To boil an egg, the cooking time depends on how you like the yolk:
- 5-6 minutes : white set and yolk runny (good for dipping)
- 7-8 minutes : yolk mostly set but still soft (soft boiled, good for Scotch eggs)
- 10 minutes : hard boiled, yolk fully set but not dry or chalky
A common method is to bring water to a boil first, then gently lower fridge- cold eggs into the boiling water, reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil, and start timing from that point
. After boiling, immediately place eggs in cold or ice water for about 5-10 minutes to stop cooking and make peeling easier
. Summary of boiling times for large eggs:
Desired Doneness| Boiling Time (minutes)
---|---
Runny yolk (soft)| 5-6
Soft boiled (jammy)| 7-8
Hard boiled (fully set)| 10
This ensures consistent results whether you want soft or hard boiled eggs
