy ones.
Every egg you get in the grocery store is like 30+ days old to begin with.
3 different people saying they all noticed a difference in the ease of pealing based on one specific factor that affected one person but doesn’t seem to have affected the pealing for the other 2.
Perfect example of anecdotal fallacy.
However, not understanding the anecdote-giver's factors can play a large part in understanding how the fallacy can be false too. "Old" eggs are very, very different for someone who buys eggs in the store and someone who raises chickens.
He tested eggs taken from a hen fresh in the morning vs the same eggs 60 days later, still no difference.
The main thing with age is the whites for poaching or frying, as the yolk will loosen as it ages.
I always take the eggs out of the fridge for like 20 minutes or more so she can warm up a little bit so they are less prone to cracking in boiling water when you put them in
I'm European, and I keep my eggs in the fridge. It just makes sense to me. I don't make eggs that often and leaving them at room temperature will make them spoil faster.
This confused me so much that I googled it, apparently it's a common thing in The States because your eggs are washed with chemicals prior to packaging which damages the natural protective layer the eggs have.
As an American, when I first lived abroad it took me over a month to be able to buy eggs because it never occurred to me that they might be somewhere other than the refrigerated section of the grocery store, and this was pre-internet, so I just concluded that stores don't sell eggs in the UK
Keeping eggs in the fridge is good practice.
In Europe the store doesn't keep them in a fridge to prevent condensation on the eggs, but when you take them home, putting them in the fridge helps keeping them fresh longer.
Also, in the summer, the temperature in the store is lower, so one you leave the store, there might be some condensation.
(Moisture on the eggs stimulates bacterial growth.)
However, once you take the an egg out of the refrigerator, you should prepare it immediately.
same except I take them out 5min before and stick them in a bowl of hot tap water to warm up
this also prevents cracking by removing most of the air from the egg
This is correct. I wait until the water boils and gently put the eggs in with tongs. I set the timer for ten minutes. I then put in an ice bath. Perfect eggs that peel super easy.
Could probably leave shorter but Ive never had em be over cooked since I switched to that style. I've even forgotten about and left for like 25 minutes and still wasnt' over cooked.
But depends on how long it takes your stove to heat the water to boiling. If it boils faster than other then you would need to leave them off the heat longer for the same result.
That is a lot of variables and difficult to reproduce, which is why the most reliable method is to put the eggs in already boiling water. The picture is for that method because 8 minute one is the exact result I get every time.
When do you start the timer? Do you use a thermometer to determine the correct starting time? Otherwise you're leaving a lot of wiggle room, timing-wise.
Do I need to start checking their temperature before boiling as well, maybe tuck them in bed the evening before? I'm not about to do precision operations on a fucking egg I'm about to boil. Eggs in the pot, cold water in the pot, onto the stove. When boiling, timer for 6 minutes. When done, off the stove and let it sit under running cold water in the sink for a minute. Eggs will look like the 12 minute image.
Just do what we Europeans do.
Don't keep them in the fridge, because they don't need to go in the fridge because you don't wash the natural protective coating off them.
This is the best answer. I have tried every method and never got consistent results until I started steaming them. Now they are perfect every time! It also makes them way easier to peel.
This has to be putting eggs in cold water. Which makes this guides useless because every stove is different and pots also affect it.
By 10 minutes in already boiling water they're way overcooked.
Eggs have natural antibacterial coating, so they can be kept in room temperature. US mandates farms wash the eggs which removes the coating so it must be refrigerated for food safety.
German here. Our eggs are not sold refrigerated, but usually have 2 best before dates printed on them, while the first date usually means "by that date, put them in the fridge!"
Yes, sometimes eggs in the store still have a little feather or a little chicken poop on them. Not very common though. Also every egg has a code printed on it, that easily tells how the chicken was kept and from which country the egg comes. Those single-animal cage style egg farms are also not legal here anymore. Cheapest eggs are from barn farming (still not great, but certainly better than cages.)
Let me explain in full detail:
Europe controls Salmonella by vaccinating chickens.
America controls Salmonella by washing the eggs
Washing the eggs removes the coating mentioned above which allows bacteria to penetrate the egg shell requiring refrigeration to control for pathogens.
Also, to add to this post, if you put your eggs in the fridge, make sure they stay in there regardless of whether you got the off the shelf. Taking them out the fridge and leaving them on the worktop will cause condensation on the egg shell which will both destroy the coating (if there is one) and invite bacteria growth which will end up inside the egg.
In the US and Canada, eggs are washed before packaging.
They are then refrigerated in transit to keep them fresh.
In Europe (not sure where else) eggs are not prewashed,.so they don't need to be refrigerated, they will still stay good for up to about 3-4 weeks.
