URGENT!! Boiling eggs.
 

I know that it has been posted before but you know what its like when it
doesnt pertain to what you need so you dont really pay attention to it..well
thats me..lol..but now i need to know..what is the right way to boil eggs
for hard cooked. I am making devilled eggs and i want them cooked
perfect..Sometimes when i cook them the yolk goes kind of green so i think i
am probably over cooking them. I would like to make them tonight so i kind
of need answers quickly...THANKS in advance..
MJ

"MJ" > wrote in message
. ..
>I know that it has been posted before but you know what its like when it
> doesnt pertain to what you need so you dont really pay attention to
> it..well
> thats me..lol..but now i need to know..what is the right way to boil eggs
> for hard cooked. I am making devilled eggs and i want them cooked
> perfect..Sometimes when i cook them the yolk goes kind of green so i think
> i
> am probably over cooking them. I would like to make them tonight so i kind
> of need answers quickly...THANKS in advance..

EASY! Give me a minute ... foolproof method. Here you go:

> > The green part is from overcooking. Put the eggs in cold water,
> > bring to a boil, keep covered and remove from the heat. After
> > 20 minutes, put the eggs in ice water to cool.
> I've always been dubious of this method -- I was raised believing
> that you had to keep 'em boiling for 20 minutes, and that the green
> resulted from not cooling them fast enough when done cooking. But
> I need to make devilled eggs for Easter Sunday, so this morning I
> tried Nancy's method (and followed Sheldon's advice about keeping
> the eggs in a single layer). I cooked an extra egg and ate it just
> now -- WONDERFUL! None of them cracked, fully cooked, and not a
> hint of green!

On 2005-03-24, MJ > wrote:
> I know that it has been posted before but you know what its like when it
> doesnt pertain to what you need so you dont really pay attention to it..well
> thats me..lol..but now i need to know..what is the right way to boil eggs
> for hard cooked. I am making devilled eggs and i want them cooked
> perfect..Sometimes when i cook them the yolk goes kind of green so i think i
> am probably over cooking them. I would like to make them tonight so i kind
> of need answers quickly...THANKS in advance..

There was a post about this some months ago. Someone said Julia Child
recommended bringing eggs to a full rolling boil and then taking them
off the burner and let sit in the water/pan for 20 mins. This would
provide perfectly hardboiled eggs with no green film on the outside of
the yolk. I've never tried it with large eggs, but can guarantee you
it doesn't work with extra large eggs. Now ....didn't that help? :P

nb

Keep in mind, it has a lot to do with where you live, particularly the
altitude. I live in Denver, 5280 ft high, and water boils at 202 deg F,
not 212, as it does at sea level. Makes some difference when cooking
things like eggs. I imagine the other posters are at sea level or close
to it. If their methods work, go with it.
If not, it's really simple to figure out how long to boil them, or let
them sit, if you prefer that method. I did it up here, once, and now
know how long it takes here (about 13 min in boiling water).
Put at least 4 eggs into the boiling water. Use either method to cook
them (heat on/water boiling, or heat off/water cooling). 2 min before
the prescribed amount of time, depending on which method you're using,
take an egg out and crack it and slice in in half. If it's done, you
now know your time. If not, sprinkle a little salt on it and eat it.
That should take about a minute, when you take the next one out and
test it. Repeat as necessary. Now you know how long it takes to boil
eggs where you live.

Hmmm...so what method works for you nb?
"notbob" > wrote in message
...
> On 2005-03-24, MJ > wrote:
> > I know that it has been posted before but you know what its like when it
> > doesnt pertain to what you need so you dont really pay attention to
it..well
> > thats me..lol..but now i need to know..what is the right way to boil
eggs
> > for hard cooked. I am making devilled eggs and i want them cooked
> > perfect..Sometimes when i cook them the yolk goes kind of green so i
think i
> > am probably over cooking them. I would like to make them tonight so i
kind
> > of need answers quickly...THANKS in advance..
>
> There was a post about this some months ago. Someone said Julia Child
> recommended bringing eggs to a full rolling boil and then taking them
> off the burner and let sit in the water/pan for 20 mins. This would
> provide perfectly hardboiled eggs with no green film on the outside of
> the yolk. I've never tried it with large eggs, but can guarantee you
> it doesn't work with extra large eggs. Now ....didn't that help? :P
>
> nb

