I ran across this article on how to make hard-boiled eggs. Despite loving HBEs, I was never formally taught how to make them. I’ve mostly been winging it. So I took the American Egg Board’s (I love that there is such a thing) advice:

Because eggs are hugely high in protein (which makes them an excellent source of protein in our diet), boiling them a long time toughens them. Protein fibers are very sensitive to heat, Helmer said.

The American Egg Board recommends this method for hard-cooked eggs, which Helmer said is “not only foolproof, I’m telling you — you can stake your life on it”.

1. Place eggs in saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. Heat over high heat just to boiling.
2. Remove from burner. Cover pan. Let eggs stand in hot water about 15 minutes for large eggs (12 minutes for medium eggs; 18 for extra large).
3. Cool completely under cold running water or in a bowl of ice water. Peel and eat.

The end result a complicated eating procedure wherein I ended up just sucking the yolk out of mostly-raw eggs. It wasn’t bad, but I’m sure Dr Wife will inform me that I did, in fact, “stake my life” on their recipe given the potential health hazards of raw eggs.


Category: Kitchen

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11 Responses to Just Call Me a Fool

  1. A4 says:

    That approach has always worked for me.

    Two things come to mind. First, it’s not clear what “just to boiling” means; maybe what you call boiling I would call a simmer. Second, altitude reduces the boiling temperature. Since your eggs were undercooked, I suggest adjusting the soak time after removal from heat. You’ll have to test to find the best time. However, that give you an opportunity to run experiments, which is always good!

    A4, who waits for a full boil, but with less soak time.

  2. trumwill says:

    I would just bring the water to boiling, put the eggs in, and wait 10-15 minutes. Never produced the best eggs, but got better results than this.

  3. Kevin says:

    I’ve always brought them to a full, rolling boil and covered them for 20 minutes. I’ve never had an undercooked egg doing it this way.

  4. Maria says:

    Who’d a thunk there’d be an approved way to boil an egg?

    The question is, what to do with them once you’ve boiled a dozen or two for Easter egg coloring.

    Eating my lunch of egg salad with pickles as I post.

  5. web says:

    Wow. I’ve always let mine boil for around 20-25 minutes, then let them stand back in the egg crate overnight in the fridge to cool down.

  6. Peter says:

    If I’m not mistaken, many cooking times require adjustment starting at about 2,000 feet above sea level. Elevations over about 5,000 feet require significant adjustments.

  7. Mike Hunt says:

    I find hard boiled eggs to be gross…

    The end result a complicated eating procedure wherein I ended up just sucking the yolk out of mostly-raw eggs.

    ..but not as gross as this.

    If I went on a diet of hard boiled eggs and egg white omellettes, I would weigh 150 pounds. Just the SMELL of both of them turns my stomach.

  8. trumwill says:

    Clancy is the same way. I don’t get it. Next to cheese and various pig product, nothing is better than eggs.

  9. Mike Hunt says:

    I can eat scrambled eggs as long as they are not the majority of the breakfast meal. This used to annoy my mother to no end, because it meant she couldn’t make JUST scrambled eggs for breakfast; there had to be bacon or sausage with it, or be a part of an omelette.

    The idea of biting into a hard boiled egg, or even a deviled one, gives me shivers.

  10. trumwill says:

    Deviled eggs are the lord’s food.

    I typically don’t like eggs as much by themselves. They’re an ingredient food. But I don’t not like them. And hard boiled eggs are convenient.

  11. A4 says:

    If you don’t overcook them, they are even better. No dry, pasty greenish yolks. How can you have perfectly cooked yolks in a boiled egg? Experiment with timing of the method the egg board recommends. Where I live, 15 minutes is a bit to long, but I may use smaller eggs.

    A4

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