Thread: 3 mmin egg mystery

"notbob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:FwCyj.119$[email protected]..
> What's the deal with the famous "three minute egg"? I mean, how the heck
> can a real egg be soft-boiled in 3 mins? I've never cooked one for less
> than 4:30 secs and it still has a runny whites.

I use 4 minutes for X-large eggs. Put eggs in the water, bring to a boil,
turn off the heat and let stand 4 minutes. Perfect to my liking. For hard
cooked, let stand 8 to 10 minutes.

The message <FwCyj.119$[email protected]>
from notbob <[email protected]> contains these words:

> What's the deal with the famous "three minute egg"? I mean, how the heck
> can a real egg be soft-boiled in 3 mins? I've never cooked one for less
> than 4:30 secs and it still has a runny whites. Am I supposed to let it sit
> for a certain amount of time before cracking, like seen in old English
> movies where the egg is served in an egg cup

I still serve them in egg cups, with set whites and soft yolks, runny
enough to dip soldiers in.
( fingers of buttered bread or toast).I always use largest size,
free-range eggs.

Here's how . (I live at sea level)

Get the eggs out of the fridge half an hour before cooking, and let
them warm up a bit in the kitchen. This prevents cracking.

Boil a pan of water, add eggs gently with a spoon, and bring back to
the boil. From when the water starts bubbling at the edge of the pan,
set timer for 4 mins without a lid. When timer goes off remove eggs
from pan.

Janet.

On Mar 2, 1:40 pm, notbob <not...@nothome.com> wrote:
> What's the deal with the famous "three minute egg"? I mean, how the heck
> can a real egg be soft-boiled in 3 mins? I've never cooked one for less
> than 4:30 secs and it still has a runny whites. Am I supposed to let it sit
> for a certain amount of time before cracking, like seen in old English
> movies where the egg is served in an egg cup and broken by some persnickety
> old barrister who chastises the maid for bringing an improperly cooked egg?
>
> I boiled two lrg eggs this morning, cooked a timed 4:30 secs for the both
> after the water was at boil, and waited 2 mins before cracking (lotsa
> retained heat). Still runny whites around the yolk. Dammit! What's the
> secret time to getting a soft-boiled egg with cooked whites and runny yolk.
> I'd settle for a little overcooked yolk on the outside if the whites were
> beyond the Afrin-required snot stage and there's still enough liquid yolk to
> paint funny faces on my pancake. Could it be soft-boiled eggs are
> traditionally supposed to include some runny white. What's the deal?
>
> nb

youre not giving enough info on your method. how large are the eggs,
were they room temperature, exactly how did you go about boiling
them? did you drop them into boiling water or did you start out with
cold water and time them after the water began to boil? huh? how did
you do it?

On 2008-03-02, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:

>> I boiled two lrg eggs this morning, cooked a timed 4:30 secs for the both
>> after the water was at boil, and waited 2 mins before cracking....

> youre not giving enough info on your method. how large are the eggs,
> were they room temperature, exactly how did you go about boiling
> them? did you drop them into boiling water......

You need to read a little closer. I answered 2 of your 3 questions. For
the 3rd, the eggs were refrigerator cold, a good question.

nb

cshenk wrote on Sun, 2 Mar 2008 15:24:44 -0500:

??>> What's the deal with the famous "three minute egg"? I
??>> mean, how the heck can a real egg be soft-boiled in 3
??>> mins? I've never cooked one for less than 4:30 secs and
??>> it still has a runny whites. Am I supposed to let it sit

c> Smile 2 things. 1- the whites are supposed to still be
c> somewhat runny, thats why they are called 'soft cooked'.
c> What you seem to want is a hot hard boiled egg?

