Boiling an egg may seem like an easy task, but making it perfect requires an exact timing and a foolproof method. For the perfect yoke texture and no discoloration of the egg white you better have your kitchen timer ready!
Here’s Paula’s tried and true method:
1. Start by covering your eggs in a pan with cold water and a generous amount of salt and white vinegar; the salt and white vinegar actually help the shell separate from the egg for easier peeling.
2. Next, bring the water to a boil, and right when it starts to rumble, remove the pan from the heat, and cover it with a tight-fitting lid.
3. Now time for that kitchen timer; set it for exactly 20 minutes.When the timer goes off, remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and put them directly into a bowl of cold water with ice cubes. Voila! Paula’s perfect egg.
And remember, fresher eggs may be harder to peel, but they are worth it because they taste so much better!
Now here’s the thing, there seems to be a discrepancy in the Deen family about how to boil the perfect egg. Jamie uses the same technique as his mom, but he swears that just 10 minutes in the hot water cooks the perfect boiled egg.Obviously our Test Kitchen had to try and solve this family conundrum once and for all.We found that by splitting the difference and leaving the eggs in the hot water for 15 minutes provided the best results.
So if you have a hankering for a hard-boiled egg or want to try one of Paula’s delicious deviled egg recipes, use this method and see which timing works best for you! Tell us in the comments section how you boil your eggs and what your favorite boiled egg recipe is. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Traditional Southern Deviled Eggs
BLT Deviled Eggs
Deen Brother’s Lighter Southern Deviled Eggs
Curry Pecan Deviled Eggs
FAQs
Here's Paula's tried and true method:
What is the proper way to boil an egg? ›
Place eggs in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the eggs cook, covered, for 9 to 12 minutes, depending on your desired done-ness (see photo).
How long to boil an egg in boiling water? ›
How long to boil an egg
- 5 minutes: set white and runny yolk – just right for dipping into.
- 6 minutes: liquid yolk – a little less oozy.
- 7 minutes: almost set – deliciously sticky.
- 8 minutes: softly set – this is what you want to make Scotch eggs.
- 10 minutes: the classic hard-boiled egg – mashable but not dry and chalky.
Starting with boiling water.
If you're about to place uncooked eggs in a pot of boiling water, stop what you're doing immediately. Making hard-boiled eggs should always begin with cool water. Bringing the water and eggs up in temperature together helps promote even cooking and prevent cracking.
What is the trick to boiling eggs? ›
If the water boils/simmers, turn the heat off completely. Cook for 13 minutes, then shock them in an ice bath for 10-15 minutes to make perfect, easy-to-peel, hard-boiled eggs.
How does Martha Stewart boil eggs? ›
Carefully place the eggs in a large saucepan; add cold water to cover by one inch, and bring to a rolling boil. Cover pan; remove from heat. Let stand 12 minutes, then drain and rinse under cool water. To store, keep eggs unpeeled in the refrigerator, up to 4 days.
What are the rules for boiling eggs? ›
How To Boil Eggs
- Place your eggs in your pot.
- Add water until there is at least an inch covering the eggs.
- Allow your water to heat until just before boiling.
- Take your pot off the heat and place a cover on top.
- Let your eggs remain in the hot water for about 25 minutes.
- Lastly, plunge them in ice water.
HARD-BOILED EGGS
Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat, about 10 minutes. Cook the eggs for 3 minutes. Immediately turn off the heat, leaving the eggs in the hot water for 15 minutes. Remove the eggs from the hot water and place them in a bowl of ice water until cool enough to peel.
How do you know when boiled eggs are done? ›
To determine whether an egg is hard boiled or raw, spin it! If it spins round and round evenly, it is hard boiled. If it wobbles while spinning, it is a raw egg.
Why do you start with cold water to boil eggs? ›
Starting with cold water lets you heat the egg more slowly, which keeps the whites from getting rubbery. But this method takes longer and gives you less control over the cooking time. (How long it takes the water to reach boiling depends on the size and shape of your pot, among other things.)
If it sinks to the bottom, turns on its side, and stays there, it is very fresh. If the egg sinks but floats at an angle or stands on end, the egg is a bit older (a week to two weeks old) but still okay to eat. If the egg floats, it's too old and should be discarded.
Why do we add salt while boiling an egg? ›
Hence, this helps the water to attain a temperature higher than 100 ° C before starting to boil. This phenomenon helps cook and hard boil the egg quicker as the addition of salt has increased the boiling point of water. Also, the added salt to the water prevents an egg from cracking during cooking.
How to boil eggs perfectly? ›
Put the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is at a rolling boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot with the lid. Allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for the following times according to the desired doneness: 3 minutes for SOFT boiled; 6 minutes for MEDIUM boiled; 12 minutes for HARD boiled.
Which method works better to boil an egg? ›
Lower your eggs straight from the fridge into already-boiling water, or place them in a steamer insert in a covered pot, steaming at full blast on the stovetop. If boiling, lower the heat to the barest simmer. Cook the eggs for 11 minutes for hard or six minutes for soft. Serve.
Do you salt water before boiling eggs? ›
People add salt to a pot of water before boiling eggs for a few reasons. First, salt helps water reach its boiling point faster, which means the eggs boil at a higher temperature. Second, salt helps seal cracks that may develop as eggs bounce around in bubbling water.
How do you boil eggs like a pro? ›
HEAT over high heat just to boiling. REMOVE from burner. COVER pan. LET EGGS STAND in hot water about 12 minutes for large eggs (9 minutes for medium eggs; 15 minutes for extra large).
What is the best way to boil a lot of eggs? ›
But if you want to make a big batch of hard-boiled eggs (because really, you can never have enough hard-boiled eggs on hand) there's a better way: steam them. Use that steamer basket for something other than broccoli. There are a couple of reasons why the steaming method is so brilliant when you're batch-cooking eggs.
Should eggs float or sink? ›
Simply fill a bowl with cold tap water and place your eggs in it. If they sink to the bottom and lay flat on one side, they are fresh and good to eat. A bad egg will float because of the large air cell that forms at its base.