salgud wrote:
> Keep in mind, it has a lot to do with where you live, particularly
the
> altitude. I live in Denver, 5280 ft high, and water boils at 202 deg
F,
> not 212, as it does at sea level. Makes some difference when cooking
> things like eggs. I imagine the other posters are at sea level or
close
> to it. If their methods work, go with it.
> If not, it's really simple to figure out how long to boil them, or
let
> them sit, if you prefer that method. I did it up here, once, and now
> know how long it takes here (about 13 min in boiling water).
> Put at least 4 eggs into the boiling water. Use either method to cook
> them (heat on/water boiling, or heat off/water cooling). 2 min before
> the prescribed amount of time, depending on which method you're
using,
> take an egg out and crack it and slice in in half. If it's done, you
> now know your time. If not, sprinkle a little salt on it and eat it.
> That should take about a minute, when you take the next one out and
> test it. Repeat as necessary. Now you know how long it takes to boil
> eggs where you live.

That's a very sensible approach for dealing with local conditions. The
one exception I would take to it is that I believe you're much better
off starting the eggs in cold water rather than boiling the water
first. The reason is the same as when boiling potatoes, you want to
cook the outside and inside of the thing as evenly as possible. By
starting them in cold water you give the center more time to be
penetrated gradually by the rising temperature. -aem

Makes sense. Of course, I'd have to redo my "test" batch to get a new
time cooking them that way. I'll give it a try. Will be cooking up eggs
tonight for deviled eggs for an event tommorrow night, but won't have
time to do the test thing. Got way to much preparation to do tonight
anyway. But next time I do eggs, I'll try it and see if there's a
noticeable difference. Thanks!

"MJ" wrote in message
>I know that it has been posted before but you know what its like when it
> doesnt pertain to what you need so you dont really pay attention to
> it..well
> thats me..lol..but now i need to know..what is the right way to boil eggs
> for hard cooked. I am making devilled eggs and i want them cooked
> perfect..Sometimes when i cook them the yolk goes kind of green so i think
> i
> am probably over cooking them. I would like to make them tonight so i kind
> of need answers quickly...THANKS in advance..
> MJ

Place eggs in single layer in saucepan. Cover with cold water.
Bring to boil.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Drain off the boiling water.
Cover with cold water.
After a minute or so, dump out cold (now slightly warmed) water and cover
again with cold water so the eggs can be handled.
I crack the shells all over (bang them gently on the counter!) and leave for
a short time in the cold water.
Peel. They will peel easily, will be cooked and they won't be green.
Simple. Good luck! Nothing worse than a green-covered yolk.

Dora

Put eggs one layer in cold water. When the water starts boiling this is
when you start your timer for 10 Minutes. After this time pour out the
hot water and replace it with cold water. After about 5 minutes, start
peeling the shells under running water. Your done!

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
>
> "MJ" > wrote in message
> . ..
>>I know that it has been posted before but you know what its like when it
>> doesnt pertain to what you need so you dont really pay attention to
>> it..well
>> thats me..lol..but now i need to know..what is the right way to boil eggs
>> for hard cooked. I am making devilled eggs and i want them cooked
>> perfect..Sometimes when i cook them the yolk goes kind of green so i
>> think i
>> am probably over cooking them. I would like to make them tonight so i
>> kind
>> of need answers quickly...THANKS in advance..
>
> EASY! Give me a minute ... foolproof method. Here you go:
>
>> > The green part is from overcooking. Put the eggs in cold water,
>> > bring to a boil, keep covered and remove from the heat. After
>> > 20 minutes, put the eggs in ice water to cool.
>> I've always been dubious of this method -- I was raised believing
>> that you had to keep 'em boiling for 20 minutes, and that the green
>> resulted from not cooling them fast enough when done cooking. But
>> I need to make devilled eggs for Easter Sunday, so this morning I
>> tried Nancy's method (and followed Sheldon's advice about keeping
>> the eggs in a single layer). I cooked an extra egg and ate it just
>> now -- WONDERFUL! None of them cracked, fully cooked, and not a
>> hint of green!
>
>

