Boiling eggs can be one of the most simple things to cook, but incredibly easy to mess up. It is one of the basics of cooking, and here are a few tips for better boiled eggs for soft, medium and hard!

Whether you are making boiled eggs for breakfast, a snack, or to use in a recipe, this guide will teach you everything you need to know about boiling eggs.

Step 1: Choose the right eggs

The first step in boiling eggs is to choose the right type of eggs. You want to choose eggs that aren’t too fresh. Fresh eggs can be difficult to peel, so it is best to use eggs that are at least a week old. If you are not sure how fresh your eggs are, you can perform a simple test by placing them in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs will sink to the bottom, while older eggs will float to the top. Older eggs have air pockets between the shell and egg, which means they are easier to peel than fresher eggs!

Step 2: Add eggs to cold water in a pot

Add eggs to a pot and cover with cold water. Do not boil the water first, I find the easiest way is adding the eggs first and then bringing them up to a boil, they will have a much less chance of cracking.

Step 3: Boil the water

Bring the pot of water up to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and top with a lid, set a timer for the desired egg doneness.

Step 4: Cook the eggs

Cooking times for each doneness of egg once you turn off the heat and cover with a lid:

  • Soft boiled – 4 minutes
  • Medium boiled – 6 minutes
  • Hard boiled -12 minutes

Step 5: Cool the eggs

Once the eggs are cooked, remove them from the pot using a slotted spoon and transfer them to a bowl of ice water. Cooling the eggs quickly stops the cooking process and makes them easier to peel. Allow the eggs to cool for at least 5 minutes before peeling. Colder eggs = easier peeling.

Step 6: Peel the eggs

To peel the eggs, gently tap them on a hard surface to crack the shell. Then, roll the egg gently between your hands to loosen the shell. Start peeling the egg from the larger end, where the air pocket is located. Hold the egg under running water to help remove any shell fragments.

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@kellyscleankitchen

How to make soft, medium and hard boiled eggs 🍳 Comment what egg dish you want to see next in my egg series! #eggs #hardboiledegg #softboiledegg #cooking

♬ original sound – Chef Kelly Scott
  • SERVINGS:  4
  • PREP TIME: 0 Mins
  • ACTIVE TIME: 12 Mins
  • TOTAL TIME: 12 min

Ingredients:

  • However many eggs you want

Preparation:

STEP 1.

Add eggs to a pot and cover with cold water.

STEP 2.

Add pot to a stove and turn the heat on high. Bring up to a rolling boil, add a lid and turn the heat off. For soft boiled eggs let them sit for 4 minutes, for medium let them sit for 6, for hard boiled let them sit for 12 minutes.

STEP 3.

Remove the eggs from the hot water and place them into an ice bath bowl. Cool for 3-5 minutes.

STEP 4.

Open the eggs by cracking and rolling on a flat surface, enjoy or refrigerate for later.