View source for Boiled egg

{{short description|Egg dish}}
{{about||eggs cooked without their shells in hot water|poached egg|other egg dishes|list of egg dishes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox food
| name =
| image = File:Soft-boiled-egg.jpg
| caption = A soft-boiled egg served in the half shell
| alternate_name =
| place_of_origin =
| region =
| associated_cuisine =
| creator =           <!-- or | creators = -->
| year =
| mintime =
| maxtime =
| type =
| course =
| served =
| main_ingredient = Eggs (typically chicken)
| minor_ingredient =
| variations = Baked eggs, starting temperature, preparation
| serving_size = 100 g
| calories = 136 <!-- nutrition data from ndb.nal.usda.gov -->
| protein = 14
| fat = 9
| carbohydrate = 0
| glycemic_index =
| similar_dish =
| other =
}}
'''Boiled eggs''' are typically from a [[chicken]], and are cooked with their shells unbroken, usually by immersion in boiling water. '''Hard-boiled''' or '''hard-cooked eggs''' are cooked so that the [[egg white]] and [[egg yolk]] both solidify, while '''soft-boiled eggs''' may leave the yolk, and sometimes the white, at least partially liquid and raw. Boiled [[Eggs as food|egg]]s are a popular [[breakfast]] food around the world.
Besides a boiling water immersion, there are a few different methods to make boiled eggs. Eggs can also be cooked below the boiling temperature, i.e. [[coddled egg|coddling]], or they can be steamed. The [[egg timer]] was named for commonly being used to time the boiling of eggs.
== History ==
Eggs have a long history of use as a food source, following the history of the [[domestic Chicken]], and recipes that include boiled eggs have been recorded since the first known cookbook, ''[[De re coquinaria]]'',<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last1=Mine|first1=Yoshinori|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AaDTEAAAQBAJ|title=Handbook of Egg Science and Technology|last2=Guyonnet|first2=Vincent|last3=Hatta|first3=Hajime|last4=Nau|first4=Françoise|last5=Qiu|first5=Ning|date=12 September 2023|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-000-89961-0|pages=259–280|language=en|chapter=Traditional Egg and Egg Products}}</ref> in which at least one recipe calls for the use of preserved boiled eggs.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kaufman|first=Cathy K.|url=https://archive.org/details/cookinginancient0000kauf/page/142/mode/2up|title=Cooking in ancient civilizations|date=2006|publisher=Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-313-33204-3|pages=96, 142|language=en}}</ref> [[Alexander Pope]] is recorded as having recommended the method of cooking eggs over the embers or ashes of an open fire.<ref name=":4">{{Citation|last=Davidson|first=Alan|title=egg|date=20 November 2014|work=The Oxford Companion to Food|editor-last=Jaine|editor-first=Tom|url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780199677337.001.0001/acref-9780199677337-e-0835|access-date=25 September 2024|publisher=Oxford University Press|language=en|doi=10.1093/acref/9780199677337.001.0001|isbn=978-0-19-967733-7}}</ref>
==Scientific background==
[[File:Boiled eggs, increasing in boiling time from left to right.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Boiled eggs, increasing in boiling time from left to right: 4 minutes, 7 minutes and 9 minutes]]
The process of cooking an egg causes the [[protein]]s within the yolk and albumin to [[Denaturation (biochemistry)|denature]] and solidify, resulting in a solid egg white and yolk.<ref name="nscib">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/scibytes/why_do_eggs_hardboil/|title=Why do eggs "hard-boil?"|author=Sci Bytes|date=18 July 2018|website=[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]}}</ref> Coagulation (denaturing) of egg white proteins begins in the {{Convert|55-60|C|F}} temperature range, and egg yolks thicken at the slightly higher temperature of {{Convert|65|C|F}}, solidifying at {{Convert|70|C|F}}. As such, the yolk of an egg will never solidify before the white, though in a boiled egg heat will take longer to reach the yolk through the albumin (compared to a [[fried egg]]), making this doubly true.<ref name=":4" /> The process may be reversed through breaking the connections between the proteins, which has been demonstrated through the application of either [[sodium borohydride]] or [[vitamin C]].{{sfn|Toops|2014|page=26}}
==Variations==
There are variations both in degree of cooking and in the method of how eggs are boiled, and a variety of [[kitchen gadget]]s for eggs exist. These variations include:
===Hard-boiled eggs===
[[Image:Hard boiled egg.jpg|thumb|Cross-section of a hard boiled egg]] [[image:Overcooked hardboiled egg cut in half.jpg|thumb|right|Overcooked egg showing green coating on yolk]]Hard-boiled or hard-cooked{{sfn|Stadelman|Cotterill|1995|loc=chpt. 17: Hard-Cooked Eggs}} eggs are boiled long enough for the yolk to solidify (about 10 minutes).<ref name="WhatsCooking">{{cite web|title=How to Make Perfect Hard or Soft Boiled Eggs|url=http://whatscookingamerica.net/Eggs/BoiledEggs.htm|access-date=25 September 2024|website=What's Cooking America|date=3 June 2015 }}</ref> They can be eaten warm or cold. Hard-boiled eggs are the basis for many dishes, such as [[egg salad]], [[cobb salad]] and [[Scotch egg]]s, and may be further prepared as [[deviled egg]]s.