I am very doubtful about both of these explanations for green yolks
(overcooking and not cooling fast enought). I know it is accepted wisdom but
I have had several experiences that lead me to believe that something about
the egg itself plays a large role.

For example, my standard practice is to bring eggs and water to a boil,
cover, let sit off heat for 20 min then immediately put under fast running
cold water for at least 5 minutes. Usually this works fine but now and then
I get a green yolk. Same thing when I simmer for 10 min and then cool. The
real clincher was when I cooked 4 eggs from the same carton together, cooled
them together, and three were without a trace of green and the fourth had
very bad green on the yolk. How can you blame this on cooking time or
cooling speed?


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

"Peter Aitken" > wrote in message
. com...
> "Nancy Young" > wrote

>>> > The green part is from overcooking. Put the eggs in cold water,
>>> > bring to a boil, keep covered and remove from the heat. After
>>> > 20 minutes, put the eggs in ice water to cool.

>>> I've always been dubious of this method -- I was raised believing
>>> that you had to keep 'em boiling for 20 minutes, and that the green
>>> resulted from not cooling them fast enough when done cooking. But
>>> I need to make devilled eggs for Easter Sunday, so this morning I
>>> tried Nancy's method (and followed Sheldon's advice about keeping
>>> the eggs in a single layer). I cooked an extra egg and ate it just
>>> now -- WONDERFUL! None of them cracked, fully cooked, and not a
>>> hint of green!

I did some bad snipping, J*ni. Sorry.

> I am very doubtful about both of these explanations for green yolks
> (overcooking and not cooling fast enought). I know it is accepted wisdom
> but I have had several experiences that lead me to believe that something
> about the egg itself plays a large role.
>
> For example, my standard practice is to bring eggs and water to a boil,
> cover, let sit off heat for 20 min then immediately put under fast running
> cold water for at least 5 minutes. Usually this works fine but now and
> then I get a green yolk.

Perhaps it's smaller than the others.

> Same thing when I simmer for 10 min and then cool. The real clincher was
> when I cooked 4 eggs from the same carton together, cooled them together,
> and three were without a trace of green and the fourth had very bad green
> on the yolk. How can you blame this on cooking time or cooling speed?

I've boiled dozens of eggs in this manner with no mishap. I don't know why
you have had a problem. I know I was raised on green ringed hard boiled
eggs, I have managed to avoid that since I tried the new (to me) method
for ages and I'm happy with it.

nancy

In article >, "MJ"
> wrote:

> I would
> like to make them tonight so i kind of need answers quickly...THANKS
> in advance..

> MJ


<aeb.org> (American Egg Board site)

<http://aeb.org/recipes/basics/hard-cooked_eggs.htm>
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Arizona vacation pics added 3-24-05.
"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and
say,'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner,
performance at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

In article > ,
"Peter Aitken" > wrote:

