Perfectly boiled: The ultimate guide to cooking eggs right
Eggs are a true treasure trove of nutrients. Protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals make them indispensable parts of a balanced diet. However, they must be properly prepared to fully enjoy their nutritional value. Did you know how you cook eggs can significantly affect their taste, texture, and nutrient content?
7 August 2024 15:22
Cooking eggs is a simple task, but it's easy to make mistakes that can affect their taste, texture, and nutritional value. Hard-boiled eggs are common in Easter dishes, sandwiches, salads, or appetisers at parties. To achieve perfectly boiled eggs, it's helpful to know a few key rules and avoid the most common mistakes that can ruin our culinary efforts.
Why should you cook eggs?
Before we get into the details, it's worth recalling why you should include eggs in your daily menu:
- High protein content: Eggs are an excellent source of protein, essential for building and repairing tissues.
- Healthy fats: They contain healthy unsaturated fats that lower "bad" cholesterol.
- Vitamins and minerals: They are rich in vitamins A, D, E, K, B-group vitamins, and minerals such as selenium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.
- Satiation: Thanks to the protein and fat content, eggs provide a feeling of fullness for longer.
How long to cook eggs?
The cooking time for eggs depends on their size and the desired consistency:
- Soft-boiled eggs: Small – 3.5 minutes, medium – 4.5 minutes, large – 5.5 minutes.
- Hard-boiled eggs: Small – 8 minutes, medium – 9 minutes, large – 10 minutes.
Overcooking leads to the formation of hydrogen sulphide around the yolk, which gives the egg an unpleasant odour and a greenish colour. Additionally, high temperatures destroy many valuable vitamins and minerals.
Common mistakes when cooking eggs
- Overcooking: This leads to loss of nutritional value and forming an unsightly green rim around the yolk.
- Cracking shells: Microcracks in the shell can cause the egg white to leak.
- Uneven cooking: Too little water in the pot can lead to uneven egg white coagulation.
How to avoid these mistakes
- Fresh eggs: The fresher the egg, the shorter the cooking time.
- Water temperature: Place the eggs in water that is already boiling.
- Stable boiling: Boil the eggs over medium heat to avoid rapid boiling.
- Cooling: After cooking, quickly cool the eggs by immersing them in cold water. This will stop the cooking process and make peeling easier.
- Vinegar or lemon juice: Adding acid to the water will help seal any microcracks in the shell.
