Boiled Eggs
Tender whites with a creamy golden yolk — soft, jammy, or hard, just how you like them.
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs · straight from the fridge
- water · enough to fully submerge eggs by 1 inch
- 1 tsp salt · optional, for the boiling water
- ice · for the ice bath
Directions
- 1
Bring water to a boil
Fill a medium saucepan with enough water to cover the eggs by at least 1 inch. Add salt if using. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat.
- 2
Lower the eggs in gently
Using a spoon or ladle, carefully lower the cold eggs one at a time into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a gentle boil — not a raging one.
- 3
Boil to your liking
Set a timer based on your preferred doneness: 6 minutes for a soft, runny yolk; 8 minutes for a jammy, slightly creamy center; 10-12 minutes for a fully hard-cooked yolk with no gray ring.
- 4
Ice bath stop
While the eggs cook, fill a large bowl with cold water and a generous handful of ice. As soon as the timer goes off, transfer the eggs immediately into the ice bath using a slotted spoon.
- 5
Chill and peel
Let the eggs sit in the ice bath for at least 5 minutes. Then gently tap each egg all over on the counter, roll it slightly, and peel under a thin stream of cold running water for the easiest shell removal.
- 6
Serve or store
Slice in half and serve immediately with a pinch of salt and pepper, or store unpeeled eggs in a covered bowl in the fridge for up to 1 week.