Perfect hard / soft boiled eggs every time

Feb 22, 2023 Michał Pelc

Eggs! You use them every day, but do you know how to make them perfect? Hard or soft, no cracked shell? How long to keep them in water and at what temperature? Today I dispel all doubts! Find out how to cook eggs for the best taste and quality!

Which eggs to choose?

Recently, I had fieldwork at the university. Admittedly, we weren't on a chicken farm, we were on a turkey farm, but I don't want to talk about what I saw there anyway. That's why I recommend you to choose only organic, kindergarten eggs.

I have two college slides for you.

How many eggs does an industrial hen lay annually
Hen industrial weight gain rate

Egg shells - does color matter?

To start with, a little curiosity about the color of eggs:

Some say that white or gray eggs are better. However, the color of the shell informs us only about the breed of the hen. So there is no better or worse color, and each egg has the same:

nutritional values
taste
quality

The same applies to the so-called green-legged hens – they are no better than others.

Washing eggs

When it comes to cleanliness, eggs should be washed, but only before use.

Don't wash your eggs right after you buy them before putting them in the fridge. In this way, you will deprive them of the protective barrier and then they will spoil faster.

Peeling eggs

Don't like peeling eggs? Unfortunately, I don't have good news for you. Unless you live in the city, then you have reason to be happy.

Why?

Because then you have access to older eggs, which are easier to peel. It is also worth putting eggs in boiling water, not in cold water. Thanks to this, they cut right away and also peel them better. It won't be a big difference though.

How to cook eggs? We are conducting an experiment

I have prepared six eggs, which we will cook in sequence - six. eight, ten, twelve and fourteen minutes.

To begin with, we will label each egg, boil it, and then put it in ice water. Finally, we'll cut them open and check what they look like inside. This will allow you to choose the perfect egg you care about.

We cook eggs

What can I do to reduce the chances of cracking eggs?

Step 1 - Do not pour too much water so that the eggs do not float from top to bottom.
Step 2 - Reduce the power of the burner so that the water gently boils.
Step 3 - Add a pinch of salt.

The egg inside is slightly salty, so the water should also be slightly salted so that this level is similar. In this way, we increase the chance that the shells will not crack.

We put in as many eggs as possible at once, set a timer and fly. Make sure that the eggs are not straight from the fridge, because too much temperature difference also contributes to cracking of the shell.

TIP FOR PEELING EGGS

If I'm peeling multiple eggs at once, I put them in the lunchbox and shake them hard. Then the eggs crack and practically peel themselves.

How to cook eggs? Check the results of the experiment!

We have boiled and peeled eggs. We put them in order from 6 to 14 minutes, cut them and check what we got:

6 minutes - practically all the yolk is liquid. A bit too short for me, but if you like it that way, six minutes is enough. It's great for sandwich paste, where a bit of liquid consistency is essential.
8 minutes - this is the perfect egg for me, i.e. soft, slightly cut.
10 minutes - this egg is firm on the outside and slightly softer on the inside.
12 minutes - classic hard-boiled egg.
14 minutes - masonry-concrete for people who like fully boiled eggs.