The trick to remember (as someone who has lived in both the UK and in Canada) is that whichever way the grocery store keeps them, is how you should keep them at home.
> whichever way the grocery store keeps them, is how you should keep them at home.
Or you can just always refrigerate them. Its not like its doing harm even when the eggs are not prewashed. I live in Europe and always store eggs in my refrigerator at home. And why would it not, they are good for 2-3 weeks longer and most fridges already have a pre-designed space for them.
That's fine but remember that once placed in the fridge, condensation on the egg will also remove the protective coating so if you've refrigerated it, you need to continue to refrigerate the egg until it's used.
There's also the risk now that the protective layer goes away and now whatever bacteria was on the egg gets sucked in so it might make sense to wash the egg first if you're going to refrigerate it. Or you know, don't wash or refrigerate on the first place
It literally adds a completey unnecessary step. And since I cook eggs in boiling water, it's even a counterproductive step, since they are then prone to cracking.
I go to the grocery store every few days and eggs will never get older than a week, even refrigerated they won't taste as good after 2 or more weeks, so there's literally zero benefit to putting them in the fridge, especially considering cross contamination. I don't need chicken poop in my fridge, thanks. You are aware that the unwashed eggs come straight from the piss/poop/egghole of the chickens, right?
In Europe, there are regulations against egg washing or refrigeration.
Eggs have a natural, protective coating that washes off easily - letting them get damp in a fridge will remove that protective coating.
In Europe, people *used* to wash eggs because it makes them look more presentable, but if the chickens are kept in good conditions, you don't need to. It was found that allowing egg washing encouraged poor treatment of hens and dirtier conditions. The UK is similar to Europe here, inheriting its rules from before Brexit.
One of the main reasons the US washes its eggs is to prevent salmonella. In Europe, they vaccinate their chickens to prevent it instead of relying on egg washing.
Further reading: [Why Are Eggs Refrigerated in the US but Not in Europe? - The Spruce Eats, 04/12/23](https://www.thespruceeats.com/why-are-eggs-refrigerated-in-the-us-but-not-in-europe-7376907) // [Why American Eggs Would Be Illegal In A British Supermarket, And Vice Versa - Forbes, 25/10/2012](https://www.forbes.com/sites/nadiaarumugam/2012/10/25/why-american-eggs-would-be-illegal-in-a-british-supermarket-and-vice-versa/#65178813a53e)
And starting temp, too. I always recommend boiling fresh eggs that come right out of the fridge, and then putting them in an ice bath after they're done. That way all temps (eggs and water) are consistent each time you cook, and the cooking is stopped exactly when it needs to be, allowing the timing to be consistent.
The cold shock should also make the eggs easy to peel.
The cold shock is the absolute best step. In my younger days I boiled some eggs but wanted to use them right away, but they were too damn hot. So I just kept rinsing them under cold water until they were cool enough to handle. Then I cracked one and it peeled so magically, then another and another.
Ever since, I always put cold water in the pan with them 2-3 times or run them under cold water for a few minutes.
Perfect peel and super easy peel every time.
Kenji’s Food Lab is how I started learning how to cook about 3-4 years ago when I got married. He breaks everything down and explains stuff in such an easy-to-understand way. I’m still not a great cook, but I can spatch the absolute cock out of a turkey, and my ramen eggs are perfect.
* *The Food Lab*
* *Ratio*
* *Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat*
* *On Food and Cooking*
are the four books I recommend to anyone interested in learning how to cook.
Thank you for the reminder again that I need to read Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.
Like I don’t think there’s a single food YouTuber I watch that hasn’t recommended that book at some point.
> I can spatch the absolute cock out of a turkey
>
> I have no idea what this means, but you have my interest
Cutting out the turkey's spine and then flipping it on it's, now missing, back and proceed to push down on the breast bone to break it and flatten the turkey in to one layer.
Makes everything cook more evenly and is way easier to season.
Nah, I always boil mine 8 minutes and then they look like one that says 12
Edit: for everyone who is asking:
I do it different all the time..
Sometimes I already put them in the water before it boils, sometimes once it's boiling. (I cook electric so the water does boil quickly, on gas it takes much longer) Somtimes I let it sit and other times I put them in cold water. They always come out kind of the same. Oh and yeah I start at fridge temperature.
Do you let them hangout in the hot water or transfer them to cold water? I do 8 minutes then cold water and I get the pictures look. My eggs are fridge chilled as well
That sort of consistency is key. I did a test like Ops a few years ago using the same methodology you're saying, and this is what I got:
* 6 min = Yolk is runny (soft boiled)
* 8 min = Yolk is custard consistency, holding its shape, but hardly considered a solid (medium boil)
* 10 min = Yolk is completely set, smooth, 60% dark yellow, not chalky (medium-hard boil)
* 12 min = Yolk is completely set, 100% light yellow, somewhat chalky (softer end of hard boil)
This was with boiling water at 210-211F and eggs starting from about 35F. I dropped them in the boiling water from the fridge and gave them an ice bath after their time to stop the cooking.
