Eggs are quite difficult to handle, especially if you want to boil an egg without cracking the shell. When cold, eggshells crack more easily when in contact with hot water, as well as when they collide with other eggs in or at the bottom of the pan. In order not to crack, the eggs should be handled with care, boiled slowly, while you also have to pay attention to the difference in temperature of the eggs and water in the pan.
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Part 1 of 3: Preparing the Eggs before Boiling
Step 1. Raise the temperature of the eggs to room temperature before starting to boil
If eggs are stored in the refrigerator, it's important that you don't boil them right away. Eggs can crack because the gas inside heats up and expands. If the resulting pressure is too great, the gas will come out of the egg and break the weak spots in the porous egg shell. Raising the eggs to room temperature will slow this process down.
If you don't want to wait, soak the eggs in hot tap water for a few minutes before boiling them
Step 2. If possible, use older eggs
Usually when the egg is fresh, the outer membrane tends to stick to the shell, while the inner membrane is attached to the albumen (egg white). The longer the egg is stored, the two membranes inside will stick to the shell.
Step 3. Remove any gas trapped in the egg to reduce the chance of cracking the shell
Before soaking, drill a hole in the end of the shell with a clean tacks or safety pin. This will help release water bubbles, which usually cause the shell to crack when the egg is boiled.
Step 4. Sort the position of the eggs to be boiled, then place them in a large saucepan or saucepan with a handle
Place them one by one gently so they don't break. Don't let too many eggs in one pan. Do not boil eggs in a stacked position, and the position of each egg should not be too close to the other eggs. If all the eggs were boiled at the same time, some would crack under the weight.
- Test the freshness of the eggs by soaking them in a bowl of salt water. If the egg drops to the bottom of the bowl, it means it's still fresh. If it floats on the surface, it's possible that the egg is rotten.
- Place cheesecloth folded in the bottom of the pan. This helps protect the eggs from cracking easily.
Step 5. Soak the eggs in a saucepan with cold tap water
Fill the pot with water until it is about 2.5 cm high. Pour water from the edge of the pan so as not to disturb the eggs in it. If this is unavoidable, hold the eggs with your hands to prevent them from rolling and cracking.
- Add half a teaspoon of salt to the water. This makes peeling the shell easier and also keeps the eggs from breaking a bit. In addition, the salt water makes the whites of the eggs harden faster, and also "patches" the small holes that are created if the eggs break while being boiled.
- Never put eggs in a pot of hot water, as the shell will crack and the contents will scatter all over the place (and you'll end up with a half-boiled egg). By exposing the eggs to warm or hot water, you are "surprising" them with a sudden change in temperature. This can cause cracks in the shell. Instead of warm or hot water, use cold water which can keep the eggs from overcooking.
Step 6. Add vinegar
This is a teaspoon for each egg, and pour it into the water before starting to heat. Doing this will help the proteins in the egg whites to freeze faster, so any cracks that appear in the shell when heated will be patched. The above problem often occurs with boiled eggs, especially if the eggs are still cold.
- Vinegar can also be added after a cracked egg shell. You may notice a white liquid coming out of the egg. Act quickly, if you pour the vinegar into the pan right after the shell breaks, the eggs will still cook evenly.
- Don't worry if you don't add vinegar in time. Cracked eggs will still cook on their own, although the results are not very good.
- Use sparingly. Too much will make the eggs taste and smell like vinegar.
Part 2 of 3: Boiling Eggs
Step 1. Bring the water to a boil slowly over medium heat
Allow the water in the pot to boil slowly so that the eggs that lie underneath don't break due to sudden changes in temperature. After that cover the top of the pan. The water in the pot will boil faster if the pot is covered, but you can also leave the pot open in case you want to keep an eye on the eggs.
Make sure that the eggs are not at the bottom of the pan, or they will not cook evenly and break easily. Stir the water each time the eggs move to the bottom of the pan. Use a wooden spoon to stir, and do so very slowly and gently so that the eggs in the pan don't break
Step 2. Turn off the heat when the water in the pot is cooked
Just when the water in the pot is boiling, turn off the stove and let the eggs in the pot soak in the hot water. Do not open the lid of the pot. The warmth that comes from the water and the stove is enough to make the eggs perfectly cooked. Let it rest for about 3-15 minutes, depending on the type of hard-boiled egg you want; cooked or undercooked:
- If you want to make a hard-boiled egg, remove it from the pan within three minutes. The whites of the eggs will be quite chewy, while the yolks will be liquid and warm. Lift the eggs slowly; do this one at a time with a spoon to avoid cracking the shell.
- If you want hard-boiled eggs, remove them from the pan within 5-7 minutes. The yellow part in the middle is getting denser and softer in texture, and the white part will be solid. You should still lift it gently, but don't worry about the possibility of breaking the egg.
