How to Boil an Egg

Eggs are a rich source of protein and vitamins and are generally healthy to eat, unless you have a high cholesterol level. You can eat eggs raw, boiled or cooked in a pan as scrambled eggs or an omelet. Boiling eggs is one of the easiest ways to prepare them; this eHow will provide instructions on how to boil an egg in six simple steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Place the raw egg in a saucepan.
2. Run cold water into the saucepan until the water is 1 inch above the egg.
3. Place the saucepan on a stove and cook over medium heat until the water begins to boil.
4. Reduce the heat to low.
5. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes for soft-boiled eggs or 10 to 15 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.
6. Remove the egg with a spoon or ladle and let it cool slowly, or run cold water over it to cool it more quickly.

Tips & Warnings

• Use hard-boiled eggs to make deviled eggs or egg salad sandwiches.
• Don't over cook your eggs, it can cause a green ring to appear around the egg yolk because of the iron and sulfur in the egg. This will not affect the taste of the egg, but overcooking will hurt the protein quality.