> I used refrigerator-cold eggs, cold tap water, the eggs in the steamer
> basket and brought water to boil/steam. Katra refined the timing to 10
> minutes of steaming followed by 10 minutes of standing, pot covered, heat
> off. Then plunge the eggs into cold or iced water.
> Janet

ok - thanx much ---

"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
...
>
> "--" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Peter Aitken" > wrote in message
> > news
> >> I thought it would be worthwhile to see what Harold McGee has to say
> >> about
> >> this favorite topic. This is from the new edition of "On Food and
> >> Cooking"
> >>
> >> Cracking: usually caused by the eggs being knocked about due to
too-fast
> >> boiling water. Poking a hole in the end of the egg does not help.
> >>
> >> Tough whites: Caused by too-hot cooking temp. Best to cook in barely
> >> simmering water which is 10-20 degrees cooler than actively boiling
> >> water.
> >
> > an interesting trick -- getting the small bubbles of water vapor rising
> > in/creating the upward currents from the bottom of the pot to the top to
> > be
> > less than 212F, or getting that actively boiling water to be more than
> > 212F.
> > (SP)
> >
> > especially interesting since I have in the past measured water heating
in
> > various containers in this very range, and observed the fluid and the
> > surface in order to get some indications for visually determining the
205F
> > point suggested for making superb coffee (coffee is better using this
> > temp,
> > btw).
> > Simmer was defined by small bubbles just breaking the surface, or just
> > below the surface
> >
> > I thought about him using a thin pan and really high heat source to
get
> > the 20 degree differentiual he is talking about, but it looks like that
> > results in higher current in the water due to the higher differential
and
> > transfer... wouldn't do it.
> > A thick pan would heat slower and more mass would rise until it almost
> > would full-boil right after simmer.
> >
> > Of course, if he created a solution by adding salt and soda to the mix,
> > the
> > boiling point would go up from the 212 F of tap water - so if you have
> > fresh eggs and follow his advice, you must get accept tough whites....
> >
> > Maybe his recipes are better than his egg theory?
> >
> >>
> >> Hard to peel: usually caused by really fresh eggs. If you have only
fresh
> >> eggs, add 1/2 tsp baking soda to 1 qt cooking water. This can help.
> >>
> >> Green yolks: more prevalent with older eggs. Over cooking, cooking at
too
> >> high a temp, and not cooling rapidly also contribute.
> >
> > He must boil his eggs in oil to boil eggs at too high a temp.
> >
> > Tonight, I think I am going to use the water vapor method lauded by the
> > users of this NG -
> >
> > what was that method one more time?
> >
> > Eggs from refrig to counter to active steamer, steam for 20 minutes,
cool
> > in
> > cold water?
> >
> I used refrigerator-cold eggs, cold tap water, the eggs in the steamer
> basket and brought water to boil/steam. Katra refined the timing to 10
> minutes of steaming followed by 10 minutes of standing, pot covered, heat
> off. Then plunge the eggs into cold or iced water.
> Janet
>
>