As soon as the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat! The eggs sit for about 15 minutes to let them cook fully through.
Fill pot with water to completely cover the eggs at least 1 inch above eggs and turn heat to high. Bring water to a boil, takes approximately 15 minutes. As soon as eggs start to boil, let boil for 10-12 minutes (I do 11 minutes).
Boiled eggs are a tasty and nutritious staple to have on hand, but the boiling time varies depending on the desired outcome. For a soft yolk, boil large eggs for about 7 minutes. For a classic hard-boil, cook them for up to 13 minutes.
Leave the pan uncovered. Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit: Depending on how cooked you like your hard boiled eggs, the eggs should be done perfectly after sitting for 10-12 minutes.
Hard-Boiled Eggs
With the shell still intact, hard-boiled eggs are a simple technique. They're heated longer than other types to solidify the center for a delicious effect. After placing eggs in a pot, cover them with at least an inch of water. You'll boil them for around 10 to 15 minutes to form the harder interior.
Bring the water to a boil, gently stirring the eggs several times. As soon as the water boils, remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let the eggs sit for 15 minutes (13 minutes for small eggs or 17 minutes extra large eggs).
Once the water is at a rolling boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot with the lid. Allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for the following times according to the desired doneness: 3 minutes for SOFT boiled; 6 minutes for MEDIUM boiled; 12 minutes for HARD boiled.
For one to four eggs, bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and turn the heat down to its lowest setting for 12-14 minutes. For five to eight eggs, cook for 15 to 18 minutes. For nine to one dozen eggs, cook for 20 minutes. After cooking, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water.
Turn off the heat and let the eggs stand, covered, 12 minutes for medium-size eggs, 15 minutes for large eggs and 18 minutes for extra-large eggs. Instead of turning the heat off, you can turn the heat very low and barely simmer the eggs for the same length of time.
We find the time saved by not tempering the eggs worth the gamble. 2. Drop the eggs into boiling water. Eggs that are added to a pot of boiling water rather than brought to a boil along with the cold water in the pot will be easier to peel.
As soon as the water begins to boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Leave the eggs in the hot water for anywhere from 10-12 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. The 10-minute eggs will have vibrant, creamy yolks, while the 12-minute yolks will be paler and opaque, with a chalkier texture.
If you're wondering how to tell an egg is hard boiled, set it on the counter and give a quick spin. Once it's moving, tap your finger on it to stop the spinning. Eggs that are cooked will spin easily and rapidly and stop quickly.
The fresher the eggs, the harder they are to peel. This is because the egg white or “albumen” in a fresh egg has a relatively low pH level, making it acidic. When cooked, these fresh egg whites bond strongly to the inner shell's membrane.
If you boil an egg for five or 10 minutes, it becomes firm and cooked. If you boil it for hours, it becomes rubbery and overcooked.
Emu Eggs. Emu eggs weigh in less than an ostrich egg at about 2 lbs. These eggs have a dark shell that is usually black in color and speckled with a deep green. Emu eggs are one of the richest tasting eggs.
The bottom line
Overall, shorter and lower-heat cooking methods cause less cholesterol oxidation and help retain most of the egg's nutrients. For this reason, poached and boiled (either hard or soft) eggs may be the healthiest to eat. These cooking methods also don't add any unnecessary calories.
Starting with boiling water.
If you're about to place uncooked eggs in a pot of boiling water, stop what you're doing immediately. Making hard-boiled eggs should always begin with cool water. Bringing the water and eggs up in temperature together helps promote even cooking and prevent cracking.
As soon as the water reaches a rapid boil, remove pan from heat and cover egg pan tightly with a lid. After 17 or 20 minutes (depending on size of your eggs), remove lid and drain off water from the eggs. Watch the time when cooking the eggs carefully. Overcooking causes a green layer to form around the yolk.
Add salt to the water? Egg white solidifies more quickly in hot, salty water than it does in fresh. So a little salt in your water can minimize the mess if your egg springs a leak while cooking.
It's important to start the eggs in cold water — bringing the water and eggs up in temperature together ensures even cooking and prevents cracking. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately remove the pan from the heat. Cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Carefully pour out the hot water.