There are going to be two sets of approved times. One for those
who take eggs straight from the fridge and the other for those
whose eggs are at room temperature. We always kept eggs in the
fridge, hence my 5 1/2 minutes for my preferred egg.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On 2-Mar-2008, notbob <[email protected]> wrote:

> What's the deal with the famous "three minute egg"? I mean, how the heck
> can a real egg be soft-boiled in 3 mins? I've never cooked one for less
> than 4:30 secs and it still has a runny whites.
<SNIP>
> What's the secret time to getting a soft-boiled egg with cooked whites
> and runny
> yolk. I'd settle for a little overcooked yolk on the outside if the whites
> were
> beyond the Afrin-required snot stage and there's still enough liquid yolk
> to paint funny faces on my pancake. Could it be soft-boiled eggs are
> traditionally supposed to include some runny white. What's the deal?
>
> nb

To answer questions like this I always turn to Shirley Corriher's
indispensible book, CookWise.
"Softcooked Eggs
Warm one or two eggs per person to room temperature by putting them in a
bowl of hot tap water for 4-5 minutes. Fill a saucepan with enought water
to cover the eggs by 1 inch and bring to a boil. Stir 1 teaspoon salt into
the water. Carefully lower the eggs into the water, bring back to a boil,
then turn heat down to a low simmer. At 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 minutes, the eggs
are cooked, but some of the while is still soft to runny. At 4 minutes, the
white is firm and yolk runny . . . Hold the eggs briefly under cold running
water to stop the cooking."

If you don't have this book, I highly recommend it to anyone whose interest
in cooking goes beyond just having something to eat.

If you already have a copy, shame on you for not remembering it is the best
source for answers to questions such as this. ;-)

--
Change Cujo to Juno in email address.

l, wrote on Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:52:24 GMT:

??>> What's the deal with the famous "three minute egg"? I
??>> mean, how the heck can a real egg be soft-boiled in 3
??>> mins? I've never cooked one for less than 4:30 secs and
??>> it still has a runny whites.
lnl> <SNIP>
??>> What's the secret time to getting a soft-boiled egg with
??>> cooked whites and runny yolk. I'd settle for a little
??>> overcooked yolk on the outside if the whites were beyond
??>> the Afrin-required snot stage and there's still enough
??>> liquid yolk to paint funny faces on my pancake. Could it
??>> be soft-boiled eggs are traditionally supposed to include
??>> some runny white. What's the deal?
??>>
??>> nb

lnl> To answer questions like this I always turn to Shirley
lnl> Corriher's indispensible book, CookWise.
lnl> "Softcooked Eggs

Thanks, but the time allotted to breakfast was extremely limited
and warming up cold eggs was not something we ever did. I
suppose I never will warm them up either :-)

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"James Silverton" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> Now, let's add another question: how do you remove the top of the egg? I
> use a quick slicing with a knife. I know some people carefully remove the
> top of the shell before cutting thro'. There used once to be an
> upper/lower class divide here but I can't remember how it went :-)
>
>
> James Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland
>
> E-mail, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

We don't take the top off. I like to give the center a couple of taps with
a knife and split it in half, then scoop the halves into a warmed custard
cup. If the egg is perfect, you can eat the white first, then the yolk in
one tasty spoonful.

The message <uCDyj.7266$e_.3139@trnddc03>
from "James Silverton" <[email protected]> contains these words:

> Now, let's add another question: how do you remove the top of
> the egg?

With the teaspoon I'm about to eat it with. This takes off the top
containing some white, which I eat with the spoon. Next, soldiers are
dipped in the decapitated egg. Finally, what's left gets eaten from the
shell with the spoon.It's then very important to break the bottom of the
shell with the spoon, to prevent witches using it as a boat.

Janet

Mark Thorson wrote:
> notbob wrote:
>> I boiled two lrg eggs this morning, cooked a timed 4:30 secs for the both
>> after the water was at boil, and waited 2 mins before cracking (lotsa
>> retained heat). Still runny whites around the yolk. Dammit! What's the
>> secret time to getting a soft-boiled egg with cooked whites and runny yolk.
>
> Try using small or medium eggs.


I guess that does make a difference. I usually have jumbo
eggs at home and, at our altitude of 5800 feet*, it takes
about 7 minutes to achieve soft yolk, solid white, and 30
seconds more if more than one egg is cooked.

gloria p

*Remember that water boils at ~2 degrees cooler every 1000
ft, above sea level.

"Janet Baraclough" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> The message <uCDyj.7266$e_.3139@trnddc03>
> from "James Silverton" <[email protected]> contains these
> words:
>
>> Now, let's add another question: how do you remove the top of
>> the egg?
>
> With the teaspoon I'm about to eat it with. This takes off the top
> containing some white, which I eat with the spoon. Next, soldiers are
> dipped in the decapitated egg. Finally, what's left gets eaten from the
> shell with the spoon.It's then very important to break the bottom of the
> shell with the spoon, to prevent witches using it as a boat.
>
> Janet

Oh, very important! But my Irish friends tell me they break the shells so
the fairies won't leave Ireland!

