The Perfect [Boiled] Eggs!

Egg-actly How You Like Them.

Every Time!

Ok. All cheesiness aside, there is an exact science to this. I've researched and tested out many different ways to make the perfect egg. It may seem like a silly topic to some, but let me tell you, I've had to instruct soo many people soo many times on how to do this. Now, not everyone likes their eggs on the cusp of soft to medium boiled like I do. Some will only eat them hard boiled, others strictly soft and (imo) overly runny. Here, I'll map out the time frames you'll need to get your preferred texture. To start, you'll need to know how many you want to cook at once along with the size of your egg, then decide how you want it cooked. Here, size matters bacause it takes a certain amount of time for the heat to penetrate the volume of the egg, allowing the center to cook properly. I usually always get Large eggs. So, this guide will be constructed  around that.

The steps are very simple - use cold eggs, straight from the fridge. Put them into water that's already at a rolling boil and gently cook them for the appropriate amount of time. Pretty Easy, Right?! Cept' when you forget them while doing a load of laundry or getting your kids ready for school. So, set a timer! Trust me, this is KEY. Life happens and it's easy to overcook your eggs. Even when going for hard boiled, you want it to have a nice fluffy dry yolk with a tender outer white - not gummy or with that strange green ring around the yolk. Though edible, it's just not appealing. I prefer my yolk to have a ring of jamminess around a softish orangey center. Personally, I cook eggs two ways, (always cold and straight from the fridge) into a pot of cold water, then brought to a boil [together] with the eggs already inside the pot - this way is less precise and the results can vary greatly if you aren't used to doing it. So, for the sake of getting optimal results every time, you should start with a rolling boil. Doing it this way will increase the chances of your eggs cracking while cooking whereas the other way, they will not. But that's okay. The time you cook your eggs is the most important thing to remember, the crack won't make too much of a difference in hardness. With either process, once your eggs are done cooking, you should Always rest them in an ice bath or just drain the hot water and run cold water over them while in the pot for a couple minutes to stop the cooking. This also helps with peeling; having the temperature drop quickly helps them retract from the shell just a bit for easier removal.

• If you are cooking 1 - 5 eggs, using a smaller pot works just as well so long as you make sure the water covers your eggs completely.

With these tips, you'll be whipping up perfectly cooked eggs in no time making your evening bowl of ramen more enjoyable or your morning transition from sleep to human more seemless.