There are several techniques for hard-boiling an egg.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Seehusen|first1=Joachim|title=Oppskrift på perfekt kokt egg|url=https://www.tu.no/artikler/oppskrift-pa-perfekt-kokt-egg-br/507964|website=Tu.no|publisher=[[Teknisk Ukeblad]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330115938/https://www.tu.no/artikler/oppskrift-pa-perfekt-kokt-egg-br/507964|archive-date=30 March 2021|language=no|date=30 March 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> One method is to bring water to a boil and cook for ten minutes.<ref>{{cite web|title=How long to Boil Eggs|date=19 January 2012|url=http://www.eatbydate.com/how-long-to-boil-eggs/|publisher=Eatbydate.com}}</ref>  Another method is to bring the water to a boil, but then remove the pan from the heat and allow eggs to cook in the gradually cooling water.<ref name="WhatsCooking"/> Over-cooking eggs will typically result in a thin green [[iron(II) sulfide]] coating on the yolk,<ref>{{citation|chapter-url=http://chestofbooks.com/food/science/Experimental-Cookery/The-Formation-Of-Ferrous-Sulfide-In-Cooked-Eggs.html|chapter=The Formation Of Ferrous Sulfide In Cooked Eggs|title=Experimental Cookery From The Chemical And Physical Standpoint|author=Belle Lowe|year=1937|publisher=John Wiley & Sons}}</ref> though the coating has been reported as having little effect on flavor.{{sfn|Toops|2014|page=26}} This reaction occurs more rapidly in older eggs as the whites are more alkaline.<ref>{{citation|title=McGee on Food and Cooking|author=Harold McGee|year=2004|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton}}</ref> Rinsing<ref name=":4" /> or immersing the egg in cold water after boiling is a common method of halting the cooking process to prevent this effect,<ref name="nscib" /> and in commercial operations the discoloration is removed by immersing peeled eggs in a bath of [[organic acid]] after cooking.{{sfn|Stadelman|Cotterill|1995|page=469}}
[[File:Hakone black egg dsc05310.jpg|thumb|''Kuro-tamago'', a variety of hard-boiled egg local to [[Ōwakudani]] in [[Kanagawa Prefecture]], Japan. The eggs are boiled in the mineral-rich water of the valley's [[hot spring]]s, resulting in the shells turning a characteristic black colour.]]
