I received several hilarious responses to last week’s blog on boiling eggs. So, I decided to elaborate. Boiling eggs isn’t as simple as it looks. All you need are eggs, a pot and water, right? But, firstly, you have to get the timing right to produce the perfect egg that you want. Then, you get to contend with getting the tenacious shell off without the white of the eggs looking jacked-up and hacked-up. Then there’s that ugly grayish-green ring that forms around the hard-boiled yolk that makes your deviled eggs and potato salad, look not only sad, but suspect as well.
Incidentally, the grayish-green ring happens because of a chemical reaction between the naturally occurring sulfur in the egg whites and the naturally occurring iron in the egg yolks. Typically, this grayish-green phenomenon happens when the eggs have been overcooked or boiled too long and have not been cooled down correctly. And yes, you can over cook a boiled egg!
There are many different methods that people swear by, and I’m all about what works for you. There are four methods that I use. Two I outlined in the previous recipe blog post. The third and fourth I’ll share with you here; plus a bonus method.
One method that I use fairly frequently is to add salt and vinegar to water I boil my eggs in. Adding salt to boiling water causes a reaction called, “boiling point elevation.” What this means is that for every 4 cups of water boiled with 1 tbsp of sea salt will increase the boiling water temperature by 1°F or 0.5°C. This may not seem like a lot, but I believe that it can make a difference when cooking.
The salt helps to speed up the cooking process and coagulates the egg white if the egg cracks. It also helps with the pealing process. The acidity of the vinegar helps to soften the shell and aids in the peeling process too.
The cold water plunge helps the white membrane found inside the shell to separate from the hardened egg white. This makes is much easier to peel your boiled eggs without a lot of drama.
It’s important to note that the vinegar and the salt used in this method do not affect the taste of the boiled eggs.
Salt & Vinegar Method
- 6-8 eggs
- 4-6 cups water
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
You need enough water to submerge your eggs completely. Add vinegar and salt and stir. Bring your water to a rolling boil. Using a slotted spoon lower eggs into the water. Cook at a boil uncovered for 3-4 minutes for a runny boiled eggs; 4.5-5 minutes for soft boiled eggs; 5.5-6 minutes medium soft-boiled eggs, 6.5-7.5 waxed or jammy boiled eggs, 8-9 hard-boiled eggs.
Part of the process for cooking the perfect boiled eggs is the cold water plunge to stop the cooking process. If you don’t have ice water then place eggs under cold running water for 3-5 minutes. This can help prevent that ugly grayish-green ring from forming around the yolk.
Instant Pot
You can also use an instant pot to steam your eggs. This is another method I use, especially if I need a dozen or more “boiled eggs.” If your instant pot didn’t come with one, you can purchase a rack designed for holding the eggs or you use a metal steam basket. It’s important to note that the instant pot cook times will be shorter than boiling or steaming on your stovetop. The eggs go into the instant pot with a cup of cold water (be guided by manufactures instructions (and are brought up to temperature. They then steam for the desired time that you have programmed. The eggs need to be removed from the instant pot right away and put directly into ice cold water for at least 2 minutes. Be guided by manufactures instructions on how to manually release pressure of your instant pot.
Bamboo Steamer Bonus
You can use a Chinese bamboo steamer to achieve the same results as an instant pot. All the same rules apply with the exception of placing the steamer over water in a wok or large enough frying or sauté pan. Fill it with enough water to come up above the bottom rim of the steamer, by about half an inch. The water must be high enough to submerge the bottom rim of the steamer. This will prevent it from being scorched by the heat from the wok. However, only use enough water so that when it’s bubbling it does not touch the bottom of the inside bed of the steamer and the food on it. The eggs need to be removed from the bamboo steamer right away and put directly into ice cold water for at least 2 minutes. Peel and cut with a sharp knife wiping it off on a damp cloth in between cuts.
Sous Vide
Sous Vide (sue-veed) is a method that I intend to try and I’ll share my results with you. Incidentally, I made my first batch of yogurt using the sous vide cooking method. It came out perfect!
So, how do you like your eggs done? Soft, waxy, hard? Checkout recipe for Semi Soft Egg Waxed/jammy
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