How to Boil an Egg

Yes, this post is simply about boiling eggs. You probably know how to do this, but there was a time when I was young and left my parents house, went to college and wondered...how DO you boil an egg?





Here is my shelf in the kitchen where I keep my cook books. I have some from Sur la Table, Williams-Sonoma, Racheal Ray etc. but the one that is most bent, torn and used is this one...





My grandmother, the wise woman she is, gifted this to me when I graduated high school. She said that as excited as I was to move out of the house and go to college, that I would miss my mom. I thought that was silly at the time. Miss my mom? I'm a grown up!!! ha! My grandmother was right. I soon realized I didn't know how to sort and wash laundry. I serioulsy should have taken a picture of the page in this book about laundry. You can see my handwritten notes. I was a freshman in college and I called my mom to find out what temperature each wash load was supposed to be set on. I made notes in this book and put a sticky tab on top, which I referenced for the entire first semester of school.

This book broke down the basics of grocery shopping, storing foods, how to cook foods, how to do all those things that mother's just know how to do and I was learning to do for myself.



I went to the Farmers Market with my brother a few Saturday's ago and was so happy to see this carton of farm fresh eggs available. I really enjoy buying local when I can!

I decided to hard boil the entire dozen so I could simply grab one each morning as I ran out of the house.

Aren't they beautiful? I'm taking this opportunity to share with you the best way I've found to hard boil an egg. Would you believe you don't actually BOIL them?

Dang my nails look long in this picture!

Place the eggs gently in an empty pot. If you accidentally crack an egg, adding salt or vinegar to the water may help the proteins in the egg white coagulate faster to plug the cracks in the shell. Fill the pot with enough cold tap water to completely cover the eggs by about one inch. Using cold water helps keep the eggs from overcooking, even though it increases cooking times.

Add enough salt to make the water taste salty. This can make the eggs easier to peel because, as mentioned earlier, the proteins coagulate and firm up, making the white easier to separate from the shell. Also, eggs that are less fresh are easier to peel because their higher pH strengthens the membrane. (This can be simulated by making the cooking water more alkaline with a half teaspoon of baking soda per quart of water. Bring the water to the point of boiling, over high heat. Then turn off the heat.

Don't move the pot, just turn the heat off and add a lid, leaving the eggs in the hot water for ten to fifteen minutes. It is important you do not start the timer until the water starts boiling, and you turn off the heat. Too much time will make the eggs discolored and smelly, while too little time will cause them to be runny.

When the timer goes off, we need to stop the cooking process. Chill the eggs by placing them under cold running water or in a bowl of ice water. Let them sit for a few minutes until the eggs are completely cool.

Some say the best way to peel a hard boiled egg is under running water.

I put all but one back in the egg crate and into the fridge.

I like my hard boiled eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Need a recipe with eggs? Here are some of my favorites!

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding with a Whiskey Cream Sauce

Pasta Carbonara

Leftover Breakfast Casserole and the Sleepin In Casserole

Grandmama's Stuffing

Homemade Lemon Curd

Risotto Cakes

Yogurt Marmalade Cake

Chocolate Dessert, Pots de Creme

How is everyone's week going? I'm in need of a mid week lift and thinking about a HWM giveaway. Stay tuned for details on prizes, and how to enter.