Tips for cooking the perfect egg

Here's a tip about boiled eggs. With Easter around the corner, I think it is almost time to cook up a big batch of boiled eggs to decorate.


My husband can boil the perfect egg. He practically has it down to a science. Unless I use his method, my eggs come out dry or even underdone, but if we want to have eggs done just right, we leave it to him.

His method is very easy. Put the eggs in a saucepan. Generously cover with water. Turn the burner on high and turn the timer on for fifteen minutes. If you want you eggs really done, add a minute. Leave the pan uncovered.

When the timer goes off, pour off the boiling water and cover with cold water. As soon as the eggs are cool enough to hold, crack them well all over, and beginning on the small end, peel off the shell and the inner membrane. Rinse them, and they are done. (My friend, Kim peels them under running water. This helps with stubborn shells.) A little salt and pepper and they are yummy.

I think that is a very easy method. His eggs come out perfectly cooked and not in the least dry

Occasionally, one of the eggs might crack while boiling and that egg will not be as good as the others. To avoid this, use a pan that is a good fit for the number of eggs you are cooking to prevent the eggs from moving around, bumping against one another in the boiling water. That is the only caution I need to give about this method. I like to cook one more egg than I need, especially when cooking a large number of eggs for decorating or making deviled eggs.

Also, be sure to store the decorated eggs in the refrigerator. If they are out for a prolonged length of time, it would probably be best if they weren't eaten. When we were children, we didn't seem to worry about this but I think our eggs might have been fresher back then. My family kept chickens, especially in my earlier years, and our eggs were always fresh. I don't know how long it takes these days to go from farm to market, but this could effect the final product. I think that is why it is best, to be careful with even shelled, cooked eggs.

That's about it. I don't know where he learned to boil eggs, but I am so glad he did.