How Long to Boil an Egg? Soft, Medium and Hard

Method

1. Bring a pot of water to the boil, deep enough to cover the eggs by about 2 cm.
2. Lower the eggs in gently with a spoon, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and start the timer.
3. When it rings, move the eggs straight into cold or iced water for a minute or two.

Tips

• Times are for large eggs (about 60 g) straight from the fridge. Allow 30–60 seconds more for extra-large eggs, about a minute less for eggs at room temperature.
• Keep it to a gentle simmer so the eggs don't knock against each other and crack.
• The cold-water dip stops the cooking — it is what keeps a soft-boiled yolk runny.
• A pinch of salt or a splash of vinegar in the water won't stop a shell cracking, but it helps the white set quickly if one does, instead of leaking out.
• Starting eggs in boiling water (not cold) makes them easier to peel. Eggs a week or more old peel more easily than very fresh ones; some cooks add half a teaspoon of baking soda for the same reason.