How to Boil Eggs
Cook hard boiled eggs with clean yellow yolks and shells that slip right off, using timing you can count on every batch.
Hot Water In, Timer On
Most people start eggs in cold water and bring the whole pot up together, which means the cook time depends on your pot, your stove, and how many eggs are in there. That is why the same 10 minutes gives you a runny yolk one week and a gray ring the next.
Lower the eggs into water that is already boiling and start the timer right then. Now the only variable is the number of minutes on the clock, and 12 minutes gets you a firm, bright yellow yolk.
Start With Boiling Water
Eggs lowered into already boiling water cook on a clock you control, not on however long your pot takes to heat up.
Know Your Minutes
From a boil, count 6 minutes for jammy, 9 for soft-set, 12 for fully hard on large eggs straight from the fridge.
The Gray Ring
That green-gray layer around the yolk is overcooking, and it shows up when eggs sit past about 14 minutes or cool slowly in the hot pot.
Ice Bath Is Not Optional
Moving eggs to ice water for at least 5 minutes stops the cooking and shrinks the egg away from the shell so it peels clean.
The method
- 1
Boil the water first
Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover the eggs by an inch. Bring it to a full rolling boil before the eggs go anywhere near it.
- 2
Lower the eggs in gently
Use a slotted spoon or a ladle to set cold eggs into the water one at a time. Dropping them cracks the shells and you lose white into the pot.
- 3
Set the timer and hold a low boil
Start the timer the second the last egg is in. Turn the heat down just enough to keep a steady gentle boil rather than a violent one.
- 4
Move them straight to ice water
Have a bowl of ice and water ready. Pull the eggs out the moment the timer goes off and drop them in for five minutes or longer.
- 5
Crack and peel under water
Tap the fat end first, roll the egg to craze the shell all over, then peel with the egg sitting in a little water. The water gets under the membrane and lifts it.
Show what you know
Three questions. See if your boiled egg method holds up.
Question 1 of 3
You pull your eggs at 12 minutes and the yolks have a green-gray ring. What happened?
Put it to work
Perfectly boiled eggs are the whole foundation here — easy peeling and creamy, fully set yolks make the filling, and the platter disappears fast.
★ appetizer
appetizerDeviled Eggs
The go-to appetizer for parties and holidays. The sweet, tangy and savory yolk filling and the eggs soft and chewy texture makes for the perfect bite. I could eat a whole plate of these!
Ashley PanIngredients
- 5 Eggs - extra large
- 2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Mustard - yellow
- 2 tsp Relish - sweet
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1 Scallion - green parts chopped
- 1 slice Bacon - chopped
Instructions
- 1Fill a pot with water, place the eggs in the pot
- 2Turn on the heat, when the water comes to a boil set a timer for 7 minutes
- 3Drain the eggs and place them in ice water until you’re done cooking the bacon
- 4Cook your slice of bacon in a skillet on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown, remove and place bacon on a paper towel to remove excess grease
- 5Carefully cut the eggs in half, length wise
- 6Carefully scoop the yolk out into a small bowl
- 7Add Mayo, mustard, relish, and garlic powder, mix to remove clumps
- 8Using a piping bag with a star piping tip, a ziplock bag with the corner cut for the star piping tip, or a spoon, squeeze or scoop the filling back into each egg
- 9Garnish with paprika, scallions, and bacon, Enjoy!
P.S. Pepper keeps the recipe, the timings and your own notes in one place — so the next time you cook it, you're not starting from a search box.
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