How To Boil Eggs

Posted on January 1st, 2009 by monsterguide

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Ok, so it’s breakfast time and you’re yearning for a nice boiled egg. But wait, you’re not sure how to make one. Well, there’s nothing to fear; yes, boiling an egg isn’t as simple as it sounds, but it’s certainly not very complicated either. Once you’ve decided whether you want the egg soft-boiled or hard-boiled, just round up the ingredients and you’re ready to start.

Equipment

Ingredients

Eggs
Water

Step One: Selecting The Eggs

Eggs come in a wide variety these days. Apart from the regular chicken eggs, you have duck eggs, quail eggs, etc.; all of them, however, are rich in proteins and nutritional value. Always select eggs that are perhaps a day or two old and not totally fresh, as they are often the best to boil, and it is much easier to peel the shell off if you decide to have hard-boiled eggs.

Step Two: Preparing To Boil

Make sure the eggs are at room temperature or else remove them from the refrigerator and leave them outside for a few minutes. Next, put the eggs in a Small saucepan, and fill it with cold water about an inch over the level of the eggs. Now place the pan on the fire on a high flame until the water begins to boil. Once the water is boiling, lower the flame and set it to simmer.

Step Three: Soft-Boiled Or Hard-Boiled

Depending on your preference, you can have the eggs soft-boiled, with the egg white and yolk as set or as runny as you want it to be. Alternatively, you may wish to have the eggs hard-boiled, in which case the white of the egg and the yolk will be well set. Either way, timing is all-important, so get out your kitchen timer or keep track of the time on your wristwatch. If you prefer soft-boiled eggs with the white of the egg set and the yolk slightly creamy, then leave the eggs in the saucepan on the flame to simmer for exactly 6 minutes.

If you would rather have a hard-boiled eggs with both the white of the egg and the yolk well set, then leave the eggs in the saucepan on the flame to simmer for exactly 8 minutes. This will ensure that the eggs are cooked well.

Step Four: The Finish

Regardless of whether you opted for hard-boiled or soft-boiled eggs, if you’ve followed the instructions so far, you’re on the homestretch. Lift the saucepan with the boiled eggs in them, and take them over to the kitchen sink. Open the cold water tap, and let cold water run into the saucepan and overflow. This will quickly and steadily cool the water and the eggs. Leave the eggs in the cold water for 2 minutes until they’re cool enough to handle.

Step Five: Cracking The Shell

If your eggs are soft-boiled, set them in an eggcup, crack open the top of one of the eggs with a small teaspoon, and enjoy its contents.

If you chose to have the eggs hard-boiled, then peeling the shell can be tricky. Once the eggs have cooled down, tap them on a hard surface all over so that the shell cracks. Next, start peeling the shell off from the wide end first and gradually move toward the narrow end. If this is done with the eggs immersed in water, the shell and small pieces of shell that stubbornly cling to the surface of the eggs come away cleanly. Leave the eggs to stand in cold water for 1 more minute, and then they’re ready to serve.