The Perfect Boiled Egg

[Elawin]

Do you have any tricks or tips to boil an egg?

I always put my eggs straight into a pan of boiling water with a dessertspoonful of white vinegar. If I only want one egg, I leave it for seven minutes; if I want two, I take one out after six minutes and let that one sit on my plate while I eat the other one. Perfect eggs, just how I like them, with a solid white and the yolk just starting to thicken round the edges.

 

[Duck59]

The only thing that I do is give the egg(s) a little stab with a sharp knife before boiling. This ensures that it doesn't crack.

 

[Morning Glory]

I think the perfect boiled egg is a complex thing. @Yorkie has a particular method for his duck's eggs, I know. But the thing I never understand is that it must surely depend on the size of the egg, yet most instruction fail to mention this. Surely a small egg will cook more quickly than a large one?

The other puzzling thing to me is that many 'recipes' state placing in boiling water for 4 and1/2 minutes (or thereabouts). IMHO this results in a partially raw jelly like white. I find they need about 5 and 1/2 to 6 mins for a runny yolk and a white that is not set to rubber.

 

[Duck59]

Simple logic would suggest that an ostrich egg would take just a little longer than that of a chicken. Not that I have ever boiled the egg of an ostrich.

 

[Morning Glory]

Simple logic would suggest that an ostrich egg would take just a little longer than that of a chicken. Not that I have ever boiled the egg of an ostrich.

Do you eat eggs or are you and eggless vegetarian?

 

[Yorky]

I appreciate that I am repeating myself but:

A 90 gm duck egg.

Place the duck eggs in plain tepid water in a suitable sized saucepan (150mm dia for 2 or 3 eggs, 200 mm dia for 4 to 6 eggs). Bring to the boil. Boil vigorously for 1 minute only. Remove from the heat. For soft boiled eggs allow to stand for 2½ - 3 minutes then douse with cold (or tepid) water. For hard boiled eggs, allow to stand for 15 minutes before dousing. The latter will keep for a few days in the refrigerator un-peeled.

Two soft boiled eggs that I had for breakfast recently:

 

[jennyb]

I appreciate that I am repeating myself but:

A 90 gm duck egg.

View attachment 10440

Place the duck eggs in plain tepid water in a suitable sized saucepan (150mm dia for 2 or 3 eggs, 200 mm dia for 4 to 6 eggs). Bring to the boil. Boil vigorously for 1 minute only. Remove from the heat. For soft boiled eggs allow to stand for 2½ - 3 minutes then douse with cold (or tepid) water. For hard boiled eggs, allow to stand for 15 minutes before dousing. The latter will keep for a few days in the refrigerator un-peeled.

Two soft boiled eggs that I had for breakfast recently:

View attachment 10441

That is pretty much how we like our eggs here. I find 5 and a half minutes is about right. I pierce the rounded end to stop cracking. We have them with Marmite soldiers.

 

[Duck59]

Do you eat eggs or are you and eggless vegetarian?

I did mention boiling eggs in this thread, so I am not eggless. Headless possibly, but not eggless.

 

[Morning Glory]

I did mention boiling eggs in this thread, so I am not eggless. Headless possibly, but not eggless.

Of course you did - but i suppose you might be boiling them for someone else. I just wish my newly veganised son would eat eggs. It would make life a lot easier.

 

[Duck59]

At least I no longer have to perform the African Egg Trick, whereby one placed raw eggs in a bucket to check there were no nasty ones. It was also known as 'sink or stink' because the bad ones floated.

 

[Elawin]

At least I no longer have to perform the African Egg Trick, whereby one placed raw eggs in a bucket to check there were no nasty ones. It was also known as 'sink or stink' because the bad ones floated.

My Mum always used to do that when we kept our own chickens. The hens used to lay in some peculiar places, and sometimes the eggs wouldn't be found for a few days.

 

[Elawin]

Quite coincidentally I found this on the internet while looking for something completely different (as you do!).

https://www.ichkoche.at/video-eier-richtig-kochen-artikel-5015

 

[Morning Glory]

Quite coincidentally I found this on the internet while looking for something completely different (as you do!).

https://www.ichkoche.at/video-eier-richtig-kochen-artikel-5015

I am so puzzled. This is not the forst time I've seen 3 to 4 minutes recommended for runny yolk. It simply does not work for me! I end up with partially raw transparent jelly whites. If I cook 5 to 6 mins I end up with runny. This video suggests 5 to 6 for slightly soft hard boiled and 8 to 9 for hard.

I will cook one later and time meticulously...

 

[Elawin]

I am so puzzled. This is not the forst time I've seen 3 to 4 minutes recommended for runny yolk. It simply does not work for me! I end up with partially raw transparent jelly whites. If I cook 5 to 6 mins I end up with runny. This video suggests 5 to 6 for slightly soft hard boiled and 8 to 9 for hard.

I will cook one later and time meticulously...

As I said above, I prefer 6-7 minutes, and they are definitely not hard-boiled but neither are they as runny as you like them. Mind you, people often used to have 3-4 minute eggs before the salmonella scare. My Mum and Dad always did, complete with soldiers to dip in them.

 

[MrsDangermouse]

I am so puzzled. This is not the forst time I've seen 3 to 4 minutes recommended for runny yolk. It simply does not work for me! I end up with partially raw transparent jelly whites. If I cook 5 to 6 mins I end up with runny. This video suggests 5 to 6 for slightly soft hard boiled and 8 to 9 for hard.

I will cook one later and time meticulously...

What temperature are your eggs to start with? Fridge temp or room temp?