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Boiled
Using the term "boiled" when referring to cooking eggs in the shell can be misleading, because eggs referred to as "hard-boiled" or "soft-boiled" should never be cooked at a full boil for the entire length of the cooking time. Eggs cooked in the shell with heat that is too high or with a cooking time that is too lengthy, will become tough and rubbery and a dark line may form between the yolk and the white.
The following steps can be used for cooking eggs in the shell:
| Pierce the large end of the eggs with a pin or needle. This pierces the air cell, allowing the air to escape, preventing a flat spot from being formed on the large end of the egg during the cooking process. It also helps in making the eggs easier to peel after cooking. |
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| Pour cold water into a saucepan and add 1½ teaspoons of salt per quart of water. (The salt may help make the peeling process easier). Make sure there is enough water in the pan so that the eggs will be completely covered. Bring the water to a boil and with a large spoon, place the eggs in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. |
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| When the water returns to a boil, turn down the heat so that the water is at a low simmer and then begin timing the eggs for the desired doneness. Do not cover the pan. |
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Use the following cooking times as a guide for the desired
firmness for the yolk of each egg size (the whites will be firm).
| Size |
Degree of Doneness |
Time Required |
| Medium |
Soft-cooked yolk |
4 minutes |
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Medium-cooked yolk |
6 minutes |
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Hard-cooked yolk |
11 minutes |
| Large |
Soft-cooked yolk |
5 minutes |
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Medium-cooked yolk |
7 minutes |
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Hard-cooked yolk |
12 minutes |
| Extra Large |
Soft-cooked yolk |
6 minutes |
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Medium-cooked yolk |
8 minutes |
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Hard-cooked yolk |
13 minutes |
| Note: The temperature of the egg at the start of the cooking process will affect the cooking time. An egg that is at room temperature at the start of the cooking process will require about 1 minute less cooking time for each time listed above. The times listed above are based on eggs taken directly from the refrigerator. |
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After the required time has elapsed, run cold water over the eggs to stop the cooking process. This will help prevent discoloration of the yolk and will also assist with the peeling process. Running cold water over the eggs creates steam between the egg white and the shell which makes the shell easier to remove.
To peel the egg, simply roll it lightly over a hard surface which will crack the shell, making it easy to remove. It is also worth noting that very fresh eggs are more difficult to peel than older eggs. |
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Soft-cooked Yolk |
Medium-cooked Yolk |
Hard-cooked Yolk
Hard-cooked eggs can be served whole or they may be cut and sliced. An egg slicer can be used to prepare evenly sliced sections that can be used in salads or as a garnish. The egg slicer is a tool that consists of a tray hinged to a cutter that has a series of wires. The egg is placed on its side in the tray and the cutter is closed down over the egg, producing slices of equal thickness. The egg can be rotated and sliced a second and third time in order to chop the egg.
An egg wedger may also be used and is similar to the slicer in design except that the egg sits upright instead of on its side. The cutting tool produces equal wedges instead of slices. The wedger can also be used to cut only the top portion of the egg to create a decorative design and to produce a cavity at the top which can be filled with other ingredients.
Hard-cooked eggs can also be cut in half the long way so that the solid yolk can be removed from the two halves. The yolk is then blended with other ingredients such as mayonnaise, mustard, and seasonings and the mixture is stuffed back into the yolk cavity of the egg halves and served. This is known as stuffed eggs or deviled eggs.
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