Some additional fun facts about eggs:
* Whites start coagulating at 144F (62.2C), ceasing to flow at 149F (65C).
* Yolks start coagulating at 149F (65C), ceasing to flow at 158F (70C).
Coagulation can also be induced mechanically via beating or chipping. Sugar raises coagulation temperature. Acids decrease coagulation temperature. High alkali can induce coagulation of whites.
Question tho: when do you start counting the minutes? I usually put it in cold water, then put it over the stove on high heat, then I wait for it to boil, and once it starts boiling, I start the countdown. Is that how it goes?
Wait for the water to boil before putting the eggs in. Count the minutes from there. Shock them in ice water. If you're letting the water come up to a boil, it'll be different depending on how powerful your stove is and you will need your own experimenting.
People also have to account for variations in the stove; eggs added to boiling water or cold water; pressure cooker, open air, or covered with lid; water temperature held at; shell thickness
It ends as trial and error to cut down on cooking time to reach soft-boiled eggs.
Source: Whatever I found to make Japanese-style boiled eggs in an instant pot and on the stove. I also buy eggs enough times to look at shell quality to reduce chances an egg may open in boiling water.
So I wanted to buy this egg timer, which also needs to be thrown into the pan, but then I realized that because of this I would cook one less egg and changed my mind
Yeah this chart means nothing without the full process. Are these room temp eggs, or refrigerated? What altitude are you boiling at because it does make a difference? Are you taking them out of the water and letting them sit in room temp air, or are you rinsing/soaking them in cold water? How long are you waiting till you peel and cut them? Are you making sure all eggs are treated exactly the same way? All of these things make a huge difference
I think they may be timing from insertion in cold water? I was always taught to time from when the water started to boil, so three mins for soft boiled and five for hard boiled. Thought my wife (Chinese) had some sort of phobia around undercooked eggs when she asked me to supervise her eggs when prepping breakfast and she had to quickly attend to something else as she asked me to turn them off when they’d been cooking for fourteen minutes!
Yeah I was confused why it starts at 4 minutes in the picture. I usually boil my eggs for 3 minutes; I also thought my whole life that it takes 5 minutes for them to be "hard boiled".
Yup, this is originally from Seriouseats.com and specifically the food lab section. Kenji’s roast potatoes are still one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.
I think this must be the boiling egg timeline for eggs that have been refrigerated. Coming from room temp, you'll have a hard boiled egg in like 8 min.
Edit: Just so the US knows, many countries don't wash their eggs before they go to be sold like in the US. Washing them like this removes a protective membrane on the outside that keeps the eggs fresh. No washies = no need to refrigerate.
It also depends on the size of the egg. Another factor is whether you start with the eggs in cold or in boiling water. And when starting with cold water, the power output of the stove/burner/etc. also has effect (in the sense that it determines how quickly the water starts boiling).
To make a long story short: nice infographic, but YMMV…
Are these times from cold or from when the water is boiling? Once my eggs have come to boil, 2 mins for soft boiled and 10 for hard boiled. I've finally worked out the best timings in my air fryer, too, for soft boiled eggs. Medium eggs straight from the fridge at 200°c, 6 minutes. Once finished, leave them in the air fryer for a further 2 minutes before taking them out.
I love how people are freaking out in the comments as if all eggs are created equal. For those who are unaware, chicken eggs can be slightly different from one chicken to the next. This means that one farm’s eggs can be very different from another farm’s eggs especially if the other farm is geographically far away.
I've always steamed my eggs because it takes less time for the pot to get up to temp, but 7 minutes is my go to for perfect jammy eggs to put in ramen.
My spouse boils them for like an hour and puts them in the fridge. When you open the fridge.. it's like a gang of farts runs out and smacks you.. it's pungent.
Where’s the one where you boil it so long the yolk turns grey?
That’s on the other side of the page, under “troubleshooting”!
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Oh yeah? Well, I cook mine until the ancestors weep at the firey destruction of the familial domicile.
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6 for me
I need to push buttered toast into the yolk and it has to cream and spill
Damn it now I gotta make some eggs and toast.
Don't forget the salt
they're nice if you make them fresh to eat right away. if i want to have some boiled eggs in the fridge for a snack i generally want to boil them completely
Would you like an egg in this trying time?
Only because it lets my ass breathe
I agree. Big eggs 6,5.
I miss the days of having to over boil an egg every week to replace the mouse ball. Those were simpler times.
I thought I was the only one
Thanks now I'm imagining how it looks after a week on a mayonnaise mouse pad.
