How to…Boil an Egg

Appears in

Published 2009

About

The satisfaction gained from producing a perfectly boiled egg is not to be scoffed at. It’s not hard either; apart from ignoring the instruction in the name — eggs are simmered not boiled (and keep an eye on the clock).

Method

To soft-boil an egg, bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Put the egg onto a spoon and gently lower it into the water. Adjust the heat so that the water is simmering, not boiling and jiggling the egg around in the pan.
Cook for 4 minutes and then use a spoon to scoop out the egg. Transfer to an egg cup, slice the top off, and eat. The yolk will be soft and runny, and the white just set.
For a medium-boiled egg, follow the above method but cook the egg for 5–6 minutes before lifting it out. The yolk, though still soft, will be almost cooked and the white fully set.
For a hard-boiled egg, put the egg in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Lift out the egg, run under cold water to cool and then peel away the shell. The yolk should be fully cooked and only slightly soft in the centre. The white will be fully cooked.