According to our tests, starting with hot water yields eggs that are easier to peel—so always start by boiling your water.
You might have heard that you should drop your eggs into room temperature or cold water and then bring the water to a boil. This is a myth. In our tests, bringing the water to a boil first and then lowering the eggs into the bath made for easy peeling and more accurate timing.
The heat coming from your stove denatures the protein by disrupting some of its bonds that held the molecule into shape. In the case of hard-boiled eggs, the proteins clump together and solidify, causing the egg white and yolk to harden.
This kitchen myth may have started as a way to encourage people to cook with cold water, not hot, which can contain more impurities. It may also have its origins in the fact that cold water generally gains heat more rapidly than water that is already hot, though it will not boil faster.
To avoid getting a green yolk, cook your eggs just long enough to reach the desired doneness—no more. And quickly plunge the cooked eggs into cold water to stop the cooking process and minimize the iron-sulfur reaction. Some people also say that the cold-water plunge makes eggs easier to peel.
With all that in mind, here are the cooking times for various types of boiled eggs. The times start after the water has come to a boil and you've turned off the heat. 2 minutes - The white isn't fully set and the yolk is totally raw. 4 minutes - The white is fully set, but the yolk is thick and runny.
If you ever read any recipe or instructions that deal with boiling water, they always recommend that you use cold water to begin with.
Boiling water takes forever, so you decide to speed things up by filling the pot with scalding hot tap water instead of cold. DON'T DO IT! Why? Well, because your hot water from the tap can contain contaminants.
If you don't have safe bottled water, you should boil your water to make it safe to drink. Boiling is the surest method to kill disease-causing germs, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites. adding a pinch of salt for each quart or liter of boiled water.
NaCl or salt is added to the water when boiling eggs as the addition of salt or other non-volatile solid help in reducing the vapour pressure of the liquid. Which in turn increases, the boiling point i.e the temperature at which the vapour pressure equals the atmospheric pressure.
If you see any of these colors, discard the egg immediately. Off-color egg white, green or iridescent – Spoilage due to Pseudomonas bacteria, a very common type of bacteria that healthy people often carry without knowing it. This bacteria produces a greenish, fluorescent, water-soluble pigment in the egg white.
Give the eggs at least five minutes in the ice bath before you try to peel them—letting them cool may help make it easier to peel them, but it's also so you don't burn your hands.
Fill a medium saucepan with boiling water – you'll want to fill it about 2/3 full. Return the water to a boil. Or, if you don't have an electric kettle, you can bring the water to a boil in the saucepan. Carefully add the eggs to the boiling water and boil for 5 minutes.
This is because the egg white or “albumen” in a fresh egg has a relatively low pH level, making it acidic. When cooked, these fresh egg whites bond strongly to the inner shell's membrane. As an egg ages, the pH level rises and the inner membrane is less likely to bond to the albumen, so the shell peels off much easier.
Not boiling that tap water could be harmful to your health: Drinking water that's not boiled could give you stomach cramps, diarrhea, and make you nauseous. How sick would you get? It depends on a person's individual immune system.
Disadvantages of Boiling Water
Boiling water can only remove bacteria, meaning it will not remove harmful substances such as chlorine and heavy metals such as lead from tap water. Boiling tap water with lead actually concentrates this contaminant making it more dangerous than if left alone.
Contaminants in our water can lead to health issues, including gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. Infants, young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems may be at increased risk for becoming sick after drinking contaminated water.
Can you drink tap water in Australia? The short answer to this question is yes. Tap water in Australia is considered safe to drink by health professionals.
The cold will soothe the burning tongue and prevent its tissue from further damage. It will also hydrate and moisten your mouth. Pop a cube of ice in your mouth or have some ice cream. You can also drink some juice or cold water for comfort.
The heat from the boiling water heats up the cold water by thermal conduction (heat travels towards cold). Cold water will cool hot water, also by thermal conduction as the cold water robs the hot water of heat and cools the hot water down.
As soon as eggs start to boil, let boil for 10-12 minutes (I do 11 minutes). Set timer to help. Immediately remove from heat and set pot in a clean/cleared out sink. Fill with cold water and ice cubes to stop cooking.
Boil for 6 – 7 minutes over medium-high heat for perfect hard-boiled eggs. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a large bowl of ice water and let them cool for a few minutes. Or you can place them under cool running water to stop the cooking. Peel and serve the eggs immediately.
For one to four eggs, bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and turn the heat down to its lowest setting for 12-14 minutes. For five to eight eggs, cook for 15 to 18 minutes. For nine to one dozen eggs, cook for 20 minutes. After cooking, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water.