Ms

[emu]

Here is a fail safe formula for boiling an egg.Temperature defines the result.Up to 63C the white is similar to a partially set jelly and the yolk runny like washing up liquid; between 65 and 70C the white sets to a soft gel and the yolk is still liquid but thicker;at 73C the white has the same texture as soft fruit and the yolk is like a thick shampoo;at 77C the white becomes harder still and the yolk has the texture of set yoghurt;at 80c there is onset of green colouration(iron) around yolk;and at 90c,the yolk is dry and crumbly.Of course,the diameter of the egg and its initial temperature are vital to the end result and the following equation can be applied:

 

t= 0.0015d2loge [ 2(T water - T o)] divided by( T water - T yolk)

 

 

 

 

where d is the diameter of the egg (mm)

To is the temperature of the egg before it was put into the water©

T water is the temperature of the water;

t is the cooking time

 

 

[jomaxsmith]

Personally, I've got a plastic gadget from Lakeland that you put in the saucepan with the eggs and it tells you when they're soft, med or hard

 

Jo

x

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Oh great, so now I've got to measure the diameter and the temperature of each of my eggs as well as weighing them, writing a number on them (so I know the order of freshness) and entering them into the Egg Tally and my Chicken Diary (everyone has one of those, surely?) . Not to mention taking photos of them if they are huge . Don't you think I've got enough to do keeping up with the forum .

 

Think I'll keep using my egg timery thingy that you drop in the water too .

[Egluntyne]

My mother who was an ardent Catholic said the perfect way to boil an egg was to drop it in boiling water and then say a decade of the rosary. By the time you had finished the egg would be done to perfection.

 

I use a timer.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

say a decade of the rosary.

 

A decade ? Surely 4 minutes would suffice ?

[Egluntyne]

Very good.

 

It felt like a decade when forced to recite it.

[Jules.]

I do 3 mins 30 secs from when the water starts to boil. I use the timer on the microwave...

Bit hit & miss really

[Goosey Lucy]

I use the following:

 

Place egg (at room temp) into pan of gently boiling water (known as a rolling boil) for exactly 1 minute.

 

Remove pan from heat, put lid on and leave for 5 minutes for a medium egg, 6 minutes for a large egg.

 

Works every time for me. I think it was Delia's recipe first!

[Chicken Licken]

Count to 200 once the water is boiling!! Less maths involved although I always lose count anyway (not good with numbers)

[Cate in NZ]

Errrm, I stick an egg in a pan of water and bring it to the boil. Whilst that's happening I stick some bread in the toaster and switch the kettle on. Rescuethe toast, find an egg cup and then pour boiling water on a tea bag, stir, add milk and fish out the tea bag. Slurp. Remove pan from hob, have another slurp then butter toast. Fish out egg and remove the top.

 

It's usually perfect

 

(That routine does not work if the telephone rings or if I decide to have a quick check up on the forum instead of making the tea...........quite a few hard boiled eggs thanks to those disruptions to my routine )