Content

• Steps
• Advice

Eggs are inherently fragile and can be difficult to boil without cracking. When it is cold, eggs can easily crack if exposed to hot water; they can also crack when they collide or fall to the bottom of the pot. To prevent the egg from cracking, you need to be gentle, heat it up slowly, and notice the temperature difference between the egg and the water.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Preparing eggs for boiling

1. 

   Return the eggs to normal temperature before boiling. If you are storing eggs in the refrigerator, it is important not to boil them while they are still cold. Eggs crack because the air inside the shell heats and expands. When the pressure is too great, the air will escape by breaking down weak spots in the eggshell with tiny holes. You can slow this down by letting the eggs return to their normal temperature before boiling.
   • If you don't want to wait for the eggs to naturally warm, you can try dipping them in hot water for a few minutes before boiling.

2. 

   
   
   Use older eggs if possible. When the egg is new, the outer membrane sticks to the eggshell, while the inner membrane attaches to the egg white. As the eggs age, these membranes will adhere more closely to the eggshell.

3. 

   Air release inside eggs to reduce risk of cracking. Before you put the eggs in the water, you can use a pin or a clean bandage needle to poke the large end of the egg. This will allow the air bubbles inside the eggshell - a common cause of the egg to crack - to escape during the cooking process.

4. 

   
   
   Select and place eggs in a saucepan or saucepan. Put your hands lightly to avoid cracking the eggs. Don't make the eggs too tight - boil only one layer of eggs at a time, and don't let the eggs pressed against each other. If you try to boil too many eggs at once, some of the eggs may crack because of their weight.
   • Check to see if the eggs are fresh by placing them in a bowl of salt water. Eggs sink to the bottom means fresh. If the egg floats in the water, the egg is most likely spoiled.
   • Fold the cheesecloth into several layers and line the bottom of the pot to create a smooth cushion to reduce the risk of egg cracking.

5. 

   
   
   Use cold water to boil eggs. Gently pour water into the pot to a height of at least about 3 cm. Pour water close to the edge of the pot to avoid disturbing the eggs. If you can't avoid pouring water over the egg, use your hand to hold the egg from rolling back and forth and crack.
   • Add half a teaspoon of salt to the water. This will make the eggs easier to peel and will also prevent them from cracking. Salted water makes the egg whites freeze faster. It also helps seal small leaks if the shell cracks during boiling.
   • Never put an egg straight into a pot of hot water, otherwise the shell will crack and the egg will melt (poaching eggs). When you put cold eggs in warm or hot water, you "shock" the eggs because the temperature changes suddenly and cracks form. Furthermore, cold water will prevent the eggs from overcooking.

6. 

   Add vinegar to the water. Use one teaspoon of vinegar for each egg and pour it directly into the water before turning on the stove. The vinegar will help the protein in the egg white to set faster and seal the cracks that form in the eggshell. This is a common problem, especially when the eggs are very cold.
   • You can also wait until a cracked egg is needed for the vinegar. When the eggs crack, you should see a white liquid oozing. Be quick now - if you put vinegar in the water as soon as you notice signs of crack, the egg should still be cooked evenly.
   • If you don't add the vinegar in time, don't worry. The cracked egg also ripens well, although it doesn't look very good.
   • Just add some vinegar. If used too much, the eggs will taste like vinegar!
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Part 2 of 3: Boiling eggs

1. 

   Boil eggs gently over medium heat. Boil the water slowly to prevent the eggs from cracking because the temperature changes too quickly. Cover and swing back. The water will boil a bit faster with the lid on, but you can leave the lid open if you want to watch.
   • Make sure the eggs don't sit still on the bottom of the pot, as the eggs will not cook evenly and easily crack. Stir the eggs every time you see them starting to lie still. Use a wooden spoon to stir, and be very gentle in order not to crack the eggs.

2. 

