The Art of Shortcuts: Boil the Perfect Egg

 

I know, this is literally the first thing they teach you how to do in cooking class; however, being taught to boil an egg has nothing to do with whether or not you can boil an egg well.

I am fortunate enough to have just recently discovered the magic combination of old wives' tales and culinary science to create the ultimate delicious hard-boiled egg. Unfortunately for you, I could not bear to let you all go on with your lives unawares. Mwahahaha! You are now subject to my lecturing!

But here are some reasons you should listen to my worldly wisdom.

These eggs will:

• Turn out perfectly smooth and round regardless of cracks during cooking
• Taste fresh and flavorful for days (if they last that long. Nom!)
• Be firm to the bite, yet soft and moist instead of dry and sticky
• Come out of their shells so easily you'll think you did something wrong

Here's what to do:

1. Optional: Buy your eggs about a week before you are planning on hard-boiling them. Believe it or not, fresh eggs do not come out of their shells well no matter what.
2. Place the eggs in the pot you are going to cook them in and cover them completely with water to make sure you have enough (water, that is.) Then remove eggs and set them aside on a paper towel.
3. Add a pinch of salt to the water and boil completely before adding any eggs. I used to fall into the temptation of adding my eggs to the room temperature water and then turning on the heat so that I could go about my business and not have to come back in a few minutes to add anything. This will, of course, completely ruin your cooking time.
4. Add a tiny amount of vinegar to the boiling water. I'm talking barely a teaspoon. This will keep the whites from leaking out of the shells and forming weird shapes if your eggs get cracked at all while being dropped into the pan.
5. Add your eggs to the boiling water and leave on high heat for 12-15 minutes. I've found that 13 minutes is perfect for Josh and I.
6. Strain eggs and run cold water over them for a full minute, then place them in a container of cold water and let eggs stand for a few minutes.

As you can see, these little nuggets of loveliness have perfect, golden yellow, opaque yolks. Let me tell you, they are just bursting with flavor, and they feel so good to sink your teeth into. So moist and yummy!

These could make a great egg salad or addition to a greens-based salad. Or you could do what I do and just sprinkle with a dab of salt and munch away like a little piggy. Although, I'm pretty sure pigs don't eat eggs.


Who am I kidding? Pigs eat anything.