To boil eggs, time them for your desired doneness: 3-4 mins for very runny, 6 mins for jammy/runny, 8 mins for creamy/set, and 10-12 mins for classic hard-boiled, starting eggs in boiling water or adding to simmering water and shocking in ice water afterward for easy peeling, say Australian Eggs and RecipeTin Eats.
Boiled egg timing depends on your preference: 3-4 minutes for a very runny yolk, 6-8 minutes for a jammy or soft-set yolk, and 10-12 minutes for a classic, fully hard-boiled egg (no gray ring). A popular method is to bring water to a boil, gently lower eggs in, boil briefly, then turn off heat and cover for 10-12 mins, followed by an ice bath to stop cooking.
Bringing the eggs to a boil in cold water allows them to heat up slowly, reducing the risk of cracks.
And starting at 8 minutes, you have eggs that are "hard-boiled." The 12-minute eggs still have smooth, not chalky, yolks, but I wouldn't go much above 12 minutes. Of course, these times are for cooking one or two eggs at a time. If you pile a dozen eggs or more in a pot, the cooking time will be different.
The "555 egg method" is a popular technique for making easy-peel hard-boiled eggs in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, involving 5 minutes of high pressure, a 5-minute natural pressure release, and a final 5-minute ice bath to stop cooking and loosen the shell, though results can vary, with some finding it perfect and others needing adjustments.
For easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs, use a hot start by adding eggs to boiling water, steam them for about 13 minutes, then shock them in an ice bath to stop cooking and firm up the whites, which helps the shell separate cleanly from the membrane, especially when peeled under running water or starting from the air pocket at the large end. Adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the cooking water can also help the whites pull away from the shell.
You might have heard that you should drop your eggs into room temperature or cold water and then bring the water to a boil. This is a myth. In our tests, bringing the water to a boil first and then lowering the eggs into the bath made for easy peeling and more accurate timing.
Drop the eggs into boiling water. Eggs added to a pot of boiling water rather than brought to a boil along with the cold water will be easier to peel. Plus, this method allows for more precise timing.
Lower the heat slightly – so the eggs don't crack due to being bashed around but water is still at a gentle boil. Start the timer – 6 minutes for runny yolks, 8 minutes for soft boiled, 10 minutes for classic hard boiled, 15 minutes for unpleasant rubbery whites and powdery dry yolks.
To boil eggs perfectly, place them in a pot with cold water, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat, cover, and let stand for 10-12 minutes for hard-boiled (or less for softer yolks). Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking and make them easier to peel, then peel under cool running water.
Make sure your eggs aren't fridge cold. Eggs at room temperature will have less of a shock being put into hot water and therefore less likely to crack. You can also use an egg pricker or pin to make a very small hole in each egg before boiling, which will also reduce the chance of it cracking in the heat.
The ice bath serves a number of purposes. Most importantly, the shock of cold water halts the cooking process in its tracks. It also contributes to easy peeling and helps the egg keep its shape. If you are planning to eat your eggs warm, just give them a quick dunk so they're cool enough to peel safely.
A 6 or 7-minute egg provides a "jammy" or "soft-set" yolk, perfect for dipping or topping dishes like toast, ramen, or salads, with 6 minutes yielding a runnier yolk and 7 minutes a more solidified, sticky yolk; always use an ice bath immediately after cooking to stop the process.
Cook your eggs however you like—in a pot of boiling water with a splash of vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice, a teaspoon of baking soda, or a pinch of salt. All of these additions help make it easier to peel boiled eggs. Slightly older eggs will make it easier to peel, but using them is not necessary.
How long to boil an egg
Starting with boiling water offers more control over timing but this may cook the whites into a rubbery state. And it has another disadvantage: The egg is more likely to crack because the air in the egg has less time to escape as the egg heats up.
Yes, 10 minutes is enough time to hard boil an egg, resulting in a classic, fully set yolk that's mashable but not dry or chalky, perfect for egg salad or deviled eggs; for softer yolks, cook for less time (around 4-8 minutes), and for very firm yolks, 10-12 minutes is ideal.
For easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs, use a hot start by adding eggs to boiling water, steam them for about 13 minutes, then shock them in an ice bath to stop cooking and firm up the whites, which helps the shell separate cleanly from the membrane, especially when peeled under running water or starting from the air pocket at the large end. Adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the cooking water can also help the whites pull away from the shell.
Mistakes to Avoid When Making Hard-Boiled Eggs
You can boil eggs in either cold or hot water, but starting in cold water is often recommended for easier peeling and to prevent cracking by allowing gradual heating, while adding eggs to already boiling water gives more precise timing but requires care to avoid shocking them. For consistent results, especially hard-boiled, many sources suggest starting in cold water and bringing to a boil before cooking for a specific time, then shocking in ice water.
The 3-3-3 method cooks eggs for 3 minutes at high pressure. Next, there's a 3-minute natural pressure release. Then, cool the eggs in an ice bath for 3 minutes. This method gives slightly softer yolks than the 5-5-5 method.
Depends on whether or not you have the lid on. The submerged part will cook more and faster than the top as water has better heat transfer than steam but in all but the very very edge cases e.g. barely set soft boiled on the bottom, you probably won't notice that significant of a difference.