Hard-boiled eggs are recommended by the United States Department of Agricultural Food Safety and Inspection Service to be used within two hours if kept at room temperature, or within a week if kept refrigerated and in the shell.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aeb.org/LearnMore/Faqs.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822223524/http://www.aeb.org/LearnMore/Faqs.htm|archive-date=22 August 2008|title=Learn More About Eggs|access-date=19 December 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfhd.wa.gov/edu/eggucation.php|title=Egg-ucation|access-date=19 December 2006}}&nbsp;– suggests boiled eggs can be stored refrigerated for one week</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Shell Eggs from Farm to Table|url=http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Focus_On_Shell_Eggs/index.asp#21|work=Fact Sheets: Egg Products Preparation|publisher=United States Department of Agricultural Food Safety and Inspection Service|access-date=12 January 2013|date=20 April 2011|quote=When shell eggs are hard cooked, the protective coating is washed away, leaving bare the pores in the shell for bacteria to enter and contaminate it. Hard-cooked eggs should be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking and used within a week.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126165249/http://www.fsis.usda.gov/fact_sheets/Focus_On_Shell_Eggs/index.asp#21#21|archive-date=26 January 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Shelled hard-boiled eggs sold in bulk are pickled or sealed in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide and nitrogen for preservation.<ref name=":3" />
Hard-boiled eggs are commonly sliced, particularly for use in sandwiches. For this purpose specialized [[egg slicer]]s exist, to ease slicing and yield even slices. {{anchor|long}}For consistent slice sizes in food service, several eggs may have their yolk and white separated and poured into a cylindrical mold for stepwise hard-boiling, to produce what is known as a "long egg" or an "egg loaf". Commercial long eggs are produced in Denmark by its inventor {{ill|Danæg|da}} <!-- as "long egg" --> and in Japan by {{ill|KENKO Mayonnaise|ja|ケンコーマヨネーズ}}<!-- as ボイルエッグ -->. The machine for producing long eggs was first introduced in 1974.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Pollack|first1=Hilary|last2=Sen|first2=Mayukh|title=I Am Mystified and Horrified By the Long Egg|url=https://munchies.vice.com/en_us/article/3k5w89/i-am-mystified-and-horrified-by-the-long-egg|access-date=28 April 2019|work=Munchies|date=22 January 2018}}</ref> In addition to being sliced, long eggs can also be used in their entirety in [[gala pie]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/08/call-for-submissions-the-long-egg/|title=Call For Submissions: The Long Egg|website=FreakyTrigger|date=18 August 2006}}</ref>
''[[Haminados]]'', braised eggs slowly cooked overnight, is a traditional [[Sephardic Jewish cuisine|Sephardic Jewish]] dish first documented in medieval Spain and now part of [[Israeli cuisine]], where they are typically served on their own or as part of the [[Shabbat]] stew ''[[chamin]]'' and other dishes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Jawhara Piñer|first=Hélène|author-link=Hélène Jawhara Piñer|title=Sephardi: Cooking the History. Recipes of the Jews of Spain and the Diaspora, from the 13th Century to Today|publisher=Cherry Orchard Books|year=2021|isbn=978-1644695319|pages=36}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=28 July 2020|title=The Long History of Huevos Haminados, Slow-Cooked Sephardi Eggs {{!}} The Nosher|url=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/the-long-history-of-huevos-haminados-slow-cooked-sephardi-eggs/|access-date=12 August 2024|website=My Jewish Learning|language=en-US}}</ref>
===Soft-boiled eggs===
{{redirect|Softboiled|the 1923 film|Soft Boiled|the genre of crime fiction|Cozy mystery}}
{{see also|Shirred eggs}}
While the traditional [[egg timer]] counts to 3 minutes for cooking a soft-boiled egg,<ref name="Herbst">{{cite book|last=Herbst|first=Sharon Tyler|author-link=Sharon Tyler Herbst|title=[[The New Food Lover's Companion]]|publisher=Barron's Educational Series|year=2001|isbn=0-7641-1258-9}}</ref> some how-to guides recommend longer cooking times ranging from five<ref name="WhatsCooking" /> to six minutes.<ref name="lopez" /> Chef [[Heston Blumenthal]], after "relentless trials", published a recipe for "the perfect boiled egg", suggesting cooking the egg in water that starts cold and covers the egg by no more than a millimeter, removing the pan from the heat as soon as the water starts to bubble. After six minutes, the egg will be ready.<ref name=Blumenthal>{{cite news|last1=Blumenthal|first1=Heston|title=Series: The Do Something expert Index How to boil an egg, the Heston Blumenthal way|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/nov/11/how-to-boil-an-egg-the-heston-blumenthal-way?CMP=soc_567|access-date=12 November 2014|work=The Guardian|date=12 November 2014}}</ref>