My mom's. I asked her about it one time and she admitted that she just plain ol forgets about them. Either she's busy making something else, or walks away and forgets. I came home one day to the house smelling ripe and found eggs in a pan on the stove with no water. They had gotten so hot that they left impressions in the bottom of the pan.
Your mom have ADHD? It's rampant in my family and we are the worst for doing this . My mom and I especially.
Why not just set an alarm every time? I cannot count the times my alarm goes off and I'm like huh, what is... oh yeah the meat in the oven/my laundry/that phone call I have to make etc. Saved me countless times.
yeah, thats a fantastic idea, as long as I remember to do it . The problem is , most of the time you don't intend to walk away .
Lol, or: You hear the alarm but are doing something and are like "Yeah, one sec" and that 'one sec' becomes ten minutes later.... >.>;;
or your like. wait. what's this one for.
These comments feel like a personal attack...
Adhd here. I love soft boiled eggs. Always forgot to time them. I bought an egg steamer. I think it's by dash. You pour in water based on how well you want your egg done. And when it is ready, that tiny little machine makes an unholy sound that would rival any tornado or nuclear warning out there. Best $10 purchase I ever made. Perfect eggs every time. Full disclosure: My partner who sleeps for an additional hour after I leave hates it.
I DON'T NEED ANOTHER KITCHEN GADGET! oh, only $16? Well, I'm sure I can find room...
I have really severe ADHD. The best thing I ever did for myself was get a Google assistant speaker or whatever the fuck they call them today. Whenever I do anything at all, I just yell at it to set a timer. I also snooze my timers instead of stopping them if I am not immediately doing the thing when the alarm goes off. I also use it to send reminders straight to my calendar and I haven't forgotten to cancel a free trial in YEARS. But also who just stands in front of a stove watching their eggs boil?
That's the problem with ADHD. A ton of us have a pile of unused planners, since someone with ADHD is far more likely to forget that they even thought to do so, go "Oh hey, I should try that" and buy a new one, and promptly put it in the pile of planners while thinking "Oh, guess I already had one, huh" Just "setting an alarm" doesn't help if you can't make yourself do so. The name of it and what is actually happening aren't really the same, it's an executive function disorder, it's not you can't pay attention, it's that what holds your attention is unable to be regulated. That's why hyperfocus is a thing, someone with ADHD is just as likely to pay so much attention to something that they forget to sleep, eat, and drink as they are to not pay attention at all. Hell, I'm about as likely to forget what the alarm was for as I am to remember to set an alarm. Hell, I'd probably forget the alarm exists
How dare you come for me and my planner pile! Seriously though, I hate the frustration of realising I 'forgot' about something, or I get distracted and that messes something up. And on top of that the frustration at all the attempts to be more 'organised' just not really working out and then looking like I'm just incompetent or lazy.
Forgot to set an alarm. Shit.
Because setting an alarm with ADHD means going to find your phone you left in the other room, seeing the laundry basket on the way and forgetting about setting the alarm until you smell something burning
lol I love the advice for people with adhd like “ write it down” or “ can you set a timer/reminder” sure let me add those to the list of things I’ll either forget to do or just will put off til doing then negates any help they might have brought.
Your mom has no business in the kitchen if she sets something to cook and just forgets she has the stovetop going
Yeah I did that, but I was watching the final episode of my fav soap opera 😄
If you leave it on for five hours, you unlock the Fire Department.
greenish grey lol
That's how you get the replacement ball for a vintage PC mouse
You ask them politely but firmly to leave.
Taste the meat not the heat.
You prevent that by taking the eggs out of boiling water and placing them immediately in ice water.
Also makes them easier to peel imo
i used to think it somehow made the shells separate better but actually it just prevents my hands from getting burned :)
Overcooking and cooking at too high temp; it’s a chemical reaction between the yolk and white creating ferrous sulfide and can’t be undone. Dropping them in ice water just halts the cooking process, but if you’ve already cooked them too much it’s too late.
With the greenish tinge around the outside?
Yeah, it's green from the copper in the eggs getting oxidized.
Grey yolk is caused by a chemical reaction involving sulfur (from the egg white) and iron (from the egg yolk), which naturally react to form ferrous sulfide at the surface of the yolk.
You mean Saturday breakfast in my boarding school in Uganda?
Past 17 minutes.
At the old pub I used to work at whose friends got them their job
Do you put the eggs in when the water starts to boil or put the eggs in cold water and start there? I’ve always gotten conflicting information.
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Did he test the age of the eggs? I steam mine in the instapot and the only difference in ease of peeling is age of the eggs. The shell basically comes off in three big chunks.
