How to boil an Egg?

[Cooky]

Ok so I'm not eggactly (sorry) Jamie feckin Oliver when it comes to affairs of the Kitchen.

The galley wench is out and I fancied something to eat that that isn't Special bastid K or Snap Crackle and Pop. Bacon is just too adventurous and involves a major clean-up, so I thought Boiled Eggs and soldiers...fanbloodytastic.

problem how long do you boil them for? it's a bit of a black art.

3 eggs in a pan water boiling

3 mins yuck just snot
5 mins still snott
10 mins amunition rock hard
8 mins still too feckin too hard

Now I've run out of eggs...so soldiers was the deal but ffs what is the correct formula?

All I wanted was some eggs, no clear snotty stuff but nice runny yokes not overdone

I'm off to the cafe now before I starve to death.

[Oakey]

It's not hard, eggs in pan of water, when water starts to boil start timing. 4 minutes is usually best, some people prefer 3.

Eggscellent, my 3000th post

Edited by Oakey on Wednesday 24th December 13:10

Edited by Oakey on Wednesday 24th December 13:12

[mically]

forget it. they're impossible to do.

aim for an omlet, and enjoy your scrambled egg on toast

edit: typoman came along, he's gone now though, which is nice.

Edited by mically on Wednesday 24th December 13:10

[Smart roadster]

You're mistake was not putting the eggs in when the water was cold and then boiling the water with the eggs. I normally recon 3-5mins depending on the size of the egg.

[randomman]

Microwave scrambled eggs - The easiest thing to do with eggs

apart from eat them raw!

[Oakey]

Smart roadster said:

You're mistake was not putting the eggs in when the water was cold and then boiling the water with the eggs. I normally recon 3-5mins depending on the size of the egg.

OOps, you're right, start timing when the water boils!!

[Cooky]

Oakey said:

It's not hard, boil the water, when it's bubbling, stick your eggs in. 4 minutes is usually best, some people prefer 3.

Nooo

that produces just clear snotty eggs.

Is there a scientific thermoneuclear strategy for the number off eggs/size of pan X size off egg ?

[Oakey]

Cooky said:

Oakey said:

It's not hard, boil the water, when it's bubbling, stick your eggs in. 4 minutes is usually best, some people prefer 3.

Nooo

that produces just clear snotty eggs.

Is there a scientific thermoneuclear strategy for the number off eggs/size of pan X size off egg ?

Yeah, I edited.

[ih8thisname]

Just don't put a whole unbroken egg in the microwave for 3mins.

I may have learnt this the hard way...

Edited by ih8thisname on Wednesday 24th December 13:13

[Cooky]

It's a 'black art', I tell you a feckin' black art

[Simpo Two]

I lower them into the boiling water (they may crack a bit but it doesn't matter) and take out at 4 mins. However it does depend on the size of the egg (obviously) and also how fresh it is.

[markoos]

Smart roadster said:

You're mistake was not putting the eggs in when the water was cold and then boiling the water with the eggs. I normally recon 3-5mins depending on the size of the egg.

I totally agree with this. Taking eggs from the 'fridge and putting them into boiling water will often result in undercooked, cracked eggs, so it's even better if they're are at room temperature before you start on them.

[10 Pence Short]

Dead easy.

Get a decent sized pan and bring to the boil with plenty of water.

Take the eggs you're going to use and pierce the fat end very slightly with the point of a sharp knife.

When the water is fully boiling, put the eggs in. Medium eggs will take about 4:20.

The eggs won't crack because the tiny hole you put in them will allow the rapidly heating air inside to escape, rather than crack the shell.

The more water you use relative to eggs, the more accurate your timings, as the cold eggs being put into the water will affect the overall temperature less.

[rsv gone!]

As you've got three eggs you'll need to do them for 12 mins total.

HTH

[Dr JonboyG]

Can I just say this thread plus the OP's username = irony gold.

[Healey73]

With regards cracking, I always run the eggs under the hot tap first before putting them into the boiling water - no cracking! Merry Christmas.

[Cooky]

Dr JonboyG said:

Can I just say this thread plus the OP's username = irony gold.

Yes, I'll give you that, I'm not exactly the most domesticated of sorts. I'd even go as far as stating that I'm a culinary embarrassment to the Cook family name, but at least I tried

attempting to operate sophisticated machinery such as washing machines, irons and Hoovers is also beyond my technical comprehension...house wenches and laundry services are positively the way forward.

[skeggysteve]

I can't do boiled eggs either Cooky.

I reckon it's a black art........

But to my complete surprise and annoyance my 15yo daughter did them last weekend for the first time and they were absolutely perfect. She even did me soldiers

[Puff Puff]

'Cos my boiled eggs have always been too runny I was given an egg timer thingy for Christmas that you put in the pan with the eggs. It changes colour indicating lightly boiled, medium boiled and hard boiled.

I tried it this morning - eggs were hard as bullets even though I took them out when it indicated 'medium'

[CommanderJameson]

Oakey said:

It's not hard, eggs in pan of water, when water starts to boil start timing. 4 minutes is usually best, some people prefer 3.

Eggscellent, my 3000th post

Eggsactly.

Five minutes would be eggcessive.

Edited by CommanderJameson on Friday 26th December 20:40