Soft-boiled eggs are not recommended by the [[Food and Drug Administration]] for people who may be susceptible to [[salmonella]], such as very young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fda.gov/FDAC/departs/1999/599_upd.html|title=Plan Under Way to Help Lessen Risks from Contaminated Eggs|access-date=19 December 2006|work=FDA Consumer magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311073646/https://www.fda.gov/FDAC/departs/1999/599_upd.html|archive-date=11 March 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> To avoid the issue of salmonella, [[Pasteurized eggs|eggs can be pasteurised]] in shell at 57&nbsp;°C for an hour and 15 minutes. The eggs can then be soft-boiled as normal.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Schuman|first1=J.D.|last2=Sheldon|first2=B.W.|last3=Vandepopuliere|first3=J.M.|last4=Ball Jr|first4=H.R.|title=Immersion heat treatments for inactivation of ''Salmonella enteritidis'' with intact eggs|journal=Journal of Applied Microbiology|volume=83|issue=4|year=2003|pages=438–444|pmid=9351225|doi=10.1046/j.1365-2672.1997.00253.x|s2cid=22582907}}</ref>
Soft-boiled eggs are commonly served in [[egg cup]]s, where the top of the egg is cut off with a knife, spoon, spring-loaded egg topper, or egg scissors, using an [[egg spoon]] to scoop the egg out. Other methods include breaking the [[eggshell]] by tapping gently around the top of the shell with a spoon.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metro.ca/recevoir-le-monde/art-de-recevoir/abc-belle-table/etiquette-table/elegance-bonnes-manieres-table.en.html#10035544|title=Fine Manners for Fine Dining|access-date=19 December 2006}}</ref>  Soft-boiled eggs can be eaten with [[Toast (food)|toast]] cut into strips, which are then dipped into the runny yolk.  In the United Kingdom and Australia, these strips of toast are known as "[[Soldiers (food)|soldiers]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icons.org.uk/nom/nominations/eggandsoldiers|title=Egg with Toast Soldiers|access-date=22 April 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304210348/http://www.icons.org.uk/nom/nominations/eggandsoldiers|archive-date=4 March 2010}}</ref>
In Southeast Asia, a variation of soft-boiled eggs known as half-boiled eggs<!-- (Malay: telur separuh masak) --> are commonly eaten for breakfast.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bakar|first=Baharom|date=7 December 2022|title=Harga telur gred E separuh masak RM1.20 sebiji|trans-title=The price of half-cooked E grade eggs is now RM1.20 per egg|url=https://www.bharian.com.my/berita/nasional/2022/12/1036638/harga-telur-gred-e-separuh-masak-rm120-sebiji|work=[[Berita Harian]]|language=ms}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Azim Fitri Abd Aziz|first=Mohamad|date=17 January 2019|title=Telur separuh masak, roti canai sarapan pilihan Al-Sultan Abdullah|trans-title=Half-boiled eggs, roti canai for Al-Sultan Abdullah's breakfast|url=https://www.bharian.com.my/berita/nasional/2019/01/521102/telur-separuh-masak-roti-canai-sarapan-pilihan-al-sultan-abdullah|work=[[Berita Harian]]|language=ms}}</ref> The major difference is that, instead of the egg being served in an egg cup, it is cracked into a bowl to which dark or light soy sauce or pepper are added. The egg is also cooked for 7 minutes, resulting in a runnier egg instead of the usual gelatin state and is commonly eaten with [[kaya toast]] and [[Kopi (drink)|kopi]].<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Aris|first1=Aim|last2=Salim|first2=Ahmad|date=14 December 2022|title=Hainanese-style Kaya toast and half-boiled egg|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/hainanese-style-kaya-toast-and-half-boiled-egg/z7ymow1zg|access-date=27 September 2024|website=SBS Food|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite web|title=Traditional Breakfast of Kaya and Kopi|url=https://www.roots.gov.sg/ich-landing/ich/traditional-breakfast-of-kaya-and-kopi|access-date=19 May 2020|website=roots.sg|language=en}}</ref>
