Making The Perfect Eggs
Eggs — fry them, boil them, scramble them, there are countless ways to cook this nutritious superfood. Not only are eggs low in calories, but they’re also packed with protein making them the ultimate diet-staple if you’re looking to lose a few pounds. Plus, they’ll be a piece of cake to make on the go once you get this portable cooker. In recent years, many egg food trends like cloud bread and souffle pancakes have taken social media by storm. And, with influencers showing off their poached eggs and avocado toast every day, you may be sick and tired of seeing and eating eggs. However, for better or worse, we don’t think this well-loved pantry staple is going away anytime soon.
The perfect way to cook eggs has been highly debated. Granted, you don’t need to be a professional chef to whip up a boiled egg or sunny side up. But, making the perfect egg definitely requires some technique and a little bit of skill. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the top tips and tricks on how to make the perfect hard-boiled egg. If you’re not a fan of eggs, we assure you that by the end of this article, you’ll be heading to your kitchen to make some. Keep reading to find out more!
1. Use cold water to make hard-boiled eggs
If you’re looking to make hard-boiled eggs, this first tip may surprise you. Instead of immediately dunking your eggs into boiling water and turning the stove on, you want to fill your pot with cold water. This way, the temperature of the water will increase incrementally and you lower the risk of cracking the eggshells. Let your eggs boil for approximately 15 minutes before cooling them down in an ice water bath. Doing so halts the cooking process so you’re not left with overcooked eggs. This also makes the eggs easier to peel as they won’t be too hot.
2. When boiling eggs, use a bigger pot
When water boils, bubbles form. Depending on how high the temperature of the water is, they may cause your eggs to shift around in your pot. If your pot is small, your eggs may end up hitting one another and cracking. To prevent this from happening, use a wide saucepan or pot and ensure that the eggs are laid out evenly, not stacked atop one another.
3. Peel older eggs first, it’s easier
Using fresh eggs to make hard-boiled eggs may sound like a nicer choice but, they’re also harder to peel. If you have fresh eggs, refrigerate them for a couple of days before making hard-boiled eggs. You’ll find that they’ll be much easier to peel.
4. Don’t like the smell of hard-boiled eggs? Add vinegar
Some people are turned off by the smell of hard-boiled eggs. This is especially so if you happen to pack yours in a lunchbox and only eat them a couple of hours later. To save your friends or colleagues from smelling sulfur during their lunch break, try adding some white vinegar into the water while you boil your eggs. Vinegar is great at neutralising the odour of sulfur and also prevents egg whites from running out if the shell happens to crack.
5. For easier peeling, shake your eggs beforehand
An easy way to deshell your eggs is to first place them in a container and shake them as hard as you can. This causes the shell to crack all around the egg. This also helps to break the membrane so you’ll have an easier time peeling off the shell. You also want to let the eggs cool off in a bowl of ice water before peeling them so you don’t have to struggle with peeling hot eggs.
6. Before you peel, roll your eggs over a flat surface
An alternative to shaking your hard-boiled eggs is to roll them on a flat surface, like your countertop. Roll them gently to crack the shell all around the egg and break the membrane. Furthermore, peeling your eggs under running water also prevents the egg from breaking apart.
7. Use a muffin tin to cook your eggs
The traditional way to cook hard-boiled eggs is to put them in a pan with water and turn the stove on. But, do you know that you can cook them in the oven too? Simply put your eggs in a muffin tray and bake them in the oven for 30 minutes at 325°F. Once the timer goes off, place them in an ice bath and cool and start peeling them!
8. Cook your eggs using an egg steamer
Alternatively, you can also use an egg steamer. In fact, if you’re looking to make soft-boiled eggs, many people actually find that it’s easier to use an egg steamer. What’s more, it’s said that steaming eggs makes the yolks creamier and whites more tender as steam cooks eggs more gently than boiling water.
9. Don’t make deviled eggs if your eggs are still warm
If you’re looking to make deviled eggs, the trick is to let your hard-boiled eggs cool off completely in an ice bath before assembling them. If your eggs are too hot, this may cause the yoghurt and mayonnaise to separate from the yolks. Furthermore, the whites are rather delicate when they’re hot so you might end up breaking them.
10. Don’t overlook these ‘secret ingredients”
Last but not least, if you’re preparing deviled eggs, consider swapping out some of your recipe’s ingredients for these ‘secret ones’. Instead of simply adding mayonnaise and mustard, try using ranch dressing or honey mustard instead. You can even mix ranch dressing and mayonnaise together. And of course, you can’t forget the bacon bits!
Conclusion
Now that you know all these tips and tricks, it’s time to head to the kitchen and whip out some eggs. If you follow all the egg-cooking hacks we’ve included in this article, you’re bound to make the perfect egg. And, if you’re one of those who doesn’t like to eat eggs, well, we guarantee that you’ll be a convert by the time you’ve finished cooking.
