Soft boiled eggs. A question of access.
- Thread starter slowmotion
- Start date
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annedonnelly
Girl from the North Country
- Location
- Canonbie
We probably need to discuss whether the eggs should be stored in the fridge or not 
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Widnes
We probably need to discuss whether the eggs should be stored in the fridge or not
SURELY that is a subject for "The Other Place"
I am sure You could bring chain lube into the discussion
The way I was taught 70 years ago still works**
Place them in cold water, bring to the boil then turn down to simmer for 3 minutes.
The way to check if they are done to your liking is to lift if out with eg a spoon. If it dries quickly eg 3-5 seconds it's cooked but soft. If it takes longer to dry put it back into simmer.
**I have had to get a 2 ring induction and it has 'set' heat increments. I have not used it for boiling eggs as yet.
BTW.... the above method really works.
Whatever works for you but doesn't this approach rely on too many variables like the temperature of the cold water you start with and the size of the flame or electric ring you put it on to heat it up? Putting an egg into water that's all ready boiling removes any guess work and then the only variable is to adjust a few seconds either side for very large or very small eggs?
Well, it's never failed me in 70 years so I can't fault it.
OP
OP
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
We probably need to discuss whether the eggs should be stored in the fridge or not
You can store eggs in the fridge if you want but it's a good idea to take them out for a while before dunking them into a pan of boiling water, otherwise you risk them cracking them due to thermal shock. I take them out of the fridge the day before.
PaulSB
Squire
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
So you're storing them in the fridge presumably to maintain freshness and then leave them standing out for 24 hours before cooking.
That makes no sense.
OP
OP
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
In the UK, it's entirely unnecessary to always store eggs in the fridge, it's just a convenient place to stash them so they don't get broken. A UK egg will easily stay fresh for 7-10 days at 20C, which is why you rarely see them in a fridge in shops and supermarkets. A US egg , on the other hand, is washed before sale to rinse off all the the bacteria that inevitably coat it in grossly overcrowded intensive poultry factories. The washing process removes the egg's natural ability to stay fresh longer, hence the refrigeration in the US.
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PaulSB
Squire
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
That's interesting. I knew storing UK eggs out of the fridge was perfectly safe - we do it. The US thing is something I didn't know.
Electric_Andy
Heavy Metal Fan
- Location
- Plymouth
I always find if I drop a room temperature egg into boiling water, it partially cracks and leaks out bits of white. so always bring up to the boil with egg in the pan for me
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Widnes
That is what I have always done
Keep them at room temp
then bring them up to the boil starting in cold water
Gillstay
Veteran
Yep, correct, eggs in the UK are not washed, but a sanding block used to clean any dirt off them.
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
I don't know what has happened to eggs since I was a kid (probably just got larger), but times needed now are way more than they were then.
When I was a kid (1960's-70's), it used to be 3 minutes for soft boiled, 4 for hard boiled. You seem to need at least twice that now, often more.
