Boiled eggs are so handy! There’s a reason for that. They’re quick, simple, and easy to make. Boiling an egg is an easy process that anyone can do, and it doesn’t take long at all.
Hard Boiled eggs
Boiled eggs are super-tasty, healthy, and a great meal to eat on the go. They’re incredibly versatile. It can be used as both an ingredient in recipes and a simple yet filling snack. Hard-boiled eggs can be eaten on salads or sandwiches or eaten alone with some salt and pepper. They’re also the main ingredient in deviled eggs!
When you have hard-boiled eggs on hand, you can make a satisfying breakfast, lunch, snack, appetizer, or dinner. More so, they are delicious when you eat them alone and an excellent addition to your sandwich, Pasta, and salads.
Step-by-step guidelines for boiling eggs
Interestingly, boiling eggs is straightforward. I know most of you have boiled eggs at one point or another. However, you still need to learn the right methods to boil it because every minute counts when it comes to boiling eggs, and the method makes a difference.
There are a lot of ways to boil eggs – the stove, slow cooker, pressure cooker, and air fryer methods. But today, I will share my proven stove top method that has worked out for me perfectly every time.
How to boil eggs on the stovetop – Boil your eggs to perfection!
Learning how to boil eggs on the stovetop is a perfect way for beginners or even someone who has been cooking for a while to get it right every time. This is a very simple method of boiling eggs.
You’ll need a pot with a tight-fitting lid, water, eggs, a timer, and something to lower the eggs into the pot (like a pair of tongs, a slotted spoon, or a ladle).
While there are several ways to boil eggs on the stovetop, this is my favorite method because I never go wrong with it:
- Ensure all the eggs come to room temperature. If the eggs are too cold, they can crack in hot water due to the sudden temperature change.
- Pour enough water into the pot to cover all of the eggs by an inch
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil on high heat.
- Turn the heat to medium-high, then use a tong, slotted spoon, or ladle to gently lower the eggs in a single layer into the bottom of your pot.
- Cover with a lid and let cook for 6 to 12 minutes.
- When time is up, carefully lift your eggs with a tong or slotted spoon from the heat and place them into a bowl almost filled with cold water (or ice bath) to stop the cooking process until it is cool enough to handle – about 5 minutes.
- Peel the eggs and use them as desired
How long does it take to boil eggs
- 5 minutes for soft-boiled eggs
- 7 minutes for slightly soft-boiled eggs
- 10 minutes for firm, hard-boiled eggs
- 12 minutes for extra firm hard-boiled eggs (without the gray ring)
Location and Boiled eggs
Having lived on two different continents of the world, I have realized that where you live determines how you boil eggs.
In Nigeria (west Africa, I usually add the eggs straight to the cool water, then I let the water come to a rolling boil. I remove immediately for soft-boiled eggs, and I leave for another 2 to 3 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.
Here in the united states, I first leave the water to come to a rolling boil in the pot, then I lower the heat, gently add the eggs and let it come to a boil for 5 to 12 minutes, depending on how hard-boiled I want the eggs to be.
I decided to conduct a little experiment by interchanging these methods in each of these countries; while I got my eggs boiled, the shell got stuck to the egg, making it difficult to peel.
This is my personal experience. Please let me know what method works best for you.
One drawback is if you boil on very high heat, there is a chance that a couple of the eggs may crack upon impact with one another as they are placed into the boiling water.
How to Store Boiled Egg
The most ideal way to store boiled eggs is in the fridge without peeling the shell. However, if you have peeled the shell, you can still submerge them in cold water in the fridge. Ensure that you change the water daily.
In addition, you can keep them on an open plate and drape damp paper on them. It would be best if you changed the wet paper drapes daily too. They can last a week if you store the boiled eggs well and in good condition.
Be sure not to throw out those leftover hard-boiled eggs after this — find out how to make Deviled Eggs!
Reheating
You can reheat boiled eggs by dipping them in hot water for about 5 minutes. Please don’t use a microwave to reheat them without immersing them in water. An ordinary egg in the microwave can explode.
Tips on boiling eggs
- Use a large pot that can hold all the eggs you want to boil at once. All the eggs should sit in a single layer in the pot.
- Don’t overcook. Overcooked eggs will have a green ring, sulfur-like odor, rubbery white, and dry and crumbly yolk.
- Give your egg a cold-water bath after boiling it. It will stop the cooking immediately and separate the egg membrane from the shell, making it easy to peel.
How to use Boiled eggs
You can eat boiled eggs alone, but they are a delicious addition to the following dishes:
- Sandwiches – Boiled eggs are tasty in Chicken club sandwiches and creamy turkey salad sandwich
- Salads: Add boiled eggs to make-ahead 7-layer salad and Nigerian salad
- Sauces: Alongside other proteins like fish and chicken, you can soak boiled eggs in Pepper sauce, ayamase stew (Ofada stew), and Doro wat- Ethiopian Chicken Stew. Serve this sauce over rice and couscous.
- Snacks: Traditional scotch eggs and Nigerian egg rolls require boiled eggs as a major ingredient.
- Other recipes that you can use eggs for include moin moin and devilled eggs
FAQS About Hard-boiled Eggs
Can you freeze boiled eggs?
I don’t recommend freezing boiled eggs because it affects the texture of the eggs and the thawing process is messy. Don’t freeze it.
How can I tell if boiled eggs are overcooked?
First, the egg white will become extremely rubbery. The green ring around the yolk is the second indicator of an overcooked egg. The green ring is a chemical reaction in overly boiled eggs. Even though the green ring does not harm your health, the yolk can come out too dry.
Is it safe to eat boiled eggs?
Of course, eggs are highly nutritious. It has essential minerals and vitamins like vitamin D, choline, biotin, calcium, iron, selenium, zinc, iodine, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, potassium, and so on. While the yolk has all the nutrients, the egg white contains essential amino acids and protein.
How many calories are in a boiled egg?
Typically, a large boiled egg has about 70 calories.
Other Recipes you should try:
- Breakfast potatoes and Egg Stew
- Creamy Potato Salad
- Grilled plantain
- No-knead Potato Sandwich bread
- Smothered Turkey wings
- Oven-baked Seafood Jambalaya
- One pot chicken and rice
Recommended Tools:
How to Boil Eggs
Instructions
- Ensure all the eggs come to room temperature
- Pour enough water into the pot to cover all of the eggs by an inch
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil on high heat.
- Turn the heat to medium-high, then use a tong, slotted spoon, or ladle to gently lower the eggs in a single layer into the bottom of your pot.
- Cover with a lid and let cook for 6 to 12 minutes.
- When time is up, carefully lift your eggs with a tong or slotted spoon from the heat and place them into a bowl almost filled with cold water or ice bath to stop the cooking process until it is cool enough to handle – about 5 minutes.
- Peel the eggs and use them as desired
Timing
- 5 minutes for soft-boiled eggs
- 7 minutes for slightly soft-boiled eggs
- 10 minutes for firm, hard-boiled eggs
- 12 minutes for extra firm hard-boiled eggs (without the gray ring)
Nutrition
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