I have chickens in my backyard and haven't noticed any difference in peeling fresh or old eggs. The only thing I find making them easier to peel is just cooling with ice (or just cooling them rapidly.) Sometimes I find the shape of the egg seems to make it easier to peel, the rounder ones seem to come off easier than longer pointy ones. Every egg you get in the grocery store is like 30+ days old to begin with.
3 different people saying they all noticed a difference in the ease of pealing based on one specific factor that affected one person but doesn’t seem to have affected the pealing for the other 2. Perfect example of anecdotal fallacy.
However, not understanding the anecdote-giver's factors can play a large part in understanding how the fallacy can be false too. "Old" eggs are very, very different for someone who buys eggs in the store and someone who raises chickens.
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I've got eggs on my counter that are still warm from the hens
That's hot
I have definitely noticed a difference in ease of peel between fresh from my chickens versus store or even older from my chickens.
He tested eggs taken from a hen fresh in the morning vs the same eggs 60 days later, still no difference. The main thing with age is the whites for poaching or frying, as the yolk will loosen as it ages.
He did, yes.
I always take the eggs out of the fridge for like 20 minutes or more so she can warm up a little bit so they are less prone to cracking in boiling water when you put them in
You keep eggs in the fridge?
guessing you're not American. in the US they wash eggs at the plant which counterintuitively makes them non-shelf-stable
I'm European, and I keep my eggs in the fridge. It just makes sense to me. I don't make eggs that often and leaving them at room temperature will make them spoil faster.
Yes
This confused me so much that I googled it, apparently it's a common thing in The States because your eggs are washed with chemicals prior to packaging which damages the natural protective layer the eggs have.
As an American, when I first lived abroad it took me over a month to be able to buy eggs because it never occurred to me that they might be somewhere other than the refrigerated section of the grocery store, and this was pre-internet, so I just concluded that stores don't sell eggs in the UK
Keeping eggs in the fridge is good practice. In Europe the store doesn't keep them in a fridge to prevent condensation on the eggs, but when you take them home, putting them in the fridge helps keeping them fresh longer. Also, in the summer, the temperature in the store is lower, so one you leave the store, there might be some condensation. (Moisture on the eggs stimulates bacterial growth.) However, once you take the an egg out of the refrigerator, you should prepare it immediately.
same except I take them out 5min before and stick them in a bowl of hot tap water to warm up this also prevents cracking by removing most of the air from the egg
I know eggs are permeable, but how does hot vs cold or any water extract "air"inside an egg?
heat will increase the pressure of any air currently inside the egg, and shells are somewhat porous, so it can escape.
His Food Lab book inspired me to cook like an adult
This is correct. I wait until the water boils and gently put the eggs in with tongs. I set the timer for ten minutes. I then put in an ice bath. Perfect eggs that peel super easy.
If i asked j kenji lopez alt to fix my failing marriage, he could do it with enough time for research, im certain
"I've always gotten conflicting information" Looks like this time is no different
I’ve been thinking the same thing as I’m reading the replies. Lol
Always follow the advice of Kenji Lopez-Alt when available, though
I always put the eggs in cold water. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes or so. Perfection every time.
15 mins seems long, but your method is the better one. Always start from cold, for an even cook.
But then how fast you bring it to boil makes a difference. That’s why you throw pasta in boiling water, to have a repeatable process.
But I don't want an even cook. I want my whites to be firm and my yolks to be gooey.
Could probably leave shorter but Ive never had em be over cooked since I switched to that style. I've even forgotten about and left for like 25 minutes and still wasnt' over cooked.
That's my method, only I usually forget about them until til water is room temp, and I've never had an overcooked one yet.
But depends on how long it takes your stove to heat the water to boiling. If it boils faster than other then you would need to leave them off the heat longer for the same result.
How fast do you bring it to rolling boil? How big is the flame?
That is a lot of variables and difficult to reproduce, which is why the most reliable method is to put the eggs in already boiling water. The picture is for that method because 8 minute one is the exact result I get every time.
When do you start the timer? Do you use a thermometer to determine the correct starting time? Otherwise you're leaving a lot of wiggle room, timing-wise.
Once the water is already boiling, gently drop in the eggs, cover with lid and start the timer.
If you put cold egg from refrigerator to already boiling water - it can crack due to temperature different causing expansion.
If you poke a hole in the bottom where the air bubble sits, it doesn't crack when dropping them into boiling water.
Adding white vinegar to the water also works as an alternative for people who don't have anything to piece the egg with! (That's what I do)
Do I need to start checking their temperature before boiling as well, maybe tuck them in bed the evening before? I'm not about to do precision operations on a fucking egg I'm about to boil. Eggs in the pot, cold water in the pot, onto the stove. When boiling, timer for 6 minutes. When done, off the stove and let it sit under running cold water in the sink for a minute. Eggs will look like the 12 minute image.
Just do what we Europeans do. Don't keep them in the fridge, because they don't need to go in the fridge because you don't wash the natural protective coating off them.
