How to Hard Boil an Egg
Sort the eggs and place them in a saucepan or pot., Fill the pan with cold tap water., Place the pan on medium heat., Remove from heat when the water boils., Chill the eggs to stop the cooking process., Peel the eggs when you're ready to eat them...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Sort the eggs and place them in a saucepan or pot.
Gently place your eggs at the bottom of a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Stack them very gently to avoid breaking.
Don't stack them more than four-deep.If you're unsure whether your eggs are fresh, test them by placing them in a bowl of salt water.
If the egg sinks to the bottom, it's fresh.
If it floats to the top, get rid of it.
To keep the eggs from cracking as they boil, you can try placing a folded cheesecloth at the bottom of the pot to pad them.
However, this isn't required. -
Step 2: Fill the pan with cold tap water.
Cover the eggs gently with at least one inch (3 cm) of water.
Add a pinch of salt.
You can steady the eggs with your hand as you add the water to keep the eggs from breaking.
Alternatively, just point the stream of water at the side of the pan.
Cold water helps to keep the eggs from overcooking.
Never drop eggs directly into a pot of hot water, or the shells will crack and the egg will run (giving you poached eggs).Salted water helps to make the egg white firm up more quickly.
It also helps plug small leaks if the shell cracks during the cooking process., Cover the pan with a lid.
Let the water come to a gentle boil.
The water will boil a bit more quickly with the lid on, but it's fine to leave it off if you'd rather keep an eye on the eggs.
You can stir the eggs very gently every now and then to make sure they've not settled at the bottom, where they'll cook less evenly and break more easily.
Use a wooden spoon to stir and be very gentle. , As soon as the water reaches a full boil, turn the heat off.
Leave the lid on the pan.
The heat of the water and the remaining warmth from the burner will be enough to finish cooking your eggs.
Depending on how hard or soft you like your eggs, you can leave them like this for about 3-20 minutes:
If you like your eggs soft-boiled, remove them from the water in three minutes or less.
The whites should be set, while the yolks should be runny and warm.If you like your eggs medium-boiled, remove them from the water in 5-7 minutes.
The yolks should be semi-soft in the very center and the whites should be very firm.
If you like your eggs hard-boiled, leave the eggs in the hot water for up to 10-15 minutes.
The yolks should be firm all the way through.
It's difficult to overcook eggs this way. , As soon as you've waited for your eggs to finish cooking, drain the hot water from the pan gently.
You can also remove the eggs one by one with a slotted spoon.
Place the eggs under cold running water or drop them carefully into a bowl of ice water to bring their temperature down quickly.
Let them sit in cool water for about five minutes.
Once the eggs are cool enough to hold in your hand comfortably, put them in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to loosen the shells.
If you're not particular about how pretty your peeled eggs are, you can skip the refrigerator and start peeling them right after chilling them.
To test whether an egg is hard-boiled without breaking it, whirl it on a table.
If it spins fast and easy, it is hard boiled.
If it wobbles, it needs more time. , Press each egg into a clean, flat surface and roll it in your hand to crack the shell.
Start peeling from the fatter end of the egg, where there should be a small empty space under the shell.
This makes it slightly easier to peel.
Rinse the eggs under cold water as you peel them to keep bits of shell and membrane from sticking to the egg.
Quick peeling tip:
Put the eggs back in the pan you cooked them in and put the lid back on.
Shake the pan back and forth to crack all the shells at once. , After peeling the eggs, they're ready to eat.
You can store leftovers in a bowl with a plate on top or a sealed container.
In both cases, cover the eggs with a wet paper towel.
Change the paper towel each day to keep the eggs from drying out.Eat the eggs within four to five days.
You can also store the eggs in cold water.
Change the water each day to keep the eggs from breaking down.
Hard-boiled eggs can be stored several days before cracking and peeling them, but they tend to get a little rubbery and dried out.
It's usually better to keep peeled eggs moist in the fridge with water or a paper towel. -
Step 3: Place the pan on medium heat.
