The Perfect Boiled Egg
Now, I know, there is much debate about the perfect boiled egg. I'm not trying to be controversial😜. This is not a method that claims to make the epitome of boiled eggs for everyone, HOWEVER, it is a way of boiling an egg that produces the exact same results every time.I don't know about you, but I've always found boiled eggs to be hit and miss. I'd use a time at my house and it would be perfect, then use the same time at my parents house and the egg would be over done or not done enough. Then I discovered the secret!
Keep reading to find out what it is...
Ingredients
- 2 large free range eggs
- 2 slices of bread of choice - I favour multi-seeded wholemeal
- butter (or spread, or nothing if you are so inclined)
- beverage of choice - mango and lychee green tea with honey is my choice
Equipment
- 1 pin (one with a large head is the best, like the ones that are covered in plastic on the end and look like pearls)
- 1 desert spoon
- 1 small saucepan
- a timer of some sort
- water
- a double egg cup or 2 single egg cups
- 1 teaspoon - preferably with a flat handle
- butter knife
- 2 plates
- toaster
Instructions
- Fill your saucepan 2/3rds with water and place over a high heat - if it is hot water from the tap of kettle it will be quicker.
- Put the bread in the toaster and pop down. Now I like my toast well done and cold for making soldiers because the structural integrity is better. If you like your toast warm, do this step once your eggs are on.
- Pierce the top of the eggs with the pin very gently. This will stop them cracking when they are placed in the boiling water.
- When the water is boiling, lower the eggs into the water using the desert spoon. Avoids any chance of scolding.
- Start timer for 4m30s. This produces a runny egg where the yolk is beginning to firm up on the outside and the white of the egg is no longer clear, but there is some runny white under the yolk. If you like your egg less done, reduce the time, more done, increase it.
- When your toast pops - take it out and put it on the plate to cool like you are balancing 2 cards against each other when making a house of cards. This stops the toast going soggy. If you like your toast with butter melted in - just butter it straight away - that's what i do for toast and jam, but for soldiers I use this method.
- When the timer goes off, carefully tip away as much of the hot water as possible down the sink. Then immediately fill the saucepan with cold water. Tip out again and refill with cold. This will stop the eggs from continuing cooking. THIS IS THE SECRET I MENTIONED!!!
- Pop the eggs into the egg cups.
- Cut up your soldiers - I butter them afterwards - I know, weird, but then they don't get soggy.
- Tap the top of the egg with the teaspoon to crack the shell, and use the handle of the spoon to carefully lift away the top of the shell. None of this whack it off with a knife in this house - too much chance of shell in the egg!
- Use the spoon to nip off the top of the egg white until the yolk is visible and consume.
- Dunk soldiers and be happy (while trying not to get egg yolk all down the front of the new top).
And there we have it - my chosen method for getting the perfect boiled egg and soldiers every time. I had this for my breakfast this very morning, actually.
So I know there are many methods for boiling the perfect egg - which is your favourite?
Photo for banner by Steve Harvey on Unsplash
