Eggs are part of the recommended food groups. They contain many beneficial nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and proteins. But how long should you boil an egg?
Starting eggs in cold water
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Boil for 3 minutes: soft
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Boil for 4 to 5 minutes: medium-soft
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Boil for 7 minutes: hard
Putting eggs into boiling water
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Boil for 3 to 4 minutes: soft
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Boil for 5 to 6 minutes: medium-soft
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Boil for 8 minutes: hard
After boiling, it’s important to “shock” the egg. Do this by removing the egg from the hot water and holding it under cold running water for about 10 seconds. This not only stops the cooking process, but also makes the egg easier to peel.
Sometimes a green-blue ring appears around the yolk when an egg has been boiled too long. This is due to the sulfur and iron compounds in the egg or high levels of iron in the cooking water. The discoloration doesn’t affect the taste, but overcooking does reduce the quality of the egg white. You can prevent this by cooling the egg thoroughly in cold water.
There are various opinions about storing boiled eggs. There are two main ways:
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An unpeeled (hard-)boiled egg keeps for 4 days to 1 week in the fridge.
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Peeled eggs should be stored in a bowl of water in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Uncooked eggs stay fresh longer if stored with the pointed end down.