Felice

On Sun 02 Mar 2008 11:40:37a, notbob told us...

> What's the deal with the famous "three minute egg"? I mean, how the
> heck can a real egg be soft-boiled in 3 mins? I've never cooked one for
> less than 4:30 secs and it still has a runny whites. Am I supposed to
> let it sit for a certain amount of time before cracking, like seen in
> old English movies where the egg is served in an egg cup and broken by
> some persnickety old barrister who chastises the maid for bringing an
> improperly cooked egg?
>
> I boiled two lrg eggs this morning, cooked a timed 4:30 secs for the
> both after the water was at boil, and waited 2 mins before cracking
> (lotsa retained heat). Still runny whites around the yolk. Dammit!
> What's the secret time to getting a soft-boiled egg with cooked whites
> and runny yolk. I'd settle for a little overcooked yolk on the outside
> if the whites were beyond the Afrin-required snot stage and there's
> still enough liquid yolk to paint funny faces on my pancake. Could it
> be soft-boiled eggs are traditionally supposed to include some runny
> white. What's the deal?
>
> nb
>

5 minutes? Even 6 would probably not over do it.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Sunday, 03(III)/02(II)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
12wks 3hrs 20mins
-------------------------------------------
The cream rises to the top. So does
the scum...
-------------------------------------------

"notbob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:FwCyj.119$[email protected]..
> What's the deal with the famous "three minute egg"? I mean, how the heck
> can a real egg be soft-boiled in 3 mins? I've never cooked one for less
> than 4:30 secs and it still has a runny whites. Am I supposed to let it
> sit
> for a certain amount of time before cracking, like seen in old English
> movies where the egg is served in an egg cup and broken by some
> persnickety
> old barrister who chastises the maid for bringing an improperly cooked
> egg?
>
> I boiled two lrg eggs this morning, cooked a timed 4:30 secs for the both
> after the water was at boil, and waited 2 mins before cracking (lotsa
> retained heat). Still runny whites around the yolk. Dammit! What's the
> secret time to getting a soft-boiled egg with cooked whites and runny
> yolk.
> I'd settle for a little overcooked yolk on the outside if the whites were
> beyond the Afrin-required snot stage and there's still enough liquid yolk
> to
> paint funny faces on my pancake. Could it be soft-boiled eggs are
> traditionally supposed to include some runny white. What's the deal?
>
> nb

I just recently started making soft boiled eggs. I was longing for the way
my mother made them many years ago. I found that large eggs that had been
set out of the fridge for 30 or more minutes need a good strong 5 minutes of
boil. If in doubt I go another 30 seconds. This is with the water at a
medium boil before adding the eggs, and I live at 5300 feet altitude. I put
them in the warm water for a few seconds as it is warming up and this
prevents the shells from cracking in the hot water. They have been really
great. I split them and scoop them out over toast with salt and pepper.
Just like mom's!!

DP

On Sun, 2 Mar 2008 19:56:09 -0500, "Felice" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>
>"Janet Baraclough" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]..
>> The message <uCDyj.7266$e_.3139@trnddc03>
>> from "James Silverton" <[email protected]> contains these
>> words:
>>
>>> Now, let's add another question: how do you remove the top of
>>> the egg?
>>
>> With the teaspoon I'm about to eat it with. This takes off the top
>> containing some white, which I eat with the spoon. Next, soldiers are
>> dipped in the decapitated egg. Finally, what's left gets eaten from the
>> shell with the spoon.It's then very important to break the bottom of the
>> shell with the spoon, to prevent witches using it as a boat.
>>
>> Janet
>
>Oh, very important! But my Irish friends tell me they break the shells so
>the fairies won't leave Ireland!
>
>Felice
>

um, i think that ship has sailed.

