How to Boil an Egg

Quick and simple ways on how to boil eggs in boiling water with three different results, from hard boiled to soft and runny.

Boiling a standard size egg couldn't be easier, simply use a small pan with enough water to cover the eggs.

Then bring the water to a boil by reducing the waiting time using the hot water from a kettle, then wait for a consistent boiling time before lowing the eggs in the pan.

Then place up to four eggs - too many will have effect on the cooking time - using a tablespoon making sure you don't burn your hands on the steam.

Then depending on how you like your eggs boiled, follow the instructions below.

Hard Boiled - 12 Minutes

Cooking a boiled egg hard is the easiest of all, so just leave the egg boiling away for 12 whole minutes.

But to be sure, you can leave it in the pan for up to 15 minutes, but any time above this would probably lead to overcooking - so therefore affecting the taste of your eggs.

If you like, you can place eggs in the pan even before the water comes to a boil.

Soft Boiled - 9 Minutes

Actually to cook a soft boiled egg, it shouldn't take longer than 9 minutes with a nice steady boil.

But over 9 minutes and you can guarantee you've overcooked your egg and it will become hard. So, if anything shorten the time by a minute but no more.

Runny Boiled - 4 and a half minutes

A soft boiled egg is a little trickier, because you have to cook the yolk fully before it starts to harden around the edges.

Runny boiled egg timing is absolutely 4½ minutes (4 and a half) to cook the egg long enough for a deep, rich yellow yolk.

TIPS & ADVICE

By using the instructions above, use free range eggs as to follow our recipe actually. Caged eggs have thinner shells and therefore they will cook faster.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Boiled eggs can be sliced or chopped up for sandwiches, well soft boiled eggs go beautifully in rice dishes, well runny can be used for dipping toast.

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