> "Nancy Young" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "MJ" > wrote in message
> > . ..
> >>I know that it has been posted before but you know what its like when it
> >> doesnt pertain to what you need so you dont really pay attention to
> >> it..well
> >> thats me..lol..but now i need to know..what is the right way to boil eggs
> >> for hard cooked. I am making devilled eggs and i want them cooked
> >> perfect..Sometimes when i cook them the yolk goes kind of green so i
> >> think i
> >> am probably over cooking them. I would like to make them tonight so i
> >> kind
> >> of need answers quickly...THANKS in advance..
> >
> > EASY! Give me a minute ... foolproof method. Here you go:
> >
> >> > The green part is from overcooking. Put the eggs in cold water,
> >> > bring to a boil, keep covered and remove from the heat. After
> >> > 20 minutes, put the eggs in ice water to cool.
> >> I've always been dubious of this method -- I was raised believing
> >> that you had to keep 'em boiling for 20 minutes, and that the green
> >> resulted from not cooling them fast enough when done cooking. But
> >> I need to make devilled eggs for Easter Sunday, so this morning I
> >> tried Nancy's method (and followed Sheldon's advice about keeping
> >> the eggs in a single layer). I cooked an extra egg and ate it just
> >> now -- WONDERFUL! None of them cracked, fully cooked, and not a
> >> hint of green!
> >
> >
>
> I am very doubtful about both of these explanations for green yolks
> (overcooking and not cooling fast enought). I know it is accepted wisdom but
> I have had several experiences that lead me to believe that something about
> the egg itself plays a large role.
>
> For example, my standard practice is to bring eggs and water to a boil,
> cover, let sit off heat for 20 min then immediately put under fast running
> cold water for at least 5 minutes. Usually this works fine but now and then
> I get a green yolk. Same thing when I simmer for 10 min and then cool. The
> real clincher was when I cooked 4 eggs from the same carton together, cooled
> them together, and three were without a trace of green and the fourth had
> very bad green on the yolk. How can you blame this on cooking time or
> cooling speed?

What I am wondering is, if you are making devilled eggs, why worry about
the green-gray coating around the yolk? Once you add the other
ingredients, that color is no longer there... It blends out in the mix.

The yolks are removed and all smashed up.
--
K.

"Katra" > wrote

> What I am wondering is, if you are making devilled eggs, why worry about
> the green-gray coating around the yolk? Once you add the other
> ingredients, that color is no longer there... It blends out in the mix.
>
> The yolks are removed and all smashed up.

*Everything* about the egg is better. The whites are not so
rubbery, the yellows are not dry. It's not just the green ring.

nancy

In article >,
"Nancy Young" > wrote:

> "Katra" > wrote
>
> > What I am wondering is, if you are making devilled eggs, why worry about
> > the green-gray coating around the yolk? Once you add the other
> > ingredients, that color is no longer there... It blends out in the mix.
> >
> > The yolks are removed and all smashed up.
>
> *Everything* about the egg is better. The whites are not so
> rubbery, the yellows are not dry. It's not just the green ring.
>
> nancy
>
>

I see...

So the point then is to simply time it so you don't overcook it!
I'm trying steaming some tonight to see how well they shell. These are
fresh eggs from our own hens.

I'll report! I timed them for 10 minutes once the water started boiling
under them.

--
K.

Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

There is no need to change the world. All we have to do is toilet train the world and we'll never have to change it again. -- Swami Beyondanada

>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby Farm>,,<Katraatcenturyteldotnet>,,<

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

Date: Thu, Mar 24, 2005 (notbob) WROTE:
There was a post about this some months ago. Someone said Julia Child
recommended bringing eggs to a full rolling boil and then taking them
off the burner and let sit in the water/pan for 20 mins. This would
provide perfectly hardboiled eggs with no green film on the outside of
the yolk. I've never tried it with large eggs, but can guarantee you it
doesn't work with extra large eggs. Now didn't that help?
nb---------------------------------------------------
RESPONSE: I've used this method of cooking hard boiled eggs for decades
even with extra large eggs with no problems.- not one green yolk-
Cafeteria I worked in the 70's used this method boiling jumbo size eggs
also one case at a time, no problems no green yolks.

What I am wondering is, if you are making devilled eggs, why worry about
> the green-gray coating around the yolk? Once you add the other
> ingredients, that color is no longer there... It blends out in the mix

I just dont like the green color they look rotten..lol also because i am
throwing a few in for the kids to color..and company is coming and if they
decided to crack one open the green isnt very appetizing..