- If you want to make perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs, let them sit in hot water for 9-12 minutes. The yellow and white should be solid, and you don't have to worry about breaking the shell. However, if you want eggs with a firm white part and a soft yolk, leave the eggs in the pan for only 9-10 minutes. For eggs with a harder, lighter yolk, let them sit for 11-12 minutes.
Step 3. Keep an eye on the clock so the eggs don't overcook
After more than 12 minutes, the yolk will be gray or greenish. However, the eggs are still edible, and the gray or green color of the yolk has little effect on the taste. However, some people consider the appearance of eggs like this to be unappetizing. Consider buying an egg timer with specific features such as a color that changes when the time is up, or with a heat-sensitive indicator to place in the pan while boiling the eggs. Timers like the two examples above can be found in online stores or stores that sell cute but low-quality kitchen utensils.
Step 4. You need to know when eggs are edible
Even if the shell cracks while you're boiling, the eggs are still safe enough to eat-and will still cook normally if the cracking isn't too severe. However, if the eggs cracked before the water was heated, don't boil them. Bacteria in the air may have entered through the pores of the shell and damaged the inside of the egg so it can be very dangerous for your health if eaten.
Part 3 of 3: Cooling, Peeling and Storing Eggs
Step 1. Prepare a bowl of ice water
While the eggs are boiling, find a bowl that is large enough and fill it with cold water. Pour 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon salt into it and stir until dissolved, and then add ice to lower the temperature of the water in the bowl. Once the eggs are cooked in the pan, carefully transfer them to the bowl to stop them from heating up.
Step 2. Cool the eggs so that the boiling process in them stops
After the eggs have cooked to the specified time, gently drain the remaining water in the saucepan, then transfer the eggs in them to a bowl of cold water to stop the boiling process. Remove the eggs one by one with a flat spoon so that the shells do not break. After that put it in a bowl to lower the temperature inside the egg. Leave for 2-5 minutes to cool.
Step 3. Eggs can be refrigerated or served immediately
Once the eggs are cool enough to handle by hand, place them in the refrigerator and let them sit for 20-30 minutes to loosen the adhesion of the shells to the inside of the eggs. If you're the type of person who doesn't really care about how your eggs look after you've peeled them or likes to eat them warm, you can skip this step and you can peel them off as soon as they've cooled down enough.
Step 4. Make sure that the eggs are fully boiled until cooked
Turn one egg over the counter to see if it is cooked enough without opening the shell. If the eggs are turning lightly and quickly, they are cooked. But if the eggs are still rolling to and fro, try boiling them for a while.
Step 5. When you are ready to eat it, just peel the shell
Press the shells on a clean, flat surface and roll them in the palm of your hand to peel them. Start with the wider part, where there is a small part that feels empty under the shell. This will make it easier for you to peel the eggs.
- Clean the egg shells with cold water while peeling them. This helps remove the cracks of the shell and the inner membrane of the egg from the egg white.
- Usually the shell is easier to peel off if it is cracked. Return the eggs to the pot and cover the pan. Shake the pan to crack the shell, and then you can eat it. It may be necessary to shake the pan a few times until all the eggs in it are cracked.
Step 6. Use a teaspoon to keep the egg white intact while the shell is peeling
Using your thumb and forefinger, slightly break the shell and membrane attached to it at the wider end of the egg. Slide the teaspoon through the small opening it produces with the bottom of the spoon over the membrane and shell and the top under the white so that the egg is covered by the spoon. Then, slide the spoon in all directions to crack the shell.
Step 7. Store the eggs in the refrigerator for about 5 days
Eggs can be eaten after the shell is peeled. Store any uneaten eggs in an airtight container, and cover them with damp tissue paper. Change the tissue every day to prevent the eggs from drying out. Eat the egg within four to five days, before it starts to spoil.
- You can also soak the eggs in cold water. Change the water every day so the eggs inside don't rot.
- Hard-boiled eggs can be stored for several days before their shells are cracked. Keep in mind that eggs in this state will tend to dry out and become more sticky in texture. It's better to peel the eggs from the shell and then leave the eggs in a damp state in the refrigerator, rather than leaving them still in the shell.
Tips
- Larger eggs should cook a little longer. Let the eggs rest in the pan for another 3 minutes, depending on the size. For example, an extra large egg may take 15 minutes to boil until it is completely cooked through.
- If you're using white eggs, sprinkle the onion skins (the dry, brown part) in the water while the boiling process is going on. This will brown the eggs, and it can help you tell which eggs are ripe and which are not. This method is especially useful if you store cooked and raw eggs in the same place.
