Oh, the trade offs, especially if you want the whites set and the yolks runny. If you start the eggs in boiling water you eliminate one variable. Here is why. The amount of time it will take for plain water to come to the boil depends on how much water there is and how high you have the burner. Keeping the burner setting constant, it therefore depends on the amount of water.
So, if I have a giant pan, it will spend a lot longer between 150f and 212f than a small pan off water will. All that time the eggs will be cooking.
So for accurate timing start with boiling water.
But with boiling water, there is a danger the eggs will crack. I recommend that you warm the eggs to room temp to minimize that risk. The water temperature is lowered a bit when the eggs are placed into the pan of boiling water.
The size of the eggs matters too. I can't persuade the chickens to lay even sized eggs - especially the chickens that produce the eggs sold at the farm.
Now to really answer the question.
Use a large pan
Make sure there is enough water to completely cover the eggs
Bring the water to a boil
While bringing the water to a boil, take eggs from fridge and immerse in cold water
When water is boiling, add the eggs. If there are a lot of eggs, add them all at once in a steamer rack
Set timer according to the following
Medium eggs 3:30
Large 4:00
Extra large 4:30
Jumbo/giant/huge 5:00
Oh, I don't put them in the cold water – though I know a lot of folk swear by that method. If you let them rest on the counter for a bit, and slow the boil just for the adding, it is easier to get good timing per each diner's taste in a soft-boil.
6 Comments
http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/10/