What is the correct time to boil a hard-boiled egg?

Question

I know this is a silly question, but I hate it when I don't do it long enough and my yolk is runny...and if I leave it on too long the shells seem to crack! Why can't I master the most basic culinary task?!

Answer 1

Boil it till you can spin it on end without it wobbling I do it with six eggs cold water and from start to finish is 10-12 minutes.....my stove is most likely hotter than yours but spin 1 after 12...if it doesn't wobble shock in ice water bath for 10 minutes....GUARANTEED perfect if not make reservations at my restaurant www.37atthepoint.com...I will buy

Answer 2

It seems that the simplest things are often the hardest.

Here's what you do, for flawless hard boiled eggs:

Use a heavy pot, large enough for the number of eggs you're preparing (it doesn't matter if you hard boil 2 or 20 eggs, it will work out the same). Contrary to logic, use eggs that are less-than-fresh when you're hard boiling them. If they've been in your fridge for a week, they're perfect...save the real fresh ones for omelets.

Put the eggs into the pot, and add fresh, cold water to the pot, until the eggs are covered by about 1 inch of water. Also add just a splash of vinegar--a tablespoon or so-- to the pot. This will prevent cracking.

Heat the pot, uncovered, over high heat. Allow the water to come to a full, rolling boil, then put a tight-fitting lid onto the pot, and remove it from the stove immediately (place it on a trivet or folded up towel, to protect your countertop or table).

Set a timer for exactly 18 minutes, no more, no less. After the 18 minutes, run cold tap water into the pot, while draining out the hot water (be careful). Allow 2 changes of fresh water, and then add 1 whole tray of ice cubes to the pot (about 12-14 ice cubes). Top off the pot with water, and let the eggs rest in the ice & water for at least 5 minutes (if you leave them in there longer, that's OK too). The eggs will peel easily, and they'll be perfectly hard boiled.

Answer 3

Both answers have good solutions, and the first answerer is almost right on. Some eggs will be hard to peel. I have bought fresh eggs and hard boiled them the same day at room temp and usually one of the eggs out of say maybe 8 would be hard to peel. I used to think that old eggs were the culprit, however that is not always the case. I think the chicken that laid the egg may have not had enough of something in her system to give the egg that slinky easy peel ability. I have found thru the years that after I have cooked the eggs I drain the hot water and run cold water over the eggs adding in a couple cups of ice cubes. As soon as I can handle the hot eggs I peel them, and almost all the time they will peel easily and perfectly. Like I said, once in a while one will be stubborn. Be patient peeling the hot eggs. You will see it is easier. I use a tsp of white vinegar in the water as it helps keep the shells white. That is what my Mom taught me as her Mom taught her. And that is what she said the vinegar does, I don't know for sure but I always add it. If I am out of white vinegar, I add Apple Cider Vinegar, my shells turn light brown but the eggs are always good. If your eggs are very cold, when you add them to the pan and cover them with cold water, then use a lower flame or the eggs will crack in the pan. The extreme heat on the bottom of the pan can cause that instead of slowly bringing them to a boil. Medium heat until the water is starting to bubble, then cover the pan, let them boil hard for 5 full minutes then turn off the heat and let set for about 10 to 15 min. Drain water, add cold water and ice and peel when you can handle the eggs.

Answer 4

PERFECT HARDBOILED EGGS!

Q: Why do shells stick to hard-boiled eggs? How can I peel them easily?

A: We've seen a lot of questions recently about hard-boiled eggs. For some, the problem is the shells sticking, others want to know how to prevent that "green halo" from forming around the yolk. Fear not, if you cook your hard-boiled eggs properly the yolks will be a beautiful yellow and the shells will slip right off.

First, let's address the issue of eggs sticking to shells. To prevent this, use eggs that are a week to 10 days old. Older eggs have a different pH from new eggs, which researchers say affects peeling. We also find that cooling eggs immediately after cooking in an ice bath makes them easier to peel.

But really, what good is an easy-to-peel egg if it is going to have that ugly green center? The green is made by the iron in the yolk combining with the sulfur in the white. Heat is a big foe of this chemical reaction. The longer you cook eggs, the more likely you are to end up with that green ring. The trick is to cook eggs just until the yolk is set without overcooking them. Removing the eggs from the hot water to an ice bath immediately after cooking will also help prevent the green from forming.

The best way to make easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs with pure yellow centers is to place the eggs in a pot of cold water and add a teaspoon of salt. Always start with your egg in cold water as Eggs crack (most of the time) because they're cold out of the refrigerator and put into hot water, Starting with cold water keeps the egg from cracking. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and remove from heat and let sit for 13 minutes. Drain the eggs and immediately place in an ice bath until completely cooled. Drain and enjoy your perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs.

Answer 5

Put 1 tablespoonful of salt in the water to prevent shell cracks. Make sure the water covers the egg. Medium heat until water boils, then turn off the heat. Keep the eggs in the pot for 3 minutes after stove is turned off. Try it, you'll have perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs.

Answer 6

Start with putting your eggs in cold salted water. Bring to a full boil. Turn off heat. Cover. Let stand between 15- 20 minutes. This is a very good method. Your eggs are not rubbery either. Run under cold water. Then refrigerate until cold. The shells will almost slide right off.

Answer 7

For hard-boiled eggs, a never fail way to cook them is to just cover them with water, bring the water to a boil, shut off the fire or the stove, put a lid on the pan, and let the eggs sit for 20 minutes. They will be absolutely perfect and won't have that greenish outer covering on the yolks.

Answer 8

The correct time would be 11:28 pm EST. Unless you have to work in which case I would wait until the morning.

Actually you:
How to Boil an Egg

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Just in case your mother never explained this to you, here are the simple steps involved in boiling an egg.


Steps:
1. Place the egg in a saucepan.

2. Run cold water into the saucepan until the water is 1 inch above the egg. (Image 1)

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. (Image 2)

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. (Image 3)

per ehow.com

Answer 9

Don't listen to those people who say 20 minutes. That's way to long! When you put an egg in the pot and it starts to boil turn down the heat so that the water is just barely boiling and let it cook for 9 minutes.

Answer 10

I boil mine for 12 minutes. To keep the shells from cracking, after the water has come to a boil turn down the heat. You do not have to keep the water boiling -that causes the eggs to bump into each other and this is what causes the eggshells to crack. Just let it simmer so the eggs aren't hitting each other.

Answer 11

Okay...put the eggs in a pot of cold water. make sure water covers the eggs. Then bring to boil...add 1 tsp salt, and boil 11 min. After boiling 11 min, turn off heat and drain hot water and fill pot with cold water and cover with ice for 30 min and then refrigerate for 1 hour. This is absolutely the only way to make perfectly centered (fully cooked) yolks that are beautifully yellow (not green)