Boiled eggs are also an ingredient in various [[Philippine cuisine|Philippine dishes]], such as [[Embutido (Filipino cuisine)|embutido]]<ref name="nyt">{{cite news|last1=Lam|first1=Francis|date=7 January 2015|title=The Rich Tradition of Filipino Embutido|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/magazine/the-rich-tradition-of-filipino-embutido.html|access-date=27 September 2024|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> and [[chicken galantina]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bernardino|first=Minnie|date=13 March 1986|title=Chicken Relleno: A Philippine Tradition|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-03-13-fo-19880-story.html|access-date=27 September 2024|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref> Boiled or steamed duck eggs that have been incubated for several days are also eaten in the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand as the food known as [[Balut (food)|balut]].{{Sfn|Nys|Bain|Van Immerseel|2011|p=497}}
In Japan, {{Nihongo|[[Soy egg#Japanese cuisine|marinated soft-boiled eggs]]|味付け玉子|ajitsuke tamago}} are commonly served alongside [[ramen]]. The eggs are typically steeped in a mixture of soy sauce, [[mirin]], and water after being boiled and peeled. This provides the egg a brownish color that would otherwise be absent from boiling and peeling the eggs alone. Once the eggs have finished steeping, they are usually served on top of the soup.<ref name=":12">{{Cite book|last1=Ang|first1=Catharina Y.W.|url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.1201/9781482278798/asian-foods-catharina-ang-keshun-liu-yao-wen-huang|title=Asian Foods : Science & Technology|last2=Liu|first2=Keshun|date=1999|publisher=Technomic Pub. Co.|isbn=9781566767361|location=Boca Raton|pages=465|chapter=Japanese Foods|doi=10.1201/9781482278798}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://immieats.com/ajitsuke-tamago/|website=Immi Eats|title=Ajitsuke tamago|access-date=24 July 2024}}</ref> A similar method of cooking soft-boiled eggs popular in Japan is that of the {{Nihongo|hot spring boiled egg|温泉玉子|[[onsen tamago]]}}, which is cooked at a constant temperature of {{Convert|70|C|F}} as is present in the volcanic [[hot spring]]s of Japan, producing an egg with solid yolk and [[Sol (colloid)|sol]]-like white.<ref name=":3" />
===Other variations===
;Piercing: Some pierce the shell beforehand with an [[egg piercer]] to prevent cracking, following recommendations first published by the Poultry and Egg National Board in 1966.{{sfn|Stadelman|Cotterill|1995|page=386}} The [[American Egg Board]] currently recommends against this, as it can introduce bacteria and create hairline cracks in the shell through which bacteria can enter the egg.<ref group="note">The American Egg Board, an industry group, recommends against piercing shells on food safety grounds: "Piercing shells before cooking is not recommended. If not sterile, the piercer or needle can introduce [[bacteria]] into the egg. Also, piercing creates hairline cracks in the shell through which bacteria can enter after cooking.", [http://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes-and-more/recipes/basic-hardcooked-eggs Basic Hard-Cooked Eggs] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102034844/http://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes-and-more/recipes/basic-hardcooked-eggs |date=2 January 2010 }}, American Egg Board</ref> A 1975 study showed increased cracking in pierced eggs compared to unpierced eggs.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Maurer|first=A.J.|date=July 1975|title=Hard-Cooking and Pickling Eggs as Teaching Aids|journal=Poultry Science|language=en|volume=54|issue=4|pages=1019–1024|doi=10.3382/ps.0541019|doi-access=free}}</ref>
;Steaming: Eggs can be taken straight from the refrigerator and placed in the [[steamer (appliance)|steamer]] at full steam.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_steam_eggs/|title=How to Steam Hard Boiled Eggs|first=Elsie|last=Bauer|website=simplyrecipes.com}}</ref>
;Sous vide: Boiled eggs can be made by cooking/coddling in their shell "[[sous vide]]" in hot water at steady temperatures anywhere from {{convert|60|to|85|C}}. The outer egg white cooks at {{convert|75|C}} and the yolk and the rest of the white sets from {{convert|60|to|65|C}}.<ref name="sciencecook">{{cite web|url=http://www.edinformatics.com/math_science/science_of_cooking/cooking_temperatures.htm|title=Important Cooking Temperatures|publisher=Edinformatics.com|date=17 November 2006|access-date=11 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Vega|first1=César|last2=Mercadé-Prieto|first2=Ruben|year=2011|title=Culinary Biophysics: On the Nature of the 6X°C Egg|journal=Food Biophysics|volume=6|issue=1|pages=152–9|doi=10.1007/s11483-010-9200-1|s2cid=97933856}}</ref>
