How to Cook Eggs Properly in the Shell

Cooking hard or soft boiled eggs is more correctly called ‘in-shell cooking’. The only difference between hard and soft boiled eggs is the time involved in cooking either. It is preferable to simmer the eggs when they are cooked. Unfortunately, many are misled and think that eggs in shells should be cooked using boiling water. Using boiling water to make hard cooked eggs results in overcooked, discolored and toughened egg whites. So, how do you know when the water is simmering? One technique is to make the water boil first, then turn the heat (or flame) down until very few steam bubbles are produced. You should let a little bubbling happen. The absence of bubbling may mean that the temperature is not enough. Simmering water is usually around 94°C (200°F) although some more exacting chefs will debate and say that simmering should be at a lower temperature around 82°C (180°F).

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. First, make sure that the eggs to be cooked are at room temperature. Colder eggs tend to crack when placed in hot water. Bring water to a boil and put in the eggs. Bring water down to a simmer and cook the eggs for the required time: Cook 3 to 5 minutes to make soft-boiled eggs, and for hard boiled eggs 12 to 15 minutes is good.

2. After the eggs are cooked to the desired hardness, remove from the hot water and cool under running water. To peel a hard cooked egg, start at the larger end. It may be easier to peel the egg while still warm and with the help of running water.

3. There are some variations for cooking in-shell. One way of making hard-boiled eggs is by placing raw eggs in a saucepan containing cold water. Bring to a boil and remove saucepan from the heat. Cover the pot and let it stand for 20 minutes. Remove the eggs and peel the usual way.

Resources

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