Is it possible to throw eggs into already boiling water? Will they cook or crack?

It is a big misconception to think that boiling eggs is a simple and straightforward task. Take the question of whether you should put eggs in boiling water or cold water. It is impossible to say clearly how to do it right. Both cooking options have a right to exist. With just one amendment: you can only throw eggs at room temperature into hot water. If they are only from the refrigerator, the shell will burst, the protein will become deformed and leak out.

How to cook correctly?

A perfectly boiled egg has the following characteristics:

• firm but delicate consistency;
• whole shell, which is easy to clean;
• The yolk is yellow, located in the center, its taste is delicate and not sulfuric.

To get this result, it is important to observe the temperature regime and not exceed the cooking time. Harold McGee, a famous American author of books on the science of the kitchen, indicates the optimal temperature is 80ºC -85ºC and a time range of 10-15 minutes. This corresponds to hot, barely boiling water. When the water boils strongly, the eggs begin to spin, which leads to cracking of the shell. In addition, at high temperatures, the reaction between the sulfur of the white and the iron of the yolk occurs faster, and the core becomes green.

You can put eggs in a cooking pan at any stage of cooking - at the beginning, still in cold water, or in hot water, already boiling.

Rules for boiling

Many people are wary of throwing eggs into boiling water. The main argument against it is shell cracking.Indeed, if they are cold, just from the refrigerator, then the shell will burst due to a strong temperature difference. But if the testicles lie on the table at room temperature for at least 2 hours or in warm water for 20–30 minutes, then the contrast will not be so strong. The risk of cracking will not increase.

Advantages of this method:

• High cooking speed. In just 3–4 minutes, soft-boiled eggs will be ready, in 5–7 minutes – medium eggs, in 10–15 minutes – hard-boiled.
• The protein folds immediately, sharply, which means the risk of it sticking to the shell is reduced.

What are the rules for boiling?

1. Wait for the water to boil.
2. Reduce heat to low.
3. Gently drop the room temperature eggs into the water on a spoon.
4. Do not use the lid.
5. Cook for 10-15 minutes over low heat to obtain hard-boiled eggs.

Adding 2-3 teaspoons of salt to water (per 1 liter) helps reduce the risk of shell cracking. If the shell breaks, the white will instantly coagulate in salted water and seal the crack.

Cooking with gradual heating of water

You can put eggs that have just been taken out of the refrigerator into cold water. Some housewives give them 15–20 minutes to warm up. Next, place the pan on the fire and wait for it to start boiling. Only after this the cooking time is noted: 3–4, 5–7, 10–15 minutes for soft-boiled, medium and hard-boiled eggs, respectively. The disadvantage of this method is the smooth folding of the protein. The process begins even before the water begins to boil. As a result, the protein sticks to the shell and can be difficult to clean.

Fresh eggs have a low pH of the white, which causes it to attach tightly to the shell when cooked. But over time, the PH level increases. For easy cleaning, it is recommended not to boil the eggs immediately, but to keep them in the refrigerator for one week.

Cooking without shell

This dish is called a poached egg, and is borrowed from French cuisine. How to cook it, and what kind of water to throw the eggs into?

1. Place a small saucepan of water on the fire.
2. Add 3-4 teaspoons of salt or vinegar.
3. When the water boils, make a funnel by stirring the water vigorously with a spoon.
4. Quickly beat in the egg at the edge to swirl it into a whirlpool.
5. Remove the poached meat with a slotted spoon after 3-4 minutes.

An ideal poached dish has a flattened oval shape, a fully cooked, tender white and a runny yolk. When cut, it flows onto the plate. You can also use a tiller or tie a broken egg in a bag. But when lowering the egg mass, the water must always be hot.

So, can you put eggs in boiling water? Yes, you can definitely do this. However, it is important that they are not cold, otherwise the shell will crack and the white will spread. Warm them slightly before cooking by keeping them in warm water. To prevent the shells from sticking and to clean them well, immediately after boiling, place the eggs under a stream of cold water.