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.
4. Don’t Overcrowd
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.
6. Add Vinegar
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.