1

The method I usually follow is to place the eggs in cold water, then take the pot off heat once the water starts boiling and let the eggs sit in the water for X minutes. I usually do 4-5 min for soft boiled and 10-12 min for hard boiled.

This is fine when boiling all the eggs either soft or hard but not when I want them to be ready to eat at the same time. Do you know of method that allows both types to be ready at the same time?

2 Answers 2

5

You can do that by using a different method which puts eggs in boiling water.

  • Bring water to a boil in a large enough pot for all eggs.
  • Add those eggs that are to be hard-boiled, start timer.
  • Add the eggs that should be soft when the remaining time fits.
  • Remove all eggs together.
  • (Hope that you can tell soft and hardboiled eggs apart because you marked them prior to cooking. Else you have an egg lottery at the table.)

I personally cook them in two pots or keep hard boiled eggs warm until a second batch of soft boiled eggs is done for the reasons stated in the last bullet point. Or those prefering hard boiled eggs have to wait a few minutes longer.

5
  • For how long do you usually boil them with this method?
    – benregn
    May 16, 2016 at 12:54
  • @benregn Hard 8-10 minutes to avoid dry yolks, time for soft depends on your definition of softness, I usually aim for 6 minutes for a mostly firm white and runny, but warm yolk. Add 30 seconds for eggs straight from the fridge and for large instead of medium eggs.
    – Stephie
    May 16, 2016 at 12:58
  • 2
    using both white and brown eggs might be simpler than marking them in some way. May 16, 2016 at 13:54
  • @DanNeely In theory, yes. But only if you have them... Sometimes this will be impractical for various reasons.
    – Stephie
    May 16, 2016 at 13:56
  • Definitely the most practical way is just making hard boiled wait a little longer. Just as if you were cooking medium and we'll done steaks you'd just rest the medium while the well continues cooking. Plus by the time you've played up the soft boiled the Hard's will probably be ready.
    – Doug
    May 17, 2016 at 6:27
1

You can also boil eggs by adding them to boiling water and starting the timer at that point. We usually do about 6 minutes for soft boiled eggs and 11 or 12 for hard boiled eggs. Remove them from the heat and rinse with cold water immediately to stop residual cooking.

But you'd need to tell the eggs apart, soft from hard. You could separate them by color (hard boil brown eggs, soft boil white ones) or you could mark them, like draw a face on the hard boiled ones. The Eggland's Best eggs are stamped with a little insignia, which fades after boiling but is still visible.

1

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.