How To Boil An Egg Recipe

I love this recipe because it’s the perfect balance of simplicity and precision, giving me that satisfying moment of peeling a perfectly cooked egg every time. Plus, the foolproof ice bath trick has totally elevated my brunch game, making me look like a culinary pro among my friends.

The straightforward method I use for boiling large eggs yields perfect, simple, and nutritious boiled eggs. I cover the eggs with about an inch of water and let them simmer away, after which I plunge them into a refreshing ice bath for easy peeling.

Often I add a teaspoon of salt to the simmering water, which I suspect helps make the shells so seamless to peel off. This method not only allows for consistent results but is also has an unusual, yet handy, backup function.

Ingredients

Eggs: An excellent source of protein, they’re great for muscle health.

Essential for cooking, it is calorie-free and hydrating.

Ice: Rapidly cools eggs and sustains their structure after cooking.

Sodium chloride: Helps with the removal of shells from hard-boiled eggs and improves flavor in a natural manner.

Ingredient Quantities

• Eggs (as many as desired, ideally large size)
• Water (enough to cover eggs by about an inch in the pot)
• Ice (for the ice water bath, approximately 2 cups)
• Salt (optional, for easier peeling, about 1 teaspoon)

Instructions

1. Arrange the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan or pot.

2. Fill the pot with water so that it covers the eggs by about an inch.

3. Add salt to the water, if you want, to help with peeling later.

4. Pour the water into a saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the water to a rolling boil.

5. After the water has come to a full rolling boil, cover the pot with a lid and take it off the heat.

6. Allow the eggs to remain in the hot water for 9-12 minutes, based on your hard-boiled egg preference (9 minutes for firm whites and slightly creamy yolks; 12 minutes for yolks that are totally firm).

7. While the eggs are in a state of preparation via cooking, create a bath for the ice water. This involves taking a large bowl and filling it with both ice and water.

8. When the eggs finish cooking, use a slotted spoon to immediately move them to the ice water bath.

9. Allow the eggs to cool in the ice water bath for at least 5 minutes. This halts the cooking process and makes the eggs easier to peel.

10. Tap and roll the eggs gently on a hard surface to crack the shells. If you’re having trouble, peel the shells off under running water. Enjoy your perfectly boiled eggs!

Equipment Needed

1. Saucepan or pot with a lid
2. Large bowl
3. Slotted spoon
4. Measuring spoon (for salt, if using)
5. Tap (for running water, optional)

FAQ

• How long should I boil the eggs for the best results?To obtain hard-boiled eggs, boil them for a duration of 9-12 minutes, depending on how firm you want the yolk.
• Do I put the eggs in the water before or after boiling?Put the eggs in a pot of cold water first, to prevent them from cracking, and then bring the water to a boil.
• Why is an ice bath necessary after boiling?Stopping the cooking process right away entails using an ice bath, which aids in preventing the eggs from becoming overcooked and makes peeling them much simpler.
• Is salt really necessary to add to the water?Adding salt is optional but can make peeling easier. It helps the egg whites firm up if there’s cracking during cooking.
• Can I reuse the boiling water for more eggs?For each batch, you want to use the best possible water to guarantee that your cooking will be timed and results will be optimal. The simplest way to do this is to use fresh, cold water.
• How can I tell if an egg is boiled perfectly?Take an egg and give it a spin on a level surface; if it spins like a top, you have a hard-boiled egg. Should it wobble and not maintain a steady rotational motion, it is more than likely a raw egg still holding a yolk suspended in liquid.
• What should I do if the eggs crack while boiling?If a shell breaks, then the contents will remain safe for human consumption. The salty solution will render the egg’s internal structures solid, or else, more likely, somewhat solid. To because and set why the membrane of the egg is a thing and to use it with the egg white to keep them together so that they will be more likely to coagulate inside the egg and not outside of it.

Substitutions and Variations

Use medium or small eggs in place of large ones, and tweak the boiling time a bit for the different sizes
Use filtered or bottled water, if you prefer, instead of tap water.
Use any form of ice you have on hand—be it crushed ice or larger cubes—as long as it sufficiently cools the water.
If you want a different flavor, you can use baking soda (1/2 teaspoon) instead of salt, though this will slightly change the taste.

Pro Tips

1. Perfect Timing: If you want precise control over yolk texture, use a kitchen timer to target the exact time for your preferred doneness. For a slightly runny yolk, aim for closer to 9 minutes; for completely firm yolks, extend to 12 minutes.