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Step 4: Remove from heat when the water boils.
-
Step 5: Chill the eggs to stop the cooking process.
-
Step 6: Peel the eggs when you're ready to eat them.
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Step 7: Store eggs in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Detailed Guide
Gently place your eggs at the bottom of a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Stack them very gently to avoid breaking.
Don't stack them more than four-deep.If you're unsure whether your eggs are fresh, test them by placing them in a bowl of salt water.
If the egg sinks to the bottom, it's fresh.
If it floats to the top, get rid of it.
To keep the eggs from cracking as they boil, you can try placing a folded cheesecloth at the bottom of the pot to pad them.
However, this isn't required.
Cover the eggs gently with at least one inch (3 cm) of water.
Add a pinch of salt.
You can steady the eggs with your hand as you add the water to keep the eggs from breaking.
Alternatively, just point the stream of water at the side of the pan.
Cold water helps to keep the eggs from overcooking.
Never drop eggs directly into a pot of hot water, or the shells will crack and the egg will run (giving you poached eggs).Salted water helps to make the egg white firm up more quickly.
It also helps plug small leaks if the shell cracks during the cooking process., Cover the pan with a lid.
Let the water come to a gentle boil.
The water will boil a bit more quickly with the lid on, but it's fine to leave it off if you'd rather keep an eye on the eggs.
You can stir the eggs very gently every now and then to make sure they've not settled at the bottom, where they'll cook less evenly and break more easily.
Use a wooden spoon to stir and be very gentle. , As soon as the water reaches a full boil, turn the heat off.
Leave the lid on the pan.
The heat of the water and the remaining warmth from the burner will be enough to finish cooking your eggs.
Depending on how hard or soft you like your eggs, you can leave them like this for about 3-20 minutes:
If you like your eggs soft-boiled, remove them from the water in three minutes or less.
The whites should be set, while the yolks should be runny and warm.If you like your eggs medium-boiled, remove them from the water in 5-7 minutes.
The yolks should be semi-soft in the very center and the whites should be very firm.
If you like your eggs hard-boiled, leave the eggs in the hot water for up to 10-15 minutes.
The yolks should be firm all the way through.
It's difficult to overcook eggs this way. , As soon as you've waited for your eggs to finish cooking, drain the hot water from the pan gently.
You can also remove the eggs one by one with a slotted spoon.
Place the eggs under cold running water or drop them carefully into a bowl of ice water to bring their temperature down quickly.
Let them sit in cool water for about five minutes.
Once the eggs are cool enough to hold in your hand comfortably, put them in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to loosen the shells.
If you're not particular about how pretty your peeled eggs are, you can skip the refrigerator and start peeling them right after chilling them.
To test whether an egg is hard-boiled without breaking it, whirl it on a table.
If it spins fast and easy, it is hard boiled.
If it wobbles, it needs more time. , Press each egg into a clean, flat surface and roll it in your hand to crack the shell.
Start peeling from the fatter end of the egg, where there should be a small empty space under the shell.
This makes it slightly easier to peel.
Rinse the eggs under cold water as you peel them to keep bits of shell and membrane from sticking to the egg.
Quick peeling tip:
Put the eggs back in the pan you cooked them in and put the lid back on.
Shake the pan back and forth to crack all the shells at once. , After peeling the eggs, they're ready to eat.
You can store leftovers in a bowl with a plate on top or a sealed container.
In both cases, cover the eggs with a wet paper towel.
Change the paper towel each day to keep the eggs from drying out.Eat the eggs within four to five days.
You can also store the eggs in cold water.
Change the water each day to keep the eggs from breaking down.
Hard-boiled eggs can be stored several days before cracking and peeling them, but they tend to get a little rubbery and dried out.
It's usually better to keep peeled eggs moist in the fridge with water or a paper towel.
About the Author
Kyle Shaw
Brings years of experience writing about organization and related subjects.
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