Boiled Eggs

By the RecipeCafe Archives

Ingredients

• 1 Eggs, as many as desired
• 1 Water, enough to cover eggs

Instructions

1. 1. Bring a saucepan of water to a full boil over high heat.
2. 2. Using a spoon, lower the eggs gently into the boiling water one at a time, ensuring all eggs are fully submerged.
3. 3. Move the saucepan to the coolest burner or lowest heat setting so the water no longer boils but remains very hot — this is a gentle poaching technique sometimes called 'coddling temperature,' meaning the water is held just below a rolling boil to prevent rubbery whites.
4. 4. For soft-boiled eggs: cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the white is just set (opaque and firm when nudged with a spoon) and the yolk remains liquid at the center.
5. 5. For hard-boiled eggs: cook 40 to 45 minutes, until the egg feels completely solid when pressed gently through the shell and no movement is detected when the egg is shaken.
6. 6. Remove eggs immediately. If using hard-boiled eggs in another dish, transfer them at once to a bowl of cold water and let stand 5 minutes — this helps slow further cooking and reduces, though does not eliminate, greening of the yolk.
7. 7. NOTE — Alternate method (cold-water start): place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring gradually to the boiling point (212°F / 100°C) over medium heat, 10 to 14 minutes depending on burner strength. Once the water reaches a full boil, the eggs will be soft-boiled. Remove immediately for soft yolks, or continue as above for hard-boiled.
8. 8. NOTE — For the most uniformly cooked eggs by Farmer's standard: hold water at a steady 175°F (79°C) using a thermometer and cook until the whites are fully set and the yolk is at the desired consistency — soft-set at 6 to 8 minutes, fully firm at 40 to 45 minutes at this temperature.