Learn how to know when boiled eggs are done to avoid over-cooking them! Eggs are super delicious foods on their own and are widely used in sandwiches/salads. It easily adds a protein boost to everyday meals! In today’s post, I will teach you how to know when boiled eggs are done. Few people find it difficult to know when an egg is done cooking. There are different ways to cook a hard-boiled egg. The accurate answer really depends on the style of boiled egg you prefer. You can keep on reading further to learn more about how to know when boiled eggs are done.

How To Know When Boiled Eggs Are Done?

In this section, we will discuss how to know when boiled eggs are done. When it comes to boiling an egg, timing is everything! Before you make a quick protein snack you need to know how long to boil eggs.

You can use the following methods to learn how to know when hard-boiled eggs are done.

1. Spin the egg

The easiest way to learn how to know when boiled eggs are done is to spin the egg on a flat surface. Now, an uncooked egg will wobble and spin slowly as it is filled up with liquid. On the other side, a boiled egg will spin very quickly and easily.

Simply place a raw egg and a cooked egg on the flat side of the shell and spin it. Doing this will help you to compare cooked and uncooked eggs to know if it is done.

You can keep on reading further to learn more about how to know when boiled eggs are done.

2. Peel the egg

You can easily know if your hard-boiled egg is done by simply cracking the egg. Follow these steps to learn how to know when boiled eggs are done.

• Remove your egg from the boiling water with a large spatula.
• Hold the egg under running water for a minute to cool it down.
• Place the egg on a flat surface and start peeling the egg with your fingers.
• You can also crack the surface of the egg with the back of the spoon.
• Using a knife, cut the egg in half and examine the yolk.

If the yolk is solid and yellow, your egg is cooked properly. But if the yolk is runny, it means it is not fully cooked. Also, the egg white should be firm and not rubbery. When the egg is overcooked, a green ring will appear around the yolk.

You can keep on reading to know how to tell if an egg is hard-boiled without opening it.

3. Hold it up to the light

It may sound a bit funny but you can actually use light to check if it’s done cooking or not! For this method, you’ll need a strong and direct flashlight. Hold your egg in a dark space and put a flashlight behind it. A boiled egg will be completely solid and very little light will pass through except around the edges. This is because cooked egg white prevented light from breaking through.

However, you will see the egg yolk inside the raw egg which clearly indicates it is still raw in the center. You can cook it more for a while and then repeat the process again.

You can keep on reading to find out how to know when brown eggs are done boiling.

4. Drop in warm water

Another quick and simple way to check if your boiled egg is done is to drop it in a bowl of warm water. An uncooked, raw egg will release tiny air bubbles from the shell as soon as you put it in warm water. However, there will be no air bubbles released when the egg is fully cooked. Just make sure you keep an eye on the bubbles that rise from the egg to tell whether the egg is raw or cooked!

Do hard-boiled eggs float when they are done? Yes, hard-boiled eggs usually float when are done when the egg is older.

5. Shake the egg

You can easily learn how to know when boiled eggs are done by doing this test. This method needs a bit of practice to get it right. You’ve to simply hold the egg close to your ear and give it a gentle shake. If you hear and feel the liquid moving around, your egg is still uncooked. Generally, a cooked egg will sound and feel different from a raw egg. You won’t hear or feel any liquid moving around from cooked eggs.

The only drawback of this method is that you have to handle a hot egg straight from the boiling water. You can hold the egg with a paper or fabric towel to avoid getting burnt.

6. Use a thermometer

Last but not the least, you can even use a thermometer to check if a boiled egg is done or not. You can follow these steps to learn how to know when boiled eggs are done.

1. Remove your egg from the boiling water with a large spatula.
2. Place the egg on a paper towel or a cloth.
3. Do not cool down the egg as you may get an inaccurate reading.
4. Gently push the sharp end of the thermometer into the center of the egg.
5. Now, leave it there for a couple of seconds and check the readings.

For this method, you can use an infrared thermometer to get accurate readings. If the reading is 160°F, your eggs are at a soft-boiled stage. It should not be lower than the 158 to 170 °F range.

If the reading is higher than this range, this means you’ve overcooked your egg. It will look dry and chalky but can be eaten.

You can keep on reading to learn how long does it take to hard boil an egg.

Time Required To Boil An Egg

I hope now you’ve understood how to know when boiled eggs are done. People like to boil eggs in different ways like soft, firm, or hard. Whether you like completely boiled eggs or slightly softer eggs, you must know how long does it take to boil eggs.

About 4 to 5 minutes are enough to soft-boil an egg. Make sure you immediately take the egg out of the boiling water to avoid further cooking. This type of boiled egg will have a slightly runny center and can eat with toast or a salad.

If you want a slightly firmer egg yolk, you can leave the egg in the water for 6 minutes. Again, make sure you remove the egg quickly from the boiling water. This type of boiled egg will have a custard-like texture.

You can leave the egg in water for about 10 minutes if you want a firm yolk. This type of boiled egg will have a bit creamy with some liquid texture.

If you want a completely hard-boiled egg, leave it in the water for about 12 minutes. Make sure your timing is exact and use the right water. Tap water has higher levels of iron and can affect the outcome. Make sure you use filtered water to boil your eggs.

Spoilage Signs Of Cooked Eggs

After learning how to know when boiled eggs are done, you must be wondering how to know if hard-boiled eggs are bad. Usually, a spoiled hard-boiled egg will have a distinctive, unpleasant odor. You have to crack the eggshell to do this smell test. Sometimes, it will develop a slimy or chalky texture and the yolk will become paler in color.

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FAQ

Do Eggs Float When Done Boiling?

As an egg ages, this air cell grows larger as the yolk and white further contract. Therefore, an older egg is less dense and more likely to float in boiling water. Store-bought eggs can last several weeks beyond their sell-by date or expiration date.

Can You Overcook Boiled Eggs?

If you boil an egg for five or 10 minutes, it becomes firm and cooked. If you boil it for hours, it becomes rubbery and overcooked.

Is It OK To Eat A Floating Egg?

The float test works because air builds up inside the egg as it ages, increasing its buoyancy. However, an egg that floats may still be safe to eat, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

What Happens If Hard-Boiled Eggs Don’t Float?

An egg can sink and still be bad, while an egg that floats may still be fine to eat (2). Checking whether an egg sinks or floats is a popular way to check how fresh it is. However, it can’t tell you if an egg has gone bad.

Is 5 Minutes Enough To Boil Egg?

Set your timer for 4-5 mins for runny/dippy eggs to serve with soldiers, or 6-7 mins for soft-boiled eggs for a salad. If serving in a salad, plunge the eggs into a bowl of cold water as soon as the timer goes off – this will stop them cooking and cool the shells quickly for peeling.

Conclusion

In the above post, I’ve explained how to know when boiled eggs are done in detail. Making perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs is not harder than it sounds. Simply boil the egg for about 10 to 15 minutes and then check if it’s done by doing the above tests. You can use this guide when it comes to how do you know when eggs are done boiling for deviled eggs. You either spin the egg or hold it up to the light. Once you understand how to know when boiled eggs are done, you can easily tell if an egg is done without cracking the shell.