By
Bornika Das
Updated:May 24, 2023
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Have you ever faced the problem of the egg shells cracking up while boiling the eggs? This is because of several reasons. However, you need not to worry as we have collated some tricks that will prevent the eggs from cracking up. Read below to know more.
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Eggs | Image Credit: Pexels.com
Eggs are a versatile food that can be eaten at every meal. Ranging from scrambled eggs to omelettes to egg curries, they are rich in proteins, vitamins, and other essential minerals. However, one of the basic things that can be prepared with an egg is a hard-boiled egg. All you need are eggs, a saucepan, and water. Be it for a healthy breakfast or snack, hard-boiled eggs can be consumed as is, with some salt and black pepper sprinkled on top, or as a base for egg salad or deviled eggs.
But what arises as the major problem while boiling the egg is the cracking of the shell. Cracking up eggs allows the egg white to escape into the water, which makes it almost inedible. Although this phenomenon occurs every now and then, it can be handled with the right tips and tricks.
Check out a few hacks to prevent eggs from cracking while boiling:
1. Eggs Must Be At Room Temperature Before Boiling
If you keep the eggs in the refrigerator, bring them to room temperature before boiling them. Boling cold eggs may put them at risk of cracking up. This happens because the gases heat up and expand within the shells, creating great pressure. Thus, gases escape by cracking weak points in the shell. If you have less time to bring the eggs to room temperature, try soaking the cold eggs in hot tap water for a few minutes before cooking.
2. Add Salt To The Water While Boiling
Adding a teaspoon of salt to the water can prevent eggs from cracking. Fill the saucepan with water and add a teaspoon of salt. Gently put the eggs into the water and cook them for 10 minutes. You’ll get a perfectly cooked yolk.
3. Release Trapped Gas To Avoid Cracking
Before boiling the egg, prick the larger portion of the shell gently with a clean thumbtack or safety pin. This enables the trapped air bubbles, which are responsible for cracking, to escape during the boiling process, thus giving a perfectly cooked egg.
If you overcrowd the eggs in a saucepan while boiling, there’s a high chance of the eggs getting cracked. Stalk the eggs very gently into the saucepan. You should only boil one layer of eggs at a time, and they should not be pressing against each other. Boiling too many eggs at once can make some of the eggs crack from the weight and contact with other eggs.
5. Never Drop The Eggs Into Boiling Water
You should never drop the eggs into boiling water, which will crack the shells and make the egg white run, making it poached. By exposing the cold eggs to warm or hot water, you are "shocking" them with a sudden temperature shift, which causes the eggs to crack. Besides, cold water helps prevent the eggs from overcooking.
Lastly, this is one of the easiest tricks to prevent the eggs from cracking. Note that for one egg, one teaspoon of vinegar is needed. Fill the saucepan with water and add vinegar according to the number of eggs. Put the pan on the heat and allow the eggs to get cooked. It is said that adding vinegar to the water helps the protein in the egg white coagulate faster and prevent any cracks that may develop in the shell.
FAQs
Just a teaspoon of salt can efficiently prevent the eggs from cracking during the boiling process. Fill a pot with water, put on the heat and mix 1 tsp salt in it. When it comes to a boil, gently drop the eggs into the pot and boil them for 10 minutes to get the perfectly cooked yolk.
How to prevent eggs cracking when boiling? ›
Just a teaspoon of salt can efficiently prevent the eggs from cracking during the boiling process. Fill a pot with water, put on the heat and mix 1 tsp salt in it. When it comes to a boil, gently drop the eggs into the pot and boil them for 10 minutes to get the perfectly cooked yolk.
How to prevent an egg from cracking when dropped? ›
Wrap the egg in bubble wrap and tape it securely. The air pockets in the bubble wrap provide a cushion for the egg, preventing it from cracking on impact.
Why crack eggs before boiling? ›
Pricking the egg provides a quick escape route for the air, which gives you an egg with a smoothly rounded end. If you prick an egg, watch for a jet of air shooting from the hole as the egg cooks.
How to boil an egg perfectly? ›
Put the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is at a rolling boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot with the lid. Allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for the following times according to the desired doneness: 3 minutes for SOFT boiled; 6 minutes for MEDIUM boiled; 12 minutes for HARD boiled.
How to best hard boil eggs? ›
Instructions
- Place your eggs in a single layer on the bottom of your pot and cover with cold water. ...
- Over high heat, bring your eggs to a rolling boil.
- Remove from heat and let stand in water for 10-12 minutes for large eggs. ...
- Drain water and immediately run cold water over eggs until cooled.
#2: Making easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs requires shocking them in cold water. After 13 minutes at a low simmer (not a boil—see full method below & read the tips to prevent cracking), immediately put the eggs in ice water to make them easy to peel. Shocking them in ice-cold water stops the cooking process.
Is baking soda or vinegar better for hard-boiled eggs? ›
Egg Peeling Method #1: Boiling Eggs with Baking Soda
The higher pH of older eggs allows the whites to separate from the inner shell membrane, which makes them easier to peel.
Can you eat 2 week old hard-boiled eggs? ›
The FDA recommends consuming hard-boiled eggs within a week, and two weeks is well past that deadline. Since spoiled hard-boiled eggs can make you sick, it's best to be safe and toss out any leftover hard-boiled eggs that have been in the fridge for more than one week.
What do you put in the water when you boil eggs so they don t crack? ›
Add vinegar to the water.
Use one teaspoon of vinegar for each egg, and pour it directly into the water before you turn the heat on. Adding vinegar to the water helps the proteins in the egg white coagulate faster to plug any cracks that develop in the shell.
Let eggs come to room temperature before boiling by taking them out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before cooking. This helps reduce the temperature shock that can cause cracking. Adding a small amount of vinegar or salt to the water may help strengthen the egg whites and reduce the chances of cracking.
Why do people tap the top of a boiled egg? ›
The tapping and subsequent ping are supposedly an indication that the egg has separated from its inner membrane—if you've ever struggled to peel a hardboiled egg, then I'm sure you know that the pesky membrane between the shell and the egg itself can be a paper-thin but mighty barrier between you and a beautifully ...
Should you add eggs to the water before or after the water begins to boil? ›
You might have heard that you should drop your eggs into room temperature or cold water and then bring the water to a boil. This is a myth. In our tests, bringing the water to a boil first and then lowering the eggs into the bath made for easy peeling and more accurate timing.
Should I pierce eggs before boiling? ›
Egg Safety: To Pierce Or Not Before Boiling
Some people pierce the raw egg shell before hard-boiling to make it easier to peel when cooked. Piercing egg shells before cooking is not recommended.
How do you keep a boiled egg runny? ›
Method
- Fill a medium sized saucepan with water and bring to a rolling boil.
- Make sure your eggs aren't fridge cold. ...
- 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.
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