Well i took Nancy's Advice and cooked 2 dozen eggs..NOT ONE EGG BROKE and
NOT ONE EGG WAS GREEN!!!...
Thanks a million Nancy!!

"ms. tonya" > wrote in message
...
>
> Date: Thu, Mar 24, 2005 (notbob) WROTE:
> There was a post about this some months ago. Someone said Julia Child
> recommended bringing eggs to a full rolling boil and then taking them
> off the burner and let sit in the water/pan for 20 mins. This would
> provide perfectly hardboiled eggs with no green film on the outside of
> the yolk. I've never tried it with large eggs, but can guarantee you it
> doesn't work with extra large eggs. Now didn't that help?
> nb---------------------------------------------------
> RESPONSE: I've used this method of cooking hard boiled eggs for decades
> even with extra large eggs with no problems.- not one green yolk-
> Cafeteria I worked in the 70's used this method boiling jumbo size eggs
> also one case at a time, no problems no green yolks.
>

"MJ" > wrote in message
. ..
> Well i took Nancy's Advice and cooked 2 dozen eggs..NOT ONE EGG BROKE and
> NOT ONE EGG WAS GREEN!!!...
> Thanks a million Nancy!!

You put a huge smile on my face. THANK *YOU*

nancy

mj - the trick to perfect deviled eggs is to place eggs in cold water,
about 1 inch above the eggs. Boil rapidly then remove from heat. Let
stand 20-24 minutes. They should turn out perfect. Then you take out
the yolks and start making the filling....

MJ > typed:
> Hmmm...so what method works for you nb?
> "notbob" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 2005-03-24, MJ > wrote:
>>> I know that it has been posted before but you know what its like
>>> when it doesnt pertain to what you need so you dont really pay
>>> attention to it..well thats me..lol..but now i need to know..what
>>> is the right way to boil eggs for hard cooked. I am making devilled
>>> eggs and i want them cooked perfect..Sometimes when i cook them the
>>> yolk goes kind of green so i think i am probably over cooking them.
>>> I would like to make them tonight so i kind of need answers
>>> quickly...THANKS in advance..
>>
>> There was a post about this some months ago. Someone said Julia
>> Child recommended bringing eggs to a full rolling boil and then
>> taking them off the burner and let sit in the water/pan for 20 mins.
>> This would provide perfectly hardboiled eggs with no green film on
>> the outside of the yolk. I've never tried it with large eggs, but
>> can guarantee you it doesn't work with extra large eggs. Now
>> ....didn't that help? :P
>>
I have a question about this method. I usually stir them every so often, to
"centre" the yolks. Would you do this while waiting for it to boil, then
stop?

--
Cheers,

Judy -- some quotes perceptive, some pedestrian, none mine :-)

Computers make very fast, very accurate mistakes.

Nancy Young > typed:
> "MJ" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> Well i took Nancy's Advice and cooked 2 dozen eggs..NOT ONE EGG
>> BROKE and NOT ONE EGG WAS GREEN!!!...
>> Thanks a million Nancy!!
>
> You put a huge smile on my face. THANK *YOU*
>
Another question. Do you wait for the eggs to become room temperature
first? (I keep them in the fridge)
--
Cheers,

Judy -- some quotes perceptive, some pedestrian, none mine :-)

Computers run on smoke: when the smoke comes out, they stop running.

"Peter Aitken" > wrote in message
. com...
.....
> I am very doubtful about both of these explanations for green yolks
> (overcooking and not cooling fast enought). I know it is accepted wisdom
but
> I have had several experiences that lead me to believe that something
about
> the egg itself plays a large role.

I seem to remember something about sulfer in the yolk causing the green
tinge when overcooked.

Removing the eggs from the heat is actually coddling, isn't it?

