Mr. Sickles and I figured we needed to perfect the art of all things egg since we’re chicken farmers. We’re big on quiche (cheese-less for this dairy-free gal), scrambles, dutch babies, over-easy, over-hard, baked goods, breads. We’re a veritable Bubba Gump of egg dishes. But we could never achieve usable boiled eggs … until Mr. Sickles started piercing the shell. Now we get a perfect egg, with 100% usable whites, every time. Now we’re the eggsperts.
- Get a big pot of water to a low rolling boil — make sure there’s enough water to cover the eggs. Also make sure you’ve got a heavy pan with a lid that will let you boil water without it steaming over.
- Pierce the bigger end of the egg with a thumb tack.
- Use tongs to hold the egg just inside the water on its side, with the pierced hole under the surface. Wait until it bubbles, then set it on the bottom.
- Cover and turn the water down to medium-low. I like hard boiled eggs, so we set the timer for 12 minutes. If you want a softer yolk, set it for 9 – 12 minutes. We figure a jammy egg (BARF, but that’s what Mr. Sickles prefers), needs about 7 minutes.
- Remove from heat, pour out the hot water and add make an ice bath. When you crack the shells, splash it under fresh water and peel. Wah-lah.