# Hard boiled egg time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [April 7, 2024, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964 "2024-04-07T02:47:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/21 "2024-04-12T06:57:03Z")
I’ve just made all three eggs into Wolfpup’s Lazy Imitation Deviled Eggs, so six pieces in all. They turned out perfect with 11 minutes of sit time after the water came to a boil. CBC Radio doesn’t lie! Actually, I set the timer for 11 minutes, so it was 11 minutes plus whatever time it took me to stagger down the stairs after the timer went off and run them through cold water. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/22 "2024-04-12T08:17:03Z")
> [@salinqmind1](#): > > I cook mine in the air fryer. 250 degrees, 15 minutes, put into ice water for 10 minutes. In the shell in the air fryer? They don’t explode? ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/23 "2024-04-12T12:24:46Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > The “snap” is the shell cracking very slightly. Try it, paying really close attention, and you’ll see it when it happens. Which can let enough water in to allow for easier peeling. > > Membranes don’t crack - they’re wet. That’s just BS spread online. Hmm…it does sound more like a ‘crack’ than a ‘snap’, as if the shell was cracking. But I examined the shells and I didn’t see any cracks. I suppose a hairline crack might be difficult to see. I know there is plenty of BS online, and I was convinced this was as well. I was amazed that the ‘snap’ even happened at all. But I’m still not entirely convinced it’s the shell cracking. I was theorizing that it was breaking the membrane in such a way that it caused an air pocket in the egg to be released quickly enough to make the sound, perhaps similar to the cavitation caused with nitrogen bubbles when you crack your knuckles. In any case, ‘snapping’ the eggs does not seem to make any bit of difference in their ease of peeling. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/24 "2024-04-12T14:29:56Z")
No. Its not like a microwave where they WILL explode. if you can bake them in the oven at 350, you can bake them in the air fryer at 275…(this is assuming there are no tiny cracks in the shell, I don’t know what happens then) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/25 "2024-04-12T14:48:30Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Holy boiled hockey pucks, Batman! That would be way, way too long even if you were living on top of Mount Everest! > [@LSLGuy](#): > > I start with cold tap water, put the eggs in, 15 minutes on the burner on high, then dump the water and quench the eggs under cold running tap water. I agree the OP is waaaaay too long for a hard boiled egg. Me, I use a steamer basket (can be had for a few dollars) or just put into a small pot with about an inch of water in it (no need to immerse them…steaming works great and takes less time to come to a boil). Bring the water to a boil, put the egg(s) in, cover and cook for 10-11 minutes. Remove and put into ice water for 15(ish) minutes and done. Easy peel too. It is all about time. Unless you live in Denver or Machu Picchu your water boils at nearly the same temp mine does…everyone does. Here’s the main thing…test it out on your stove. Fiddle with the time and water amount, see what works for you. It will only take a few tries to dial in the perfect (for you) hard boiled egg. Once you know that you can do it every time forever. X-minutes in so much boiling water and you get the same perfect results with close to no effort or worrying. Time is also how you do soft-boiled (gooey center) if you like that. Just fewer minutes in the pot. ETA: If you are not using a steamer basket turn down the burner heat once the water is boiling. There is only a little bit of metal between the egg and the heating element which is not ideal. Keep the heat on enough to keep the water boiling and no more. Usually that means no need to have it dialed to 11. And save a little energy so win-win. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/26 "2024-04-12T14:49:14Z")
I’ve noticed that in a lot of “perfect boiled eggs” recipes, the author takes great care to warn home chefs of the dread green surface of an ‘overcooked’ yolk. _No! Anything but green yolk!_ Meh. Not an problem to me – I guess I can’t taste whatever the green-yolk issue is supposed to be, and the look of the green yolk doesn’t turn me off, either. I grew up on eggs boiled 20 minutes + sit-in-the-pot time, and the whites and green yolks were always fine by me. That said, following the various 21st-century “perfect boiled eggs” techniques seems to completely avoid the green yolk. And it tastes fine without green yolk. Just think “_avoid green yolk at all costs!!!_” is kind of overkill as a goal of the boiling process. Obviously, others’ mileage varies. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/27 "2024-04-12T14:55:53Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > I’ve noticed that in a lot of “perfect boiled eggs” recipes, the author takes great care to warn home chefs of the dread green surface of an ‘overcooked’ yolk. _No! Anything but green yolk!_ Green eggs and ham! One of my favorite books. It is an indication of overcooking. And it doesn’t look as appetizing but it is fine to eat. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/28 "2024-04-12T14:57:10Z")
