Eggs are a versatile source of protein that can be scrambled, fried, poached or hard or soft boiled. Boiled eggs can be the hardest to make because you can't see how done the egg is until you take it out of its shell. There are several ways to boil eggs.
Soft Boiled
To make a soft-boiled egg, heat water on the stove top to about 150 degrees F. Use a thermometer, or keep the water just below boiling. You can add about 1 tsp. of vinegar to prevent egg white from leaking out of cracks, but this may affect the taste. After about four minutes, the egg whites will be semi-solid. After about five minutes, they'll be solid and white, but will still flow a little. At about six minutes, the yolk begins to thicken, but still flows. After about nine minutes, the egg is one step below hard boiled; most of the yolk is hardened, but not yet opaque.
Hard Boiled
Hard boiled eggs can be put in a salad, soup, or eaten as a snack. Start with cold water--just enough to cover the eggs. Again, you can add vinegar to help prevent whites from leaking through any cracks. Bring the water up to a boil. Once it boils let it sit for about a minute, then cover and take it off the heat. Let the eggs sit for about 10 or 12 minutes. After you take them out, place them in cold water to stop the cooking.
Poached Eggs
Poached eggs can be a little tricky. First make sure you have a pot or pan that's deep enough that you can completely cover the eggs with water, and the eggs don't touch the bottom. The pot must also be big enough so the eggs don't touch each other. Break the eggs into a bowl or plate to avoid breaking the yolk and check for bad eggs. Ideally, the water will be between 160 and 180 degrees F; use a thermometer, or bring the water up to a boil, then down to a simmer. If you don't mind the taste of vinegar, add it to the water to help the eggs maintain shape. Gently place each of the eggs into the water and don't touch them until you're ready to take them out. About 3 minutes produces medium-firm yolks, so add or subtract a minute or less to make your yolks more or less firm. Once you're ready, remove the eggs with a slotted spoon.
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