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Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 4
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 70.0
  • Total Fat: 5.0 g
  • Cholesterol: 185.0 mg
  • Sodium: 70.0 mg
  • Total Carbs: 0.0 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 0.0 g
  • Protein: 6.2 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Kitchen Basics: Perfect Boiled Eggs calories by ingredient
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Kitchen Basics: Perfect Boiled Eggs

Submitted by: CHEF_MEG
Kitchen Basics: Perfect Boiled Eggs

Introduction

Boiled eggs is a misnomer; the best boiled eggs are simmered gently then steeped to keep them tender, not rubbery. Boiled eggs is a misnomer; the best boiled eggs are simmered gently then steeped to keep them tender, not rubbery.
Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients

    4 large eggs

    For the infusions:
    2 black tea bags
    2 orange essence tea bags
    2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
    Sachet of bay leaf, skin of one onion, and 1/2 teaspoon cloves
    (Note: No significant nutritional value)


Tips

Having trouble peeling your eggs? Try using not so fresh eggs; they tend to peel easier.

Bonus: Soak the eggs in water overnight with various infusions to create naturally-dyed Easter eggs.


These infused eggs are a pretty, tasty addition to steamed asparagus, salad Nicoise, or an antipasto platter.

Why simmer and not boil eggs? Boiling eggs will produce tough rubbery eggs that run the risk of breaking while cooking. Simmering them cooks them gently and allows residual heat from the boiling water to do most of the work. Your eggs will be tender, and they won't have that unsavory gray-green ring around the yolk.


Directions

Place the eggs in the medium saucepan full of water set over medium-high heat.

When the water begins to boil, cover the pan and remove it from heat. Leave the eggs in the water for 8-10 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the water, then use the back of the spoon to crack the shell in several places.

Add your choice of infusion ingredients to the water, then place the eggs back in the pot.

Refrigerate for at least two hours but preferably overnight.

Tip: Peel the eggs under cold running water.

1 egg per serving

Serving Size: one egg per serving






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Member Ratings For This Recipe

  • TONYVAND1

    Very Good
    27 of 27 people found this review helpful
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    If you add a little vinegar to fresh eggs when you simmer or boil them the egg shell is peeled away very easily - 3/27/12

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  • RAINPUDDLE

    Incredible!
    17 of 17 people found this review helpful
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    I say this with love...Chef Meg's recipes are a highlight of what this site has to offer. Seriously if a recipe ruins your day, you really need to re-evaluate what is truly wrong. This site offers a lot of good guidance all for free, the recipe you dislike has helped another reach their goal. - 3/27/12

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  • HERMITONTHEHILL

    Very Good
    13 of 13 people found this review helpful
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    I recently discovered that my old rice cooker/food steamer is perfect for this chore. A dozen eggs in the steamer basket, turn the dial to 27 minutes and walk away. When the bell dings, I immersed the steamer basket in cold water. The eggs are perfectly hard boiled and peel beautifully. Easy peasy - 4/1/12

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  • SPARKNSHINE


    8 of 9 people found this review helpful
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    Some of the people in these comments need to watch the movie Bambi. I think it is Thumper's mom who reminds him that "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." It is quite possible to ask questions and make suggestions without sounding surly and critical. - 3/29/12

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  • LAURAB242

    Very Good
    8 of 8 people found this review helpful
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    For firm white & yolk I let my eggs sit for 12 minutes. I usually do an extra egg as a tester (and a snack). I have a wide mouth electric tea kettle with an auto shut off that is perfect for 10 large eggs. - 3/27/12

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  • ALITAJ


    5 of 5 people found this review helpful
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    you can tie a dany lion flower to the egg [flower side against the shell] then add onion skins to the water when you cook the eggs. it makes a pretty, natural dyed egg.
    - 3/27/12

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  • PICKIE98

    O.K.
    4 of 5 people found this review helpful
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    By adding a tsp of baking soda to teh water, you will change teh Ph and the shells will come off easier. - 3/27/12