;Baked eggs: Eggs may be cooked to produce a result similar to boiling via baking in an oven by breaking eggs into a [[muffin tin]] or individual [[ramekin]]s.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/eggs_20220116/page/16/mode/2up|title=300 Ways to Serve Eggs|date=1941|publisher=Consolidated Book Publishers|editor-last=Berolsheimer|editor-first=Ruth|location=Chicago, Illinois|pages=17–21|language=en}}</ref>
;Salted eggs: In China, eggs (particularly [[Domestic duck|duck]] eggs) may be preserved by packing them in salt and charcoal or brine. The [[Salted duck egg|salted egg]] is then boiled or steamed prior to consumption. The process is related to [[century egg]]s, which are preserved for a long period and are not boiled.{{sfn|Toops|2014|pages=28-30}} The salting or pickling process in a typical salted egg takes 20{{Emdash}}50 days.<ref name=":3" />
==Dishes featuring boiled eggs==
[[File:煮玉子ラーメン（博多だるま）.jpg|thumb|upright|A bowl of [[ramen]] topped with a seasoned boiled egg]]
[[File:Aspic-with-eggs.jpg|thumb|upright|An [[aspic]] with chicken and eggs]]
[[File:Picklegegg.JPG|thumb|upright|A jar of [[Pickled egg|pickled boiled eggs]]]]
Boiled eggs often form part of larger, more elaborate dishes. For example, a boiled egg may garnish a bowl of [[ramen]] (often first marinated in [[soy sauce]]), be baked into a pie such as a {{Ill|torta pasqualina|it}},<ref>{{cite web|title=Giant Green Pie (Torta Pasqualina)|url=https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014732-giant-green-pie-torta-pasqualina|website=The New York Times|access-date=10 November 2019}}</ref> or be encased in [[aspic]] (similar to the French dish œufs en gelée, which features poached eggs<ref>{{cite book|title=Mastering The Art Of French Cooking|year=1964|first1=Simone|last1=Beck|first2=Louisette|last2=Bertholle|first3=Julia|last3=Child|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf|location=New York|page=547}}</ref>). They may also be chopped and mixed with mayonnaise to form [[egg salad]], or be deep-fried and then baked within a serving of [[lamprais]].<ref>{{cite news|date=7 January 2018|title=The Lamprais Legacy|url=http://archives1.sundayobserver.lk/2018/01/07/artistry/lamprais-legacy|access-date=2 May 2021|newspaper=[[Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)|Sunday Observer]]}}</ref>
==Peeling==
Boiled eggs can vary widely in how easy it is to peel away the shells.  In general, the fresher an egg before boiling, the more difficult it is to separate the shell cleanly from the egg white.<ref name="lopez" /> As a fresh egg ages, it gradually loses both moisture and carbon dioxide through pores in the shell; as a consequence, the contents of the egg shrink, it loses protein, and the [[pH]] of the [[egg white|albumen]] becomes more [[Base (chemistry)|basic]].<ref name=":4" />  Albumen with higher pH (more basic) is less likely to stick to the egg shell, while pockets of air develop in eggs that have lost significant amounts of moisture, also making eggs easier to peel.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Brunning|first=Andy|date=26 March 2016|title=The Chemistry of Eggs & Egg Shells|url=https://www.compoundchem.com/2016/03/26/eggs/|access-date=25 September 2024|website=Compound Interest|language=en-GB}}</ref>
Keeping the cooked eggs soaked in water helps keep the membrane under the egg shell moisturized for easy peeling. Peeling the egg under cold running water is an effective method of removing the shell.  Starting the cooking in hot water also makes the egg easier to peel.<ref name="lopez">{{cite web|last1=López-Alt|first1=J. Kenji|date=30 September 2023|title=The Food Lab: The Hard Truth About Boiled Eggs|url=http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/the-secrets-to-peeling-hard-boiled-eggs.html|access-date=25 September 2024|website=[[Serious Eats]]}}</ref>
It is often claimed that steaming eggs in a [[pressure cooker]] makes them easier to peel.<ref>[https://altonbrown.com/pressure-cooker-eggs-recipe/ Eggs Under Pressure] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810110218/https://altonbrown.com/pressure-cooker-eggs-recipe/ |date=10 August 2020 }} By [[Alton Brown|Mr. Brown]]. Published on 18 March 2016.</ref>  [[Double blind testing]] has failed to show any advantage of pressure cooking over steaming, and has further shown that starting boiling in cold water is counterproductive. Shocking the eggs by rapidly cooling them helped, and cooling them in ice water for 15 minutes or longer gave more successful peeling. Shocking was also found to remove the dimple in the base of the egg caused by the air space.<ref name="lopez" />
== Safety ==
