Our chickens are dropping eggs like Miley Cyrus drops hot tracks. (Okay, bad joke, seeing how Miley Cyrus might just be the antichrist, and all)
This morning I collected 16 eggs! Sixteen eggs! I’ve already got 6 cartons of those delectable white orbs in my refrigerator, not quite sure what to do with them, though I’m sure some will be donated to the next humans I see.
So the subject of eggs has been front and center in my mind lately. I’ve been making lots of egg salad, poached eggs, eggs on toast…..and I’ve been wondering….what is THE best way to boil an egg?
The problem with boiling eggs, of course, is that it’s impossible to see how they’re cooking in their shell. Often the eggs are overcooked, with rubbery whites and chalky yolks, or they’re undone, with slimy whites and runny yolks. And sometimes the rapidly boiling water causes the eggs to crack before they’re fully cooked, leaving a trail of slimy white membrane in the boiling water.
So after extensive field testing over the past two weeks or so, I have discovered that the best way to boil an egg* — both for taste and peeling technique — is to:
- place eggs in a sauce pan and cover by an inch of water
- bring the water to a boil
- once the water boils, turn off the heat. Cover the pan and allow the eggs to cook by residual heat for 10 minutes (no rattling eggs means no cracked eggs)
- transfer the eggs to an ice-water bath with a slotted spoon and allow to sit for 5 minutes
- remove an egg and squeeze it gently in your hand to crack the shell in several places
- begin peeling from the air-pocket (wider) end. The shell should come off in spiral strips
- eat. yum. good.
* adapted from Cook’s Illustrated with a technique suggestion from me
All original content © 2012 by Jessie Knadler
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s exactly how I boil my eggs – although I crack the eggs in the pan by shaking vigorously after draining. I superstitiously feel that letting the cool water seep between the cracked shell bits makes for easier peeling, although I haven’t consulted Harold McGee on this or anything.
Hi Casey: Funny you should mention that. I’ve noticed that with our eggs (as opposed to a conventional grocery store eggs), it’s much more difficult to peel when they’re hard boiled because the membrane sticks to the inside of the shell, so that when I peel, it seems half the white part comes off with the shell. Anyone have any advice for how to avoid this? Jessie
Hi Jessie, I’ve read that the fresher the eggs, the harder they are to peel, so I think you’re stuck!