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  • FAYBEE3

    Incredible!
    4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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    Unlike some of the grumblers, I like hearing about infusing the eggs with other flavors. I already knew about the cooking method. Thanks Chef Meg. - 3/27/12

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  • KHATLADY

    Incredible!
    4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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    I have always wondered why I have rubbery eggs and most of the egg comes off with the shell. What a difference. - 3/27/12

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  • ACCEPTHECHLNGE


    3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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    FENINCYBER, you obviously never make soft-boiled eggs. The eggs on the picture look perfect to a European who eats the eggs out of an egg cup. We have a little 'egg puncher', to make tiny holes on both sides of the egg, and the shell never breaks while boiling. Soft-boiled eggs are easier to digest. - 3/27/12

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  • NOJUBL


    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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    This simmering technique sounds good. My husband makes good boiled eggs but he boils the water first and then puts in the eggs, cooks 5 minutes for soft boiled and 7 minutes for firm. I like the idea of simmering. We live in Norway where it is normal to eat eggs in egg cups as shown in the photo. - 3/29/12

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  • DANJODEA

    Incredible!
    2 of 3 people found this review helpful
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    The science behind this method is clear. Cooling eggs immediately, or slightly cracking the shell and putting them back into the water, stops the anaerobic reaction of iron from the yolk with hydrogen sulfide from the white that creates the greenish ferrous sulfide. Thanks, Meg! - 3/27/12

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  • DOROTHEADILLMAN

    Incredible!
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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    I love hard boiled eggs but have always had 2 major problems. They come out rubbery with the green ring around the yolk and I can rarely peel an egg without the shell sticking to the egg. We own a chicken farm (yard chickens)so my eggs are fresh and plentiful. Thanks Meg for the great ideas! - 3/27/12

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  • ENIGMA13


    2 of 3 people found this review helpful
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    It seems like a lot of work for something so simple.
    - 3/27/12

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  • GRACEOMALLEY

    Bad
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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    Interesting method - 4/18/13

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  • MARYK5858

    Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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    yum! and from someone who can burn water it was super easy. - 1/9/13

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  • LUV2DIVE


    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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    This is great! I've been looking for this recipe for a while. My Chinese friend makes this and it's so good! Since I am hypoglycemic, I tend to grab an egg at 10:30 every morning just to make it to lunch time. - 3/27/12

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  • THEEASYKILL30


    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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    This recipe is similar to Chinese tea eggs. The "tea taste" is not gross. It adds a little flavor, not a lot. And you can use other spices too (Chinese 5 spice packs a punch!) I haven't made these in awhile, going to have to do that now. Especially since my non-Chinese husband LOVES them. - 3/27/12

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  • TWEETYS


    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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    Our neighbor used onion skins to dye Easter eggs when I was little. This "recipe" came along just in time for use this holiday. Thanks, Meg! - 3/27/12

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  • CHRIS3874

    Incredible!
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    very interesting method,although I am not keen on adding infusions. I actually have an egg cup from my childhood- my family has English roots. - 4/18/13

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  • JACKYJR1


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    This is interesting...I have never used anything other than water to boil eggs. Looking forward to trying something different!!! - 4/18/13

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  • JGMARIE80


    report inappropriate post
    Wow! I did not know that. Thanks for all the reviews. Learned something today. - 4/18/13

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  • MARIACRALLEY

    O.K.
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    Submerge your eggs in cold water, bring it to boil for 4 minutes in an open pot. Low temperature to warm and cover pot for 7 minutes. Than submerge eggs in cold water. Will peal shell easily. - 4/18/13

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  • DUSTYANDJOEY1

    Bad
    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
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    My egss NEVER come out rubbery, and all I do is boil 20 minutes, then put in ice water to cool down. Eggs peel perfect and my yolk is a beautiful sunny yellow. - 4/18/13

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  • POYNTEMT

    Incredible!
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    Works great... finally something I can do better than the wife...ty - 11/14/12

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