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How to Boil that Perfect Egg

Updated on April 16, 2013
When in doubt have a cup of coffee! If there is a question, gaze into a cup of coffee, often the images, will give you the answers, or at least other things to ponder upon.
When in doubt have a cup of coffee! If there is a question, gaze into a cup of coffee, often the images, will give you the answers, or at least other things to ponder upon. | Source

Who was it that once said, u can't burn boiled EGGS

The tricky art of boiling eggs, so any one can boil an egg, right?

A member of my family (who will remain anonymous) decided to cook breakfast on Sunday morning.

She came through to the outside braai area, sat down and was chatting away with us. After about 15 to 20 minutes or so, we enquired as to when are we having the breakfast? Her reply was, that we should not worry, as she was serving us boiled eggs and toast. My wife asked her when she was going to start with the toast and eggs? Well the eggs have been boiling all the time we have been out here, and I was going to start the toast now!

So are we going to have burned toast, so as to taste complement the burnt eggs, there was a giggle and her reply was.

"They are boiled eggs, and you cannot burn boiled eggs, silly", in her stern adult voice.

The result was that, my 12 year old daughter then, had a secret revealed to her in cooking ... that you can indeed burn any thing culinary ... even boiled eggs!

As you see, we have a couple of FRESH eggs, on the left, And the right a couple of that are NOT FRESH
As you see, we have a couple of FRESH eggs, on the left, And the right a couple of that are NOT FRESH | Source

First Step

Before you even start to boil an egg, is to check that it is still fresh!

The only way of checking an egg, for boiling, that I know of, and one that works, is the floating test.

To do carry this out, all you need is a pot of water, you can use the same pot that you are going to boil them in, unless you prefer to use another dish.

This is what you would do if you are not going to boil the egg but need to use it for baking, frying and scrambling, etc..

Simply have the pot or bowl, filled to at least 3/4 full, it must be at least a good six inches taller than egg.

Lower the egg into the water, it should sink to the bottom and stay there - Fresh Egg

If the egg rises up and floats at the surface, like an ice berg/cube, then it is not Fresh.

If the egg starts to rise and lift of the bottom the bowl, but not reaching the surface, rather do not use it, as it is just starting to turn.



Second Part of the Egg Saga

Eggs in the pot and the pot is starting to warm up.
Eggs in the pot and the pot is starting to warm up. | Source

The Second Step


Place the eggs in the pot with the tap water, place it on the stove, then switch the plate onto high!

You will note that I have not added vinegar or any other of those items that you read about that stops the egg from cracking.

As the egg is in the water they will gradually heats therefore there is no dramatic change in temperature, which is what normally cracks an egg.

Now the tricky part of the whole breakfast, lunch or brunch, or it is in most families, different preferences of how you Prefer your eggs cooked, as well as why you are boiling them.

That is the problem, also there is the dynamics involved when the family sits down for the meal.

So in order to, in some ways, assist you to solve that. Here is a simple method to assist you in alleviating that problem.


It Is All In The Timing!

Before we start you need to understand a couple of terms, these are important.

Firstly, when a recipe calls for a boiling water, or a rolling boil this is what it looks like!

Source
Centre - Very Soft Bottom Left - Very Very Soft
Centre - Very Soft Bottom Left - Very Very Soft | Source
Medium
Medium | Source
Hard Boiled
Hard Boiled | Source

The cooking timing for your eggs

So now we have the eggs that were in the pot that has reached The Rolling Boil stage.

Start The Clock.

Watch the time this is the critical part

  1. After 3 minutes remove the very very soft eggs - these eggs have only a small fraction of the whites firmed up and the rest of it is warmed through ... extremely runny.
  2. After 4 minutes remove the very soft eggs - these eggs have more of the white formed with the centre parts still runny.
  3. After 6 minutes remove the medium soft eggs - these eggs have the whites and outer parts of the yellow firm, with most of the centre parts of the yellow still runny.
  4. After 8 minute remove the medium to hard eggs - these eggs only have the very centres of the eggs still slightly runny.
  5. After 10 minutes remove the hard boiled eggs - these eggs are firm with no trace of softness.


A final Word

A floral arrangement for you!
A floral arrangement for you! | Source

Enjoy Cooking

There you have the method for cooking the simple boiled egg.

Final Note

The timing of cooking may need to be adjusted slightly for altitude, as this was cooked at 16,000+ feet above sea level, so do a test run, before you try out on the family.

Lower lying areas you may ned to adjust by cooking for a minute less than temperatures given.

Boil an Egg

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