Is it possible to boil an egg too long?

[TheWizardOfMudd]

There was a thread about boiling eggs a while back. I used to have the problem of eggs cracking while boiling. But I solved it by heating them slowly to a boil so there is no drastic temperature change. The result is that they are probably done by the time I get them boiling good, but I still boil them for ten minutes.

Once they get hard-boiled, they can't get any more done, can they?

[supernova]

1. Technically no

but the last time I boiled eggs, I just brought them to a boil then turned the stove off. I let them sit in the boiling hot water for about 5-10 minutes.

If you overcook eggs, that's when you get the green coating on the yolk.

[TheWizardOfMudd]

2. Serious question

Do you mean green around the white or the yoke?

[supernova]

3. The Yolk

If you see a grey-green coating on the yolk when you open the egg, then you've overcooked it.

Nothing wrong with it; it's still edible. It's just overdone.

[jean]

9. here's a recipe - it explains why the green 'dark line' happens - - -

The recipe was developed by the Georgia Egg Board.

The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg

excerpt:

Chilling the eggs promptly after each step prevents that dark line from forming, and if time allows, leave the eggs in the ice water after the last step for 15 to 20 minutes. Chilled eggs are easier to peel, as well.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : The perfect hard boiled egg has a tender white, and a yolk properly set. There is not the faintest darkening of yolk where the white encircles it (a chemical reaction caused by too much heat in the cooking process).

[DemoTex]

4. The ticket is (as told to me by my new hen-haus-frau)

Don't try to hard-boil a new egg. A week-old egg does much better. Also, if you need a centered-yolk, lay the carton on it's side a few hours before the boiling.

If you get the munchies late at night, consider the simple omelet. Break three eggs in a bowl. Add about 1/8 cup of whole milk or chicken stock. Add about 1 tsp powdered marjoram. Beat eggs again. Get butter foaming in skillet. Turn egg mix into skillet. Once edges harden, sprinkle with cooked mushrooms and cheese. Fold over, cook a while, then flip.

Enjoy. Now where the hell are those eggs?

[minkyboodle]

5. sure

there are different levels of hard boiled. The more you boil them the harder the yolk will become and the egg whites tend to get more rubbery as well. The method I use for boiling eggs is as follows
Start in cold water with a tsp of salt (helps prevent cracking)
Bring eggs to a boil and remove from heat and cover for 15 minutes
then transfer them to ice water and peel immediately after removing them from the ice water bath
Worked for Alton Brown and it works great for me :)

[Fridays Child]

6. I've accidentally left them boiling for 15 to 20 minutes...

...and they were fine.

Normally, I cover the pan, bring them to a full, rolling boil, turn off the heat, and set the timer for ten minutes. Also week-old eggs peel best. Since eggs are usually delivered to the store every day, you can count on them being pretty fresh, whenever you buy them. So, if you're going to bring deviled eggs to a potluck, for example, get the eggs a week ahead of time, let them sit in the fridge, then boil them.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. One you bring the water to a boil,

cover the eggs, turn off the heat, and let them sit for 12 minutes. Don't worry, they're still cooking. After 12 minutes, put the pan in the sink and slowly run cold water into the pan. This stops the cooking process, and you'll have perfect eggs. :)

[Red State Rebel]

8. My tip for the day..

Add a splash of vinegar to the water and if there are any undetectable cracks, this will stop the white from oozing out all over the water. It may ooze a bit, but not badly.

Also, the older the egs are, the smoother they are. If your eggs feel bumpy they are fresher!

[gauguin57]

10. mmmf rrrrrrggggg mfffff

mmmmmfff yes, ish poshible to boil an egg so long that it getsh very dry mmmmmfffff rggggggmfffffff

[TheWizardOfMudd]

11. Thank you all for your input. And Alton Brown is GOD.

:)

[Robbien]

12. Sure, you can forget you put them on to boil

the water evaporates, then heat builds up in the egg until it explodes.

So, if you like eating hard boiled egg off the ceiling, you can try this method.