Mar 21 2010
How Long Does It Take to Boil an Egg
Eggs are an integral part many folk’s daily diet because it is a very easy thing to cook, whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner. In fact, boiling an egg is probably one of the first things a beginner cook learns before progressing onto more complex dishes. If you’ve made it to this page, this is probably the boat you’re in so, how long does it take to boil an egg? Well the answer can be a little fuzzy depending on exactly what you want to do with the eggs themselves. In general, it should take no longer than about ten minutes with an extra few minutes when boiling multiple eggs (maybe a bit more if cooking many large or jumbo sized eggs). Because of the discrepancies, we’ve written this guide to help you.
The Type of Egg You Want
The most vital factor for cook time is determined by what kind of egg that you’d like to eat. There are two types to consider, runny yolk (or soft boiled) and solid yolk (or hard boiled). In the case of soft boiled eggs if should only take between five to seven minutes. This is enough time to kill bacteria and germs while keeping the egg’s middle in a more liquid state. I like to call these kinds of eggs “dip eggs” as I prefer to dunk toast into them.
For hard boiled eggs, you’ll want to take a little extra time. Ten to twelve minutes are probably enough for this style of egg. Once, again jumbo and large sized eggs will take a little more time than smaller or medium sized one’s. Also, you may need to add a couple minutes for additional eggs.
Some people really like their eggs to be more of creamy nature. Technically I would still call this soft boiled, but I figured I’d make note of it here as well. For this, we’ll cook the eggs for about eight to nine minutes.
The Various Ways to Boil an Egg
There are a number of ways to prepare eggs and such various ways to boil them as well. Below are some suggested directions and necessary cookware that you’ll need.
- On the Stove Top: This for many of you is the best, and most recognizable, egg boiling method to be used. All you need is a cooking pot, some water, and an oven. Place your eggs in the pot and a fill it with water that the eggs are fully submerged by at least an inch. Simply stick it on one of the burners on the top of the oven for the previously specified times and your done.
A greener or alternative method to this is flash boiling the eggs. You do everything above except for leaving the pot on the burner. A minute or so after the water reaches a rolling boil, place a lid on top of the pot and set it aside off the burner to simmer. This is also one way to boil and cook rice. Same time restraints occur only counting simmering time instead. - In the Microwave: This is similar to flash boiling the eggs only even simpler. Take a microwave-safe bowl, place the egg(s) in it and fill the bowl up with water. Remember the eggs must be completely covered with water to properly boil. Set the microwave to high, nuke the water and eggs until the water is boiling (usually ten to fifteen minutes depending on the wattage of the microwave). When it come to a boil, take the bowl out (careful it’ll be hot!) and put a plate or lid over the bowl. Let the eggs simmer like this for a few minutes and they’ll be perfectly cooked.
- In a Rice Cooker: Probably the most unorthodox way to cook a good set of eggs, using a rice cooker can be just as practical as the microwave and stove pots. Same rules apply as before, place the eggs into the cooker along with water. Set the rice cooker or steamer to cook, and give the eggs about ten to fifteen minutes to finish.
What to Do After the Eggs are Boiled
After the eggs have been cooked using one of the methods already mentioned it’s time to prepare them. First, run the eggs under some cold water. This will stop the cooking process and ensure that you don’t overcook them. Now it’s time to peel them. Unshelling or peeling an egg can be pain in the butt but it must be done! You can learn easy ways to peel boiled eggs here at the site. When that is completed, the eggs will be ready for whatever recipe or use you have for them.
Miscellaneous Details
- Expiration Date: Hard-boiled eggs that haven’t been peeled can last for up to seven to ten days in the refrigerator. If you have peeled them or used them in a salad or dish, then they should be good for about three days.
- Green Yolk: When you boil eggs for as long as I have, from time to time you’ll see the yolk of the egg turn green. People who’ve never seen this before tend to wonder what causes this and if it’s safe to eat. Well, despite the changing of color, an egg with green yolk is plenty safe to eat. Basically, it’s a sign that you’ve overcooked your eggs ever so slightly and you shouldn’t notice much of a taste difference at all.
- Checking Doneness: To check to see if your eggs are done simply have a bowl of cold water out and place the cooked egg inside. If it floats, the egg is done. If it sinks then cook longer.
Dishes that Use Boiled Eggs
I find there are a number of different ways to use boiled eggs in recipes. Typically people like them in a variety of salads, including chicken, tuna, potato, macaroni and plain old egg salad varieties. Deviled eggs over the holidays are also a great way to use up some hard boiled eggs. Mixing some form of egg salad sandwich is also a very popular option.