How To Boil An Egg Step-By-Step By Williams-Sonoma

Guest Chef Williams and Sonoma recommends the following method from Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home book by Chuck Williams and Kristine Kidd. We followed their instructions on how to boil eggs.

Step 1. Fill the pot with water

Fill the saucepan with water, enough to cover the eggs when you put them in the pot after the water has boiled.

Step 2. High heat to boil

Bring to a rolling boil on high heat.

Step 3. Gently lower the eggs into the water

With a slotted spoon, gently lower the eggs into the water, then reduce the heat to low.

Step 4. How Long To Simmer?

Simmer for

– 4 minutes for eggs with runny yolks

– 6 minutes for medium-firm yolks

– 8 minutes for firm yolks

Step 5. Ice Bath to Peel

To peel hard-boiled eggs, transfer the eggs into an ice bath, to stop the cooking.

Step 6. The Result

When cool enough to handle, remove each egg from the water, firmly tap against the counter top to crack the shell all over, then peel and discard the shell.

The Result

For a long time I have followed many recipes by Williams and Sonoma. I love their stores and their recipes. This is easy to follow, unfortunately, my egg after 8 minutes was not hard-boiled and another few minutes would have done the trick.

The Source

Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home book by Chuck Williams and Kristine Kidd.

The items we used in this recipe

Print Instructions

Williams and Sonoma offer more advice on eggs

Egg basics

Buying eggs

Chicken eggs are graded by quality and size. Quality refers to the shape and condition of the shell and the appearance of the yolk and albumen, and the size of the air cell. (the area between the inner and outer shell membrane), rather than nutrition.

The highest-quality eggs, grade AA, have thick whites, firm, plump yolks, and a small air cell. Grade A eggs are only slightly lower and quality. In terms of size, eggs for retail sale in the United States are labeled jumbo (2 ¼ oz / 67g), extra large (2 oz / 60g), large (1 ¾ oz / 50g), medium (1 ½ oz / 45g) and small (1 1/3 oz / 40g). (Medium, small and low quality grade B eggs rarely make it to the retail market.)

Recipes are generally based on large eggs. For recipes in which eggs are fried or poached, buy grade AA eggs if possible, because they hold their shape better; grade A eggs are fine for scrambling or for use in dishes in which they are beaten.

Eggs destined for sale in grocery stores are carefully washed and coated with a natural mineral oil to seal out bacteria. When selecting a carton of eggs, first check the sell-by date, which should be as distant as possible, then open the carton to inspect the eggs. Don’t buy a carton that contains a dirty or cracked egg, or an egg that is stuck to the carton, as it is likely to break when you try to remove it.

Storing eggs

A day spent on a counter top ages an egg as much as a week spent in the refrigerator. Keep eggs as cold as possible and they’ll stay fresh longer.

Store eggs in the coolest part of your refrigerator and in their original carton, which helps insulate them from temperature fluctuations and protects them from refrigerator odors. (Note that they are packaged with the broad ends up, which keeps the yolks centered.) Stored this way, eggs will keep for 3 to 4 weeks past their sell-by date. As they age, the whites will thin and become more transparent and the yolks will flatten, but the nutritional value will not be diminished.

Fresher eggs are good for making emulsified sauces, such as hollandaise and mayonnaise. Reserve older eggs for baking; older whites whip up better than fresher whites.

Nutritional value

Eggs are a nutritional power-house, supplying protein; vitamins A, D and E; and minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, iron, calcium and zinc.

Fat versus protein

Egg whites are low in fat and high in protein, making them helpful editions to the diet. Egg yolks, in contrast, contain fat in cholesterol but also the most flavor.

Freezing whole eggs

To freeze eggs, break them into a bowl and stir just to break the yolks. Transfer to a rigid container, just large enough to hold them (less than ½ inch, 12 mm headspace) and cover tightly. Freeze the eggs for up to 9 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator and use them in baking or omelet recipes.

Raw eggs and bacteria

Eggs are used raw or partially cooked in some recipes. Salmonella or other bacteria can be found on eggs, which may lead to food poisoning, though incidence of such contamination is rare. This risk is of most concern to young children, elderly people, pregnant women and anyone with a compromised immune system. If you have health and safety concerns, you may wish to avoid foods made with raw eggs.

Coddled eggs

Coddling is a gentle method that uses simmering water to insulate food from the direct heat of the stove allowing for slow, even cooking. It yields eggs that are just past raw but extremely soft – a perfect match for warm buttered it toast.

We tested Julia Child’s Coodled Egg Recipe – visit the page here for the results.

Coddling vessels

Egg coddlers, porcelain or heatproof glass cups with tight fitting lids, are made especially for this technique, but you can also coddle eggs in standard ramekins covered with aluminum foil.

Egg freshness

If you are unsure about the freshness of your eggs, put them in a bowl of cold water. If the egg sinks to the bottom and lies on their sides, they are fresh. If they float or stand on one end, the eggs are past their prime.

Other Ways To Boil Eggs

Steamed Eggs is another boil egg method that produces a perfect hard boiled egg and it is easy to peel. Visit our page link below, on how to perfectly steam eggs.