> [@solost](#): > > Hmm…it does sound more like a ‘crack’ than a ‘snap’, as if the shell was cracking. But I examined the shells and I didn’t see any cracks. I suppose a hairline crack might be difficult to see. Next time you’re going to crack open an egg, do the spoon tapping thing and after you hear the crack/snap, look extra closely at the shell. You’ll see it. > [@solost](#): > > In any case, ‘snapping’ the eggs does not seem to make any bit of difference in their ease of peeling. Didn’t work for me, either. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/29 "2024-04-12T14:58:27Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Wolfpup’s Lazy Imitation Deviled Eggs Please elaborate. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/30 "2024-04-12T15:11:47Z")
See the end of post #20. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/31 "2024-04-15T14:42:08Z")
> [@salinqmind1](#): > > You can also bake them in a muffin tin in the oven. 350 degrees for half an hour, but I haven’t tried this. We used to do it this way a while back. It worked fine, but it does ruin the muffing pans. Ours got all rusty-ish. I don’t know if it was actual rust but they were really discolored. I had to toss them. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/32 "2024-04-15T15:05:37Z")
[NB: Since I’m in the U.S., the eggs are in the fridge.] I put the ‘jumbo’ eggs into cold water, turn the stove element to 10, and boil the eggs for 10 minutes. I let them cool a little bit, then run cold water into the pot until the water is cold. Then I let the eggs sit in the cold water until I get around to peeling them. My dad always boiled his eggs in [a cheap pan like this one](https://www.ebay.com/itm/285693596137). [eBay link, so it will disappear eventually.) I still have it. When we were having work done on our house, the guys found an identical pot lodged in a fork of a tree. There was a dent in it, which was easily removed. I use that one for boiling eggs. (Dad’s is in a cupboard.) I have the opposite problem. I’d really like to have some soft-boiled eggs (whites completely set, yolk completely liquid), but I usually don’t have the time to experiment. (And failed results would make a _lot_ of eggs that need to be eaten.) Jumbo eggs ➡ cold water ➡ bring to full boil ➡ **how many minutes** 🟰 Perfect Soft-Boiled Eggs (as described)? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/33 "2024-04-15T15:39:09Z")
Green/gray yolks are stinky, mealy, nasty!!! I want my hard boiled eggs just barely set. 12 minutes in the steam basket, straight into the ice bath. My mom always overcooks her hard boiled eggs and, while I would never dare say anything bad about them to her, they suck. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/34 "2024-04-15T17:12:33Z")
Seems a bit like overkill, couldn’t you just save them for baking eggs in? (I wonder why the shell reacted with the metal in such a way?) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/35 "2024-04-15T17:27:51Z")
I > [@hajario](#): > > I use an egg streamer. The amount of water you put in determines if you get soft, medium or hard eggs. It’s cheap, easily fits in a drawer (it’s about the same size as a steamer basket) and fool proof. It also poaches. Peels come off easily every time. > > [https://www.amazon.com/Dash-Rapid-Egg-Cooker-Scrambled/dp/B0168CNYRE/](https://www.amazon.com/Dash-Rapid-Egg-Cooker-Scrambled/dp/B0168CNYRE/) I use one of these. Eggs come out perfect every time. Old or new. And here’s the best thing, the shells basically fall off. I’ve been using mine regularly for several years and it never fails me. And it has a built in timer that plays a cheery tune. For clarification, this is not a device that boils them - it steams them. I suspect this is the secret to the easy peeling. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/36 "2024-04-15T17:47:34Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > I use one of these. Eggs come out perfect every time. Good to hear Lucas\_Jackson weigh in on the topic of hard-boiled eggs 😉 ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/37 "2024-04-15T17:50:52Z")
Mine doesn’t play music. It just makes a pop sound. Not even a chime ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/38 "2024-04-15T19:08:38Z")
> [@solost](#): > > Good to hear Lucas\_Jackson weigh in on the topic of hard-boiled eggs 😉 Too funny, didn’t even dawn on me! > [@hajario](#): > > Mine doesn’t play music. It just makes a pop sound. Not even a chime Hmm, [I have this exact one.](https://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1759223/dash-go-rapid-egg-cooker.jsp?skuid=33810372&CID=shopping30&utm_campaign=SMALL%20ELECTRICS&utm_medium=CSE&utm_source=google&utm_product=33810372&utm_campaignid=20503770958&CID=shopping30&utm_campaign=SSC&utm_medium=CSE&utm_source=google&utm_campaignid=20503770958&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhMqz_vTEhQMV5TWtBh2q1QV9EAQYAyABEgIqh_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/39 "2024-04-16T04:17:22Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Unless you live in Denver The back burner on my stove is about 5370 feet above sea level, and this is the recipe I use. Eggs into cold water, burner on high, bring to a rolling boil, turn down a bit and maintain rolling boil for 4 minutes, remove from heat and let stand in water for 15 minutes. Then cool, peel, etc. Holding the boiling for 4-6 minutes is necessary, or the yolks will be very soft. 4 minutes means they have just set. Of course the time will vary a bit depending how big the eggs are. It also takes 12-13 minutes of boiling to cook dry pasta. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964/40 "2024-04-16T13:40:13Z")
The pans couldn’t be cleaned. They were beyond saving. We then started using the Instant Pot for egss. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-boiled-egg-time/999964.md?page=3)