your pal,
blake

"blake murphy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> On Sun, 2 Mar 2008 19:56:09 -0500, "Felice" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>>
>>"Janet Baraclough" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:[email protected]. .
<snip>
>>> With the teaspoon I'm about to eat it with. This takes off the top
>>> containing some white, which I eat with the spoon. Next, soldiers are
>>> dipped in the decapitated egg. Finally, what's left gets eaten from the
>>> shell with the spoon.It's then very important to break the bottom of the
>>> shell with the spoon, to prevent witches using it as a boat.
>>>
>>> Janet
>>
>>Oh, very important! But my Irish friends tell me they break the shells so
>>the fairies won't leave Ireland!
>>
>>Felice
>
> um, i think that ship has sailed.
>
> your pal,
> blake

Oh, some of them stayed behind. But they don't show themselves to
non-believers.

Felice

On Mon 03 Mar 2008 09:47:12a, Felice told us...

>
> "blake murphy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]..
>> On Sun, 2 Mar 2008 19:56:09 -0500, "Felice" <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>>"Janet Baraclough" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>>news:[email protected] ..
> <snip>
>>>> With the teaspoon I'm about to eat it with. This takes off the top
>>>> containing some white, which I eat with the spoon. Next, soldiers are
>>>> dipped in the decapitated egg. Finally, what's left gets eaten from
the
>>>> shell with the spoon.It's then very important to break the bottom of
the
>>>> shell with the spoon, to prevent witches using it as a boat.
>>>>
>>>> Janet
>>>
>>>Oh, very important! But my Irish friends tell me they break the shells
so
>>>the fairies won't leave Ireland!
>>>
>>>Felice
>>
>> um, i think that ship has sailed.
>>
>> your pal,
>> blake
>
> Oh, some of them stayed behind. But they don't show themselves to
> non-believers.
>
> Felice
>
>
>

You're saying they're still in the closet? :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Monday, 03(III)/03(III)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
11wks 6dys 6hrs 20mins
-------------------------------------------
He's a cat of many mistakes; a man of
faux pas....
-------------------------------------------

On Mon 03 Mar 2008 10:42:12a, notbob told us...

> On 2008-03-03, Dale P <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> great. I split them and scoop them out over toast with salt and pepper.
>> Just like mom's!!
>
> Same here, Dale. OTOH, I sometimes just pan-fry the egg over-easy and
add
> to toast. Fastest toast/egg breaky ever. You might try a hot sauce for
> variation. Cholula Hot Sauce is killer.
>
> nb
>

That's my favorite hot sauce for eggs.


--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Monday, 03(III)/03(III)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
11wks 6dys 6hrs 20mins
-------------------------------------------
He's a cat of many mistakes; a man of
faux pas....
-------------------------------------------

notbob wrote:
> On 2008-03-03, Dale P <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> great. I split them and scoop them out over toast with salt and pepper.
>> Just like mom's!!
>
> Same here, Dale. OTOH, I sometimes just pan-fry the egg over-easy and add
> to toast. Fastest toast/egg breaky ever. You might try a hot sauce for
> variation. Cholula Hot Sauce is killer.
>
> nb

That's not really a boiled egg, but if you want to start a side-thread
with other ways to cook an egg... Here's my attempt at usefulness...

Butter a slice of bread and put it butter-side-down into your skillet.
Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press a dent into the middle of
the dry side of the bread.
Crack an egg into the dent, season it, maybe add a sprinkle of grated
cheese, cover the pan, and turn the heat on to "medium" for a duration
of time depending upon your stove and tastes.
The bread toasts while the egg bakes.
It works with a patty of leftover stuffing from Thanksgiving dinner
instead of bread, too.

"Mark Allread" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] t...
<snip>
> That's not really a boiled egg, but if you want to start a side-thread
> with other ways to cook an egg... Here's my attempt at usefulness...
>
> Butter a slice of bread and put it butter-side-down into your skillet.
> Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press a dent into the middle of the
> dry side of the bread.
> Crack an egg into the dent, season it, maybe add a sprinkle of grated
> cheese, cover the pan, and turn the heat on to "medium" for a duration of
> time depending upon your stove and tastes.
> The bread toasts while the egg bakes.
> It works with a patty of leftover stuffing from Thanksgiving dinner
> instead of bread, too.

Gashouse eggs, they were once known as! I used to cut a real hole for the
egg, though. Must try it some morning.

Felice