My family has an obsession with eggs – at any given time, we have about 12 dozen cartons of eggs in our fridge. 12 dozen. That’s 144 eggs. Yeah, we’re really that obsessed.
Why so many eggs, you ask? Well, my parents have gotten their soft-boiling skills down to a science, so each member of my family eats at least two eggs a day. Luckily, they have taught me their magical soft-boiling ways, so even in college I always have perfectly boiled eggs ready to be peeled in my fridge.
Why soft-boiled and not hard-boiled, you ask? Because soft-boiled eggs > hard-boiled eggs. I’m talking that soft center with a drippy yolk kind of soft boil. And there’s nothing worse than a hard-boiled egg that has a crumbly, bluish yolk. Yuck. Here’s how to soft boil eggs perfectly every time.
Step 1: Place eggs in a pot
Now, choose a pot that fits all of your eggs snugly. You don’t want your eggs hopping around while they’re boiling, because that will prevent an even boil.
Step 2: Fill pot with water an inch over the eggs
This is extremely important: do not fill the pot too low. This will cause your eggs to be overcooked in places and undercooked in other places. No one wants a hard yolk and a runny white.
Step 3: Add salt to pot
Yup, you heard me. Adding salt to water will increase the boiling temperature, and ultimately helps your eggs peel better once they’re boiled. No more whites left behind.
Step 4: Place pot on medium-high heat to boil
This should take about 5-7 minutes until the water starts to boil, depending on the strength of your stove. Make sure you keep an eye out on that water when it boils – you don’t want to overcook your eggs!
Step 5: Once water is boiling, set timer for 3-4 minutes
When you start to see large bubbles coming from your pot, that means the water is boiling. Set a timer for three to four minutes, depending on how runny you like your eggs (3 minutes = lava yolks, 4 minutes = runny center with soft outer coating).
Step 6: Remove from heat and place under cold water immediately
Emphasis on the immediately! Leaving your eggs in the hot water will continue to the cooking process. So, dump out the hot water in your sink and place it under cold, running water until the pot itself is cool.
Step 7: Store or Enjoy!
Either eat your eggs right away or store them in the fridge for up to two weeks. Once boiled, they make a perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack. Just peel and pop it in your mouth.
Soft-boiling eggs isn’t as hard as it seems – just a few simple steps and you’ll have perfectly cooked eggs in no time. #yolkporn for days.