by Kenneth Sawhill

Created on: December 11, 2008   Last Updated: November 27, 2009

These methods come from Deborah Madison's comprehensive vegetarian cookbook, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. The author recommends 3 different methods for boiling eggs, depending on what you want to do with your egg after cooking. (Incidentally, the author suggests that if you are looking to peel hard-cooked eggs, older eggs work better than new ones. Have you ever tried to peel a hard-cooked egg, only to have chunks of the white come off along with the shell? Frustrating, isn't it!)

The first method is for soft boiled eggs. Eggs done with this method come out with the egg white set, but tender, with a warm, runny yolk. Place the egg in a sauce pan and add just enough water to cover. Bring the water to a gentle boil, just simmering. Cook the egg for 3 to 3 minutes and then remove.

The second method is for medium-boiled eggs. With this method, the resulting egg, if done right, will come out with a firmer egg white than soft-boiled, and the yolk will be soft but not runny. This method should provide for an egg that can be peeled if desired. Again, bring water to a gentle boil, and then add the egg to the saucepan. Turn the heat off, cover the saucepan, and let the egg cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the burner.

The third method is one which you will probably use the most if you boil your eggs in order to use them later, either as an addition to a Salad Nicoise, for example, for creating egg salad, or just for eating as is! This technique will produce an egg with a center that is moist, but just cooked. Place the egg (or eggs) in a saucepan and cover with cold water. As with the first two methods, bring the water to a gentle boil. Allow the eggs to simmer for one minute, and then, as with medium-boiled, turn the heat off and cover the pan. Let the eggs stand in the pan for 6 minutes. Remove the eggs, and plunge them in cold water to stop cooking.

The differences in cooking times for all three methods are relatively minute, but should provide the desired result. One of the keys to boiling your eggs using these guidelines is that you have a burner that will allow you to bring the water to a gentle boil. This can be difficult if you have an electric burner, for example, with settings that will not allow for the desired gradations of heat. Good luck and good cooking!

Source: Deborah Madison, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (New York: Broadway Books, 1997), pg. 568.

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