I always reduce to a simmer and use a timer.. about 13-15 for hard, then
plunged into an ice bath

Google search for - how to boil an egg - returns
http://www.goodegg.com/boiledegg.html

When boiling I check them often by scooping up the egg in a metal spoon
holding it in the steam. An egg that is done will dry immediately in the
steam. If the egg drys slowly just continue boiling. It has always worked
for me!
"MJ" > wrote in message
. ..
>I know that it has been posted before but you know what its like when it
> doesnt pertain to what you need so you dont really pay attention to
> it..well
> thats me..lol..but now i need to know..what is the right way to boil eggs
> for hard cooked. I am making devilled eggs and i want them cooked
> perfect..Sometimes when i cook them the yolk goes kind of green so i think
> i
> am probably over cooking them. I would like to make them tonight so i kind
> of need answers quickly...THANKS in advance..
> MJ
>
>

On 2005-03-25, ms. tonya > wrote:


> also one case at a time, no problems no green yolks.

Hmmmm...

That last line gave me a clue. When I cooked that single extra large
egg, the very center of the yolk was not completely cooked. This
occurred twice. But, I think I now know why. The pan I cooked both
those eggs in was quite small. The water amount was probably around a
pint. No doubt the temperature drop of that small amount of water/egg
mass was enough to lose the cooking heat necessary for the full 20
mins. I bet a half dozen eggs in a couple quarts of water would
retain adequate heat. I'll give it a try next time.

nb

"MJ" > wrote in message
. ..
>I know that it has been posted before but you know what its like when it
> doesnt pertain to what you need so you dont really pay attention to
> it..well
> thats me..lol..but now i need to know..what is the right way to boil eggs
> for hard cooked. I am making devilled eggs and i want them cooked
> perfect..Sometimes when i cook them the yolk goes kind of green so i think
> i
> am probably over cooking them. I would like to make them tonight so i kind
> of need answers quickly...THANKS in advance..
> MJ
>
>

Some time ago, there was an NPR radio show on which a food scientist was
interviewed. If I recall, he mentioned something about adding almost
ANYTHING to the water to prevent discoloration. Something about how almost
any additive somehow seals that white inner membrane. Sorry I'm vague about
this, but I think he said a teaspoon of salt was one way of achieving this.

"MJ" > wrote in message
. ..
>I know that it has been posted before but you know what its like when it
> doesnt pertain to what you need so you dont really pay attention to
> it..well
> thats me..lol..but now i need to know..what is the right way to boil eggs
> for hard cooked. I am making devilled eggs and i want them cooked
> perfect..Sometimes when i cook them the yolk goes kind of green so i think
> i
> am probably over cooking them. I would like to make them tonight so i kind
> of need answers quickly...THANKS in advance..
> MJ
>
>

Some time ago, there was an NPR radio show on which a food scientist was
interviewed. If I recall, he mentioned something about adding almost
ANYTHING to the water to prevent discoloration. Something about how almost
any additive somehow seals that white inner membrane. Sorry I'm vague about
this, but I think he said a teaspoon of salt was one way of achieving this.

Remove the crap from my email address before using.
"Doug Kanter" > wrote in message
...
>
> "MJ" > wrote in message
> . ..
>>I know that it has been posted before but you know what its like when it
>> doesnt pertain to what you need so you dont really pay attention to
>> it..well
>> thats me..lol..but now i need to know..what is the right way to boil eggs
>> for hard cooked. I am making devilled eggs and i want them cooked
>> perfect..Sometimes when i cook them the yolk goes kind of green so i
>> think i
>> am probably over cooking them. I would like to make them tonight so i
>> kind
>> of need answers quickly...THANKS in advance..
>> MJ
>>
>>
>
> Some time ago, there was an NPR radio show on which a food scientist was
> interviewed. If I recall, he mentioned something about adding almost
> ANYTHING to the water to prevent discoloration. Something about how almost
> any additive somehow seals that white inner membrane. Sorry I'm vague
> about this, but I think he said a teaspoon of salt was one way of
> achieving this.


The problem with this theory is that the discoloration (I assume you mean
green yolks) is not caused by anything getting into the egg from outside,
but by a chemical reaction between the white and yolk.


--
Peter Aitken