There are several [[foodborne illness]]es associated with eggs,<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|date=5 March 2024|title=What You Need to Know About Egg Safety|url=https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/what-you-need-know-about-egg-safety|journal=Human Foods Program|language=en|publisher=Food and Drug Administration}}</ref> most if not all of which are caused by [[pathogenic bacteria]].{{Sfn|Van Immerseel|Nys|Bain|2011|pp=15-22}} The harmful bacteria associated with eggs are mostly of the [[genus]] ''[[Salmonella]]'',<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last1=Lopes|first1=Stefani Machado|last2=Fösch Batista|first2=Ana Carolina|last3=Tondo|first3=Eduardo César|date=1 December 2018|title=Salmonella survival during soft-cooked eggs processing by temperature-controlled water circulator|url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0956713518303657|journal=Food Control|volume=94|pages=249–253|doi=10.1016/j.foodcont.2018.07.028|issn=0956-7135}}</ref> but other harmful bacteria that can grow at refrigerated temperatures have been found in retail egg products, such as ''[[Bacillus cereus]]'' and ''[[Staphylococcus aureus]]''.{{Sfn|Van Immerseel|Nys|Bain|2011|pp=15-22}} Previous studies indicated that "the complete coagulation of [the] whole egg" was sufficient to destroy ''Salmonella'' bacteria,<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Licciardello|first1=J J|last2=Nickerson|first2=J T|last3=Goldblith|first3=S A|date=October 1965|title=Destruction of Salmonellae in hard-boiled eggs.|journal=American Journal of Public Health and the Nation's Health|language=en|volume=55|issue=10|pages=1622–1628|doi=10.2105/AJPH.55.10.1622|issn=0002-9572|pmc=1256553|pmid=5890516}}</ref> but it is now known that the only factor in the inactivation or destruction of pathogenic bacteria in eggs is [[temperature]].<ref name=":2" /> Boiling eggs at a temperature of at least {{Convert|62|C|F}} for 30 minutes has been shown to inactivate ''Salmonella'' bacteria,<ref name=":2" /> though the [[Food and Drug Administration]] recommends cooking at the higher temperature of {{Convert|74|C|F}}.<ref name=":1" />
Bulk hard-boiled eggs have been linked to disease outbreaks such as listeria<ref>{{Cite web|date=20 December 2019|title=How should you react to the CDC warning about eggs?|url=https://news.sanfordhealth.org/healthy-living/cdc-hard-boiled-eggs/|access-date=23 September 2024|website=Sanford Health News|language=en}}</ref> and ''S. aureus'' infections, mainly from contamination and when eggs are not washed in the supply chain.{{Sfn|Van Immerseel|Nys|Bain|2011|pp=15-22}}
==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Coddled egg]]
* [[Deviled egg]]
* [[Egg piercer]]
* [[Haminados]]
* [[List of egg dishes]]
* [[Pickled beet egg]]
* [[Tea egg]]
* {{portal-inline|Food}}
{{div col end}}
==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
=== Sources ===
* {{Cite book|title=Improving the safety and quality of eggs and egg products|publisher=Woodhead Publishing Limited|year=2011|isbn=978-0-85709-391-2|editor-last=Nys|editor-first=Yves|volume=1|eissn=2042-8057|editor-last2=Bain|editor-first2=Maureen|editor-last3=Van Immerseel|editor-first3=Filip}}
* {{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/eggsciencetechno0000unse_3ed/mode/2up|title=Egg science and technology|date=1995|publisher=[[Routledge]]|location=New York|isbn=1-56022-854-7|editor-last=Stadelman|editor-first=William J.|edition=4th|editor-last2=Cotterill|editor-first2=Owen J.}}
* {{Cite book|last=Toops|first=Diane|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZEadAwAAQBAJ|title=Eggs: A Global History|date=15 April 2014|publisher=Reaktion Books|isbn=978-1-78023-311-6|language=en}}
* {{Cite book|title=Improving the safety and quality of eggs and egg products|publisher=Woodhead Publishing Limited|year=2011|isbn=978-0-85709-392-9|editor-last=Van Immerseel|editor-first=Filip|volume=2|eissn=2042-8057|editor-last2=Nys|editor-first2=Yves|editor-last3=Bain|editor-first3=Maureen}}
==External links==
{{Cookbook|Soft Boiled Eggs|Hard Boiled Eggs}}
{{Commons category|Boiled eggs}}
{{Wiktionary|boiled egg}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150709111015/http://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes-and-more/cooking-school/hard-boil-eggs Basic Hard-Cooked Eggs], American Egg Board
* [http://newton.ex.ac.uk/teaching/CDHW/egg/ Boiling an Egg – Science Background]
* [http://blog.khymos.org/2009/04/09/towards-the-perfect-soft-boiled-egg/ Boiling of eggs for molecular gastronomers]
{{Eggs}}
[[Category:Egg dishes]]
[[Category:Boiled foods|Egg]]