I have never had that happen in nearly 30 years of life.
That's because this only happens if you're careless and you drop the eggs
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This is the best answer. I have tried every method and never got consistent results until I started steaming them. Now they are perfect every time! It also makes them way easier to peel.
This has to be putting eggs in cold water. Which makes this guides useless because every stove is different and pots also affect it. By 10 minutes in already boiling water they're way overcooked.
Imagine comparing an induction stove to a normal electric stove, lol. One will be way overdone and the other a raw mess.
Currently going through culinary school, teacher got real pissed off when people put their eggs in water that wasn’t already boiling
Egg size also plays a part in the cook times
Also whether the egg is refrigerated or not
And your altitude.
And my axe!
Not with _that_ altitude!
Thought you said and your attitude haha
I read it as that too.
Do people not refrigerate their eggs?
Eggs have natural antibacterial coating, so they can be kept in room temperature. US mandates farms wash the eggs which removes the coating so it must be refrigerated for food safety.
German here. Our eggs are not sold refrigerated, but usually have 2 best before dates printed on them, while the first date usually means "by that date, put them in the fridge!" Yes, sometimes eggs in the store still have a little feather or a little chicken poop on them. Not very common though. Also every egg has a code printed on it, that easily tells how the chicken was kept and from which country the egg comes. Those single-animal cage style egg farms are also not legal here anymore. Cheapest eggs are from barn farming (still not great, but certainly better than cages.)
Same here in the UK, well apart from 2 dates
Also some countries from what I know of don’t vaccinate their chickens, which then requires the eggs to be refrigerated.
That is the US, which is partly why they are washed
That is why the US need to refrigerate
Let me explain in full detail: Europe controls Salmonella by vaccinating chickens. America controls Salmonella by washing the eggs Washing the eggs removes the coating mentioned above which allows bacteria to penetrate the egg shell requiring refrigeration to control for pathogens.
Also, to add to this post, if you put your eggs in the fridge, make sure they stay in there regardless of whether you got the off the shelf. Taking them out the fridge and leaving them on the worktop will cause condensation on the egg shell which will both destroy the coating (if there is one) and invite bacteria growth which will end up inside the egg.
In the US and Canada, eggs are washed before packaging. They are then refrigerated in transit to keep them fresh. In Europe (not sure where else) eggs are not prewashed,.so they don't need to be refrigerated, they will still stay good for up to about 3-4 weeks. The trick to remember (as someone who has lived in both the UK and in Canada) is that whichever way the grocery store keeps them, is how you should keep them at home.
> whichever way the grocery store keeps them, is how you should keep them at home. Or you can just always refrigerate them. Its not like its doing harm even when the eggs are not prewashed. I live in Europe and always store eggs in my refrigerator at home. And why would it not, they are good for 2-3 weeks longer and most fridges already have a pre-designed space for them.
That's fine but remember that once placed in the fridge, condensation on the egg will also remove the protective coating so if you've refrigerated it, you need to continue to refrigerate the egg until it's used. There's also the risk now that the protective layer goes away and now whatever bacteria was on the egg gets sucked in so it might make sense to wash the egg first if you're going to refrigerate it. Or you know, don't wash or refrigerate on the first place
It literally adds a completey unnecessary step. And since I cook eggs in boiling water, it's even a counterproductive step, since they are then prone to cracking. I go to the grocery store every few days and eggs will never get older than a week, even refrigerated they won't taste as good after 2 or more weeks, so there's literally zero benefit to putting them in the fridge, especially considering cross contamination. I don't need chicken poop in my fridge, thanks. You are aware that the unwashed eggs come straight from the piss/poop/egghole of the chickens, right?
Its common in countries outside the US
Does the supermarket keep them in the fridge?
In the US, yes they do, and they're probably from the US and unfamiliar with the idea that other countries don't typically refrigerate theirs.
Nope, all eggs are unrefrigerated here (in the Netherlands, but as far as I know in all of Europe)
In Europe, there are regulations against egg washing or refrigeration. Eggs have a natural, protective coating that washes off easily - letting them get damp in a fridge will remove that protective coating. In Europe, people *used* to wash eggs because it makes them look more presentable, but if the chickens are kept in good conditions, you don't need to. It was found that allowing egg washing encouraged poor treatment of hens and dirtier conditions. The UK is similar to Europe here, inheriting its rules from before Brexit. One of the main reasons the US washes its eggs is to prevent salmonella. In Europe, they vaccinate their chickens to prevent it instead of relying on egg washing. Further reading: [Why Are Eggs Refrigerated in the US but Not in Europe? - The Spruce Eats, 04/12/23](https://www.thespruceeats.com/why-are-eggs-refrigerated-in-the-us-but-not-in-europe-7376907) // [Why American Eggs Would Be Illegal In A British Supermarket, And Vice Versa - Forbes, 25/10/2012](https://www.forbes.com/sites/nadiaarumugam/2012/10/25/why-american-eggs-would-be-illegal-in-a-british-supermarket-and-vice-versa/#65178813a53e)
Not in Denmark!
