by Bryan-James

Created on: February 21, 2009   Last Updated: February 23, 2009

How to boil an egg.

Nothing could be simpler or so one would think! However, people end up with cracked, leaking eggs which are unappetising to say the least! There are numerous ways to boil an egg. Some people prefer to put the eggs into boiling, others into cold water.

A very important point to remember is to make sure that your eggs are really fresh. A fresh egg will always taste better, and is looking more attractive when peeled. To check on how fresh your eggs are, put them into a jug of water. If they stand upright they are fresh, if they lie down, they are very old, and frankly not worth cooking! Having established your eggs are very fresh you have to decide how you prefer to cook your eggs.

I prefer the cold method. This way I can get soft boiled eggs and hard boiled eggs easily. Sometimes I want hard boiled eggs for sandwich fillings, so do both hard and soft simultaneously. Put the eggs into a small pan and cover them with cold water. On a medium heat get them to a boil, turn off the heat, leave them for 2 minutes maximum for soft boiled eggs, and another 5 for hard boiled eggs. You can leave them to cook longer in the hot water if you prefer, but it is not necessary. Some people boil their eggs for 10 to 15 minutes, but that is quite unnecessary.

However if you have to run out and are unable to remove the eggs after the 5 minutes no harm is done. Place your eggs into very cold water after cooking, using a slotted spoon to remove the eggs.This stops soft boiled eggs from becoming hard boiled eggs, as the eggs continue to cook if they are not immediately cooled down. Leave for a minute, then serve.

Do the same for hard boiled eggs. You can leave them longer in the cold water if you wish. It is important to plunge them into cold water to facilitate peeling. If they have the cold treatment, they are less likely to stick to the shell.

I find hard boiled eggs are harder to digest than soft boiled ones, and for this reason I prefer soft. However, this is matter of personal taste. They are equally easy to prepare and make a healthy start to the day, or a snack while on Atkins.. They provide all the nutrients needed to build a healthy body. Children love soft boiled eggs with soldiers as a nutritious start to the day. Hard boiled eggs are easy to prepare, are great for picknicks and quick snacks. They keep well and make great additions to salads and pies.

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