Things You’ll Need:
When I boil eggs, I usually boil an entire dozen of them in a large sauce pan. So that’s how I’ll describe the process here.
- a large saucepan with lid — it’s best have a pan with a solid bottom
- a dozen eggs
- enough water (tap water is fine) to cover the eggs by at least 1/2 inch once they are in the pan
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda
Why the baking soda? Sodium bicarbonate (the fancy, scientific name) helps make the eggs easier to peel once they’ve been cooked and cooled.
Let’s Boil Some Eggs!
- carefully place the eggs in the bottom of the pan. There should be enough room so that the eggs can touch, but they should not be allowed to stack on top of each other.
- add enough water to cover the eggs by at least 1/2 an inch
- sprinkle the baking soda into the pan
- cover the pan with the lid and place it on the stove on HIGH
- allow the water to boil for one to two minutes then turn off the heat and let the eggs continue to cook over the burner (with the lid on)
Did you know? The freshest eggs will be the hardest to peel. Use those for other recipes that require an egg or two. Use the oldest eggs in your fridge for the easiest peeling experience. The calcium in the older egg shells have created a firmer shell and that’s what helps them peel with ease.
— Practical Homekeeping Tip
Egg-boiling continued …
- if you want soft-boiled eggs, allow the eggs to simmer in the hot water for about 3-4 minutes, then take the pan off the stove and carry it to the sink. Carefully remove the lid and run cold water over the eggs, slowly draining off the hot water. You will want to end up with the eggs and just fresh, cold water in the pan.
- prefer medium-boiled eggs? Allow the eggs to simmer in the hot water for 5-6 minutes. Then carefully remove the lid and run cold water over the eggs, carefully draining off the hot water. You will want to end up with the eggs and just fresh, cold water in the pan.
- for a truly hard-boiled egg, you can allow the eggs to simmer for ten minutes (or longer). If you let them over-cook, the yolks will have that ugly green ring around them. I don’t think it changes the taste of the egg, but if you’re looking for a nice, yellow yolk, don’t overcook the eggs.
Once the eggs are cooled, I dry them off with a dish towel and put them back in the egg carton. To identify them as “hard-boiled”, I use a Sharpie marker and write “H.B” on the end of the egg carton. That way, having two cartons of eggs in the fridge, I’ll know which ones are hard-boiled — and which ones are not.
How do you like your boiled eggs? Soft? Medium? Hard? Leave a comment below as I’m curious. I like mine medium with a bright yellow yolk and just a bit of softness. Yum!