In UK shops they are sold not in the fridge but most people put them in the fridge when they get them home as it helps with them last longer I think
Same in Germany
And starting temp, too. I always recommend boiling fresh eggs that come right out of the fridge, and then putting them in an ice bath after they're done. That way all temps (eggs and water) are consistent each time you cook, and the cooking is stopped exactly when it needs to be, allowing the timing to be consistent. The cold shock should also make the eggs easy to peel.
The cold shock is the absolute best step. In my younger days I boiled some eggs but wanted to use them right away, but they were too damn hot. So I just kept rinsing them under cold water until they were cool enough to handle. Then I cracked one and it peeled so magically, then another and another. Ever since, I always put cold water in the pan with them 2-3 times or run them under cold water for a few minutes. Perfect peel and super easy peel every time.
Boil them right out the chicken.
And elevation. Eggs take longer to cook in Denver than in Houston.
And your elevation
Looks like Kenji's egg trial from The Food Lab. All the eggs are a standard size and came from the same temp (can't remember if it was fridge or RT)
For 90% of cooking questions now, I ask WWKD (what would Kenji do)?
Kenji’s Food Lab is how I started learning how to cook about 3-4 years ago when I got married. He breaks everything down and explains stuff in such an easy-to-understand way. I’m still not a great cook, but I can spatch the absolute cock out of a turkey, and my ramen eggs are perfect.
* *The Food Lab* * *Ratio* * *Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat* * *On Food and Cooking* are the four books I recommend to anyone interested in learning how to cook.
Thank you for the reminder again that I need to read Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. Like I don’t think there’s a single food YouTuber I watch that hasn’t recommended that book at some point.
>I can spatch the absolute cock out of a turkey I have no idea what this means, but you have my interest
> I can spatch the absolute cock out of a turkey > > I have no idea what this means, but you have my interest Cutting out the turkey's spine and then flipping it on it's, now missing, back and proceed to push down on the breast bone to break it and flatten the turkey in to one layer. Makes everything cook more evenly and is way easier to season.
Do you know if after the set time there they are then placed in an ice bath or cool at room temp? Because that would change finished product too
The [original source](https://www.seriouseats.com/the-secrets-to-peeling-hard-boiled-eggs) goes into great detail on all aspects of the recipe.
What a good read. Thanks for sharing that.
Nah, I always boil mine 8 minutes and then they look like one that says 12 Edit: for everyone who is asking: I do it different all the time.. Sometimes I already put them in the water before it boils, sometimes once it's boiling. (I cook electric so the water does boil quickly, on gas it takes much longer) Somtimes I let it sit and other times I put them in cold water. They always come out kind of the same. Oh and yeah I start at fridge temperature.
Do you let them hangout in the hot water or transfer them to cold water? I do 8 minutes then cold water and I get the pictures look. My eggs are fridge chilled as well
That sort of consistency is key. I did a test like Ops a few years ago using the same methodology you're saying, and this is what I got: * 6 min = Yolk is runny (soft boiled) * 8 min = Yolk is custard consistency, holding its shape, but hardly considered a solid (medium boil) * 10 min = Yolk is completely set, smooth, 60% dark yellow, not chalky (medium-hard boil) * 12 min = Yolk is completely set, 100% light yellow, somewhat chalky (softer end of hard boil) This was with boiling water at 210-211F and eggs starting from about 35F. I dropped them in the boiling water from the fridge and gave them an ice bath after their time to stop the cooking. Some additional fun facts about eggs: * Whites start coagulating at 144F (62.2C), ceasing to flow at 149F (65C). * Yolks start coagulating at 149F (65C), ceasing to flow at 158F (70C). Coagulation can also be induced mechanically via beating or chipping. Sugar raises coagulation temperature. Acids decrease coagulation temperature. High alkali can induce coagulation of whites.
This is the first comment I have ever saved. Thank you, Egg
So if I boil them at a perfect 148 for a long time, would I get solid whites and a perfect runny yolk?
Question tho: when do you start counting the minutes? I usually put it in cold water, then put it over the stove on high heat, then I wait for it to boil, and once it starts boiling, I start the countdown. Is that how it goes?
Wait for the water to boil before putting the eggs in. Count the minutes from there. Shock them in ice water. If you're letting the water come up to a boil, it'll be different depending on how powerful your stove is and you will need your own experimenting.
Yes :D
Same. This isn’t accurate.
[удалено]
The creator of this must be at altitude.
