Timeline for How long to steam eggs for? (Instead of hard boiling)
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
10 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2020 at 23:16 | comment | added | Mike B | Same question as others: why is there such a range? I just moved apartments, and while my old stove was 13±1 mins, my new stove is more like 20 mins. Not sure how there's that much of a difference between the steam temps. I am using a different brand of eggs, but I think the size is the same. | |
| Oct 5, 2013 at 12:50 | comment | added | Evgeni Sergeev | If we're putting energy in at a higher rate, then either the rate of steam could increase (how many water molecules become steam per second, at the same temperature), or the temperature (same number of water molecules, but more energy for each), or both. The second case happens if there is a closed container containing only steam and no water. I can't think of a way to figure out the increases in T and P. Bigger vents = lower P. In any case, since we don't know the rate at which energy is supplied etc., the easiest way to find out is to measure it (the temperature of steam, which is the key). | |
| Oct 5, 2013 at 12:41 | comment | added | Evgeni Sergeev | The temperature of the steam could be anything. It's the temperature of boiling water that won't exceed 100°C. Assuming a small vent, boiling water at high heat, rather than low, will result in higher pressure (and temperature?) of steam. (Higher pressure because rate of steam in = steam out; for it to escape from the same vent faster, there has to be higher pressure.) Since there is a difference in cooking time, there has to be a difference in temperature as well — it's the temperature to which the egg shell gets that's important here. | |
| Oct 3, 2013 at 18:29 | comment | added | Jolenealaska♦ | And the answer is: Hard boil vs barely boiling! I did it again, this time keeping the water at a hard boil. This time the 12 minute egg was just fine, the 20 minute egg was fine too - no green, texture was fine.There was a difference between the two eggs, but it was negligible. | |
| Oct 3, 2013 at 17:19 | comment | added | Jolenealaska♦ | The temperature of the steam would be the same at a rolling or low boil, but the density of the steam would be different, making the ambient temperature inside the pot different. Just for giggles, I'll try it again at a rolling boil. My eggs were packed on Julian Date 255, Sep 12. | |
| Oct 3, 2013 at 17:09 | comment | added | zoned post meridiem | I have mine a bit above the barely-boiling point, but it shouldn't matter, since the steam temps of any boiling water should be the same (at sea level) ... unless your water is closer to simmering than boiling, and the 'steam' is actually vapors from water evaporation, which would be < 100C. But if your water is boiling, or even close to boiling, the minor differences in temps (from elevation or exact water temp) wouldn't make an 8 min. difference. My guess is that it's the eggs; either organic/non-organic, or age. | |
| Oct 3, 2013 at 16:59 | comment | added | Jolenealaska♦ | My eggs are non-organic, refrigerated, unpasteurized, USDA large, brought to room temp just before steaming. At 20 minutes there isn't a hint of green/grey and there is a very slight translucency at the very center of the yolk - I mean perfect. I have the water just at the boiling point, do you have yours boiling harder than that? | |
| Oct 3, 2013 at 16:53 | comment | added | zoned post meridiem | Does anyone know what could cause this rather large 8 min. difference? I'm close to sea level as well, so steam temps are the same. Egg temps would be very close. If I steam for 20, I get chalky, green-ringed yolk. Maybe organic vs. regular eggs (the shell might be more permeable for the former)? | |
| Oct 3, 2013 at 16:26 | comment | added | Jolenealaska♦ | I love Alton, but as a part of my experiment I steamed for 12 minutes because that's how long I've always left them in water that has been brought to boil. At 12 minutes (without disturbing the lid) I got a decidedly soft-boiled result. That's a large egg brought to room temperature before steaming. 20 minutes gave me perfect "hard boiled" results 2 times in a row. | |
| Oct 3, 2013 at 15:31 | history | answered | zoned post meridiem | CC BY-SA 3.0 |