How Long Does it Take to Boil an Egg?
Before You Boil
Practice egg safety. Boiled eggs--whether soft, mollet or hard--are just one of the many ways to cook an egg. But there are a few things to know before boiling eggs in any way. Eggshells are porous and can absorb odors of surrounding foods, so they must be kept in their store-bought containers and refrigerated. Also, eggshells are natural barriers, which protect them from bacteria. Cracked or broken eggs must be thrown away immediately. In all cases, use fresh eggs.
Recognizing Fresh Eggs
Test for freshness. If you're not sure about the freshness of your eggs, test if they're fresh. Place an egg into a glass of water. A fresh egg will sink to the bottom of the glass; an old egg will float. Older egg contains more air, causing it to float. An egg that floats above the surface should be thrown away.
Centering the Yolk
If you're going to make deviled eggs, there are a couple of things you can do to center the yolks before cooking. According to Debbie Moose, author of "Deviled Eggs," "Turn the carton of eggs on its side in the refrigerator the night before you plan to cook them." Chef Michel Roux, author of "Eggs," suggests storing them in the refrigerator "with the pointed end downward to keep the yolk centered."
Cooking Methods
Cook to your liking. There are various methods to cook an egg in its shell. Before cooking, "eggs should be taken out of the refrigerator about an hour or two prior," according to Roux, so the eggs won't crack when the water boils. According to the American Egg Board, even though the water is boiled, eggs are not hard-boiled but hard-cooked. To prevent rubbery egg whites and green yolks, eggs should not be be cooked in rolling boiling water. Chef Michel Roux suggests cooking them over a stove, whereas the American Egg Board suggests "coddling" them to produce soft, mollet or hard-cooked eggs.
Soft-Cooked
Soft-cooked eggs over a stove. Put eggs in a pan large enough for them to lie comfortably, fill it with cold water about an inch above the eggs and put over medium heat. Once the water starts to boil, keep the eggs in the water for about 1 minute for slightly set whites. For firmer whites, add 30 seconds.
Mollet
Mollet (or medium-cooked) eggs over a stove: Repeat the method for soft-cooked eggs, but allow 3 minutes once the water starts simmering. When the water starts boiling, lower the heat.
Hard-cooked
Hard-cooked eggs over a stove: Repeat the method for mollet eggs, but cook for 6 minutes after the water starts simmering.
Coddling
Coddling is the cooking method suggested by the American Egg Board. Boil a large pan of water with the eggs as the stove top method. When the water boils, remove the pan from the heat. Cover the pan with a lid. For soft-cooked eggs, remove the lid after 5-6 minutes. For mollet eggs, remove the lid after 6-7 minutes. For hard-cooked eggs, remove the lid after 15 minutes.
Cooling
Once the eggs are done, cool them immediately. In any method of cooking, drain the hot water and put the pan under cold running water for about 5 minutes. You can also shock the eggs in a bowl of ice cold water with ice cubes. Cooling the eggs immediately after cooking prevents the eggs from continuing to cook further.
Peeling
If you are ready to consume the eggs right away, Roux suggests starting "at the rounded end where the little air sac is, and peel the shells off under a trickle of cold running water," which will "infiltrate between the solid egg white and the membrane that lines the shell, making it easier to peel without damaging it."
Storing unpeeled eggs
Unpeeled hard-cooked eggs keep for one week. Store the eggs in a plastic bag to prevent them from absorbing odors, and keep them in the refrigerator until you're ready to use them.
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