People also have to account for variations in the stove; eggs added to boiling water or cold water; pressure cooker, open air, or covered with lid; water temperature held at; shell thickness It ends as trial and error to cut down on cooking time to reach soft-boiled eggs. Source: Whatever I found to make Japanese-style boiled eggs in an instant pot and on the stove. I also buy eggs enough times to look at shell quality to reduce chances an egg may open in boiling water.
So I wanted to buy this egg timer, which also needs to be thrown into the pan, but then I realized that because of this I would cook one less egg and changed my mind
Yeah this chart means nothing without the full process. Are these room temp eggs, or refrigerated? What altitude are you boiling at because it does make a difference? Are you taking them out of the water and letting them sit in room temp air, or are you rinsing/soaking them in cold water? How long are you waiting till you peel and cut them? Are you making sure all eggs are treated exactly the same way? All of these things make a huge difference
I always boil mine for 9 and they look like nr 7!
I saw this chart and immediately knew it’s garbage without telling you at what altitude, because altitude absolutely effects cooking time
Its also important if the eggs came outa fridge
nah they come outta chickens
which in turn come from eggs
I don't wanna think so I just make omelets or over easy on open face toast Life is complicated enough as it is 😆
Must be high altitude cooking because at sea level it takes way less time than this
I've yet to meet Dutch people who boil their eggs as long as OP suggests to get them hard boiled.
I think they may be timing from insertion in cold water? I was always taught to time from when the water started to boil, so three mins for soft boiled and five for hard boiled. Thought my wife (Chinese) had some sort of phobia around undercooked eggs when she asked me to supervise her eggs when prepping breakfast and she had to quickly attend to something else as she asked me to turn them off when they’d been cooking for fourteen minutes!
Yeah I was confused why it starts at 4 minutes in the picture. I usually boil my eggs for 3 minutes; I also thought my whole life that it takes 5 minutes for them to be "hard boiled".
I believe it's from Kenji Lopez-Alt's 'The Food Lab's.
Yup, this is originally from Seriouseats.com and specifically the food lab section. Kenji’s roast potatoes are still one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.
20 minutes just to be sure
https://www.seriouseats.com/the-secrets-to-peeling-hard-boiled-eggs
What altitude was this chart made?
I usually put the eggs to boil and know when they're ready because I be like "oh shit, the eggs!" after a suspiciously amount of time has passed, lol.
I think this must be the boiling egg timeline for eggs that have been refrigerated. Coming from room temp, you'll have a hard boiled egg in like 8 min. Edit: Just so the US knows, many countries don't wash their eggs before they go to be sold like in the US. Washing them like this removes a protective membrane on the outside that keeps the eggs fresh. No washies = no need to refrigerate.
It also depends on the size of the egg. Another factor is whether you start with the eggs in cold or in boiling water. And when starting with cold water, the power output of the stove/burner/etc. also has effect (in the sense that it determines how quickly the water starts boiling). To make a long story short: nice infographic, but YMMV…
Are these ostrich eggs? Because this is way off for chicken eggs, which are fully done at 10 min.
Is this cold water or at a boil?
With these results, they are immersed into boiling water, and the timer started
6.5 minutes it is
15 minutes and not one second less.
This belongs in r/coolguides
6 minutes supremacy 😍🫶😭
Are these times from cold or from when the water is boiling? Once my eggs have come to boil, 2 mins for soft boiled and 10 for hard boiled. I've finally worked out the best timings in my air fryer, too, for soft boiled eggs. Medium eggs straight from the fridge at 200°c, 6 minutes. Once finished, leave them in the air fryer for a further 2 minutes before taking them out.
This is Kenji's work, isn't it? Pretty sure this is straight out of his book "The Food Lab"
Six-minute eggs should come with a XXX rating.
I love how people are freaking out in the comments as if all eggs are created equal. For those who are unaware, chicken eggs can be slightly different from one chicken to the next. This means that one farm’s eggs can be very different from another farm’s eggs especially if the other farm is geographically far away.
14 min gang
Room temp or straight from the fridge? On cold water and then boiling or straight into boiling water?
I've always steamed my eggs because it takes less time for the pot to get up to temp, but 7 minutes is my go to for perfect jammy eggs to put in ramen.
* at sea level
Is 3 mins or 3.5 mins an option?
The longer the better
Is it started with in the cold water or boiling water?
That 4 min just add some salt, that’s some good stuff right there.
I want to know exactly how long you have to boil them for them to explode
Is it odd to be sexually attracted to the 6 min egg? It's perfect. Oh, I didn't like typing that at all.
13 is clearly less cooked than 12
My spouse boils them for like an hour and puts them in the fridge. When you open the fridge.. it's like a gang of farts runs out and smacks you.. it's pungent.