CookEat Recipe
Boiled Eggs: Firm and Soft Variations
Shell eggs timed from immersion in boiling water, with immediate cold-water cooling; the main version has fully firm whites and yolks.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 2 sound, uncracked refrigerated eggs for the firm main version; Enough water to cover the eggs by about 2 cm; Cold drinking water and ice for cooling; For either soft variation only: replace the ordinary eggs with 2 commercially pasteurized shell eggs labelled suitable for undercooked service, following their handling and cooking directions.
Step 2
Bring enough water to cover the eggs by about 2 cm to a boil. Lower the eggs carefully into the water with a spoon and start timing from immersion. Keep a gentle boil so the eggs do not knock against one another.
Step 3
For the main hard-boiled version, cook for about 10 minutes from immersion, extending as needed for egg size and starting temperature until both white and yolk are firm. The clock is a guide to texture, not a substitute for that endpoint.
Step 4
Transfer immediately to cold water, adding ice to keep it cold. Once cool enough to handle, peel if serving now. If keeping for later, refrigerate promptly at 4°C or colder and use within one week.
Step 5
Soft variation: use only commercially pasteurized SHELL eggs labelled suitable for undercooked service and follow the product directions. The source gives 6–7 minutes from immersion for a softly set egg; adjust within the product directions for the desired texture, then transfer immediately to cold water and serve promptly. If the suitable shell product is unavailable, use the firm main version.
Step 6
Very runny variation: with the same suitable commercially pasteurized SHELL eggs and product directions, the source describes about 2 minutes from immersion for an egg eaten very runny from its shell. Cool briefly in cold water to make the shell manageable and serve promptly. This short cooking time is not a safety treatment for ordinary eggs. Do not attempt home pasteurization or substitute liquid egg product for an intact shell egg.
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