   Turn off the heat when the water is boiling. Turn off the heat as soon as the water is boiling vigorously and soak the eggs in hot water. Remember to swing. The heat in the water and the remaining warmth on the stove is enough to cook the eggs. Soak the eggs in the pot for 3-15 minutes, depending on how well you want the eggs to cook:
   • If you want an egg to ripen, remove it after about 3 minutes. The egg whites will freeze, while the yolks will remain liquid and warm. Be careful when removing eggs; Scoop each egg with your lips to avoid cracking.
   • If you want the eggs to be medium-cooked, take them out of the water after 5-7 minutes. The yolk will remain soft in the middle, and the white has hardened. Be gentle with the eggs, but don't worry too much about cracked them.
   • If you want the eggs to ripen thoroughly, soak them in hot water for 9-12 minutes. The yolks should fully freeze, and you don't have to worry about the eggs cracking. If you want the eggs to cook well but the yolks are still soft and bright yellow, soak them in hot water for 9-10 minutes. If you want the eggs to be harder and the yolks to be a lighter yellow color, you can soak them for 11-12 minutes.

3. 

   Keep an eye on the clock and do not overheat. After 12 minutes of boiling, the yolks will change color and have gray or green streaks. The eggs are still edible, and the bluish-gray streaks don't affect the taste much either. However, some people find that these streaks make eggs less palatable. Consider buying a color-changing egg timer - a heat-sensitive indicator that you can put in a boiling pot with the eggs. You can buy it online or at kitchenware stores.

4. 

   Know when a cracked egg can be eaten. If the egg cracks in the water while it's cooking, the egg is still edible and you can still boil it normally if the crack is not too large. If an egg is already cracked before you put it in the pot, don't use the egg. Bacteria may have entered, infecting the inside of the egg and causing harm to the health. advertisement

Part 3 of 3: Cooling, peeling and preserving eggs

1. 

   Prepare a bowl of ice water. While the eggs are still boiling in the pot, prepare a large bowl of cold water. Add ¼ - ½ teaspoon of salt to the water, then add ice to lower the water temperature. Once the eggs are ready, place them carefully in a bowl of cold water to prevent them from further cooking.

2. 

   Refrigerate eggs to stop heating. After the eggs have been boiled for the desired time, carefully drain the water from the pot, then place the eggs in the bowl of ice water to stop the heating process. Use a large hole spoon to scoop out each egg to avoid cracking. Carefully drop the eggs in a bowl of ice water to cool them down. Soak for 2-5 minutes.

3. 

   Store eggs in the refrigerator or serve immediately. Once the eggs have cooled and can be handled, you can put them in the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes for easy peeling. If you are not too serious about peeling eggs beautifully or if you want to eat eggs while warm, you can skip this step and peel the eggs as soon as the eggs have cooled.

4. 

   Make sure the eggs are fully cooked. You can leave the eggs on the table and see if they are fully frozen by roasting them. If the egg spins quickly and easily, it is done. If you see the egg shaking, you need to cook a little more.

5. 

   Peel off the egg when you are about to eat it. Press the egg against a clean surface and roll it over with your hands to crack the shell. Begin to peel from the large end of the egg, where there is an air chamber under the shell. This will make it easier for you to peel off.
   • Dip the eggs in cold water while you peel them. This will prevent the shell fragments and the membrane from sticking to the egg.
   • Usually eggs are easier to peel when cracked. Return the eggs to the pot and cover the pot. Shake the pot back and forth to crack the shell before peeling it. You may need to do this repeatedly to crack all the eggs.

6. 

   Use a small spoon to keep the egg whites from chipping while you peel. Peel off a small amount of the shell and the membrane at the large end of the egg. Slide the spoon under the shell and membrane so that it holds the egg tightly. Then just slide the spoon around to peel the eggs.

7. 

   Keep boiled eggs in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Eggs should be eaten immediately after peeling. Store any leftover eggs in a sealed container and cover with a wet paper towel. Change the paper towels daily to prevent the eggs from drying out. Use eggs for 4-5 days before they start to spoil.
   • You can also store eggs in cold water. Change the water daily to prevent eggs from breaking.
   • Hard-boiled eggs can be stored for several days before peeling. Keep in mind, however, that this often makes the eggs dry and chewy. It is common practice to store shelled eggs in the refrigerator and maintain moisture, rather than leaving unshelled eggs.
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Advice

• Extra large eggs need to boil a little longer than medium sized eggs. Boil for about 3 more minutes depending on the size of the egg. For example, a very large hard-boiled egg can take 15 minutes to complete.
• If you are using eggs with white shells, you can boil them in a pot with less onion skin (brown skin). Onion peels will dye the eggs light brown, and you can easily distinguish uncooked and boiled eggs. This is helpful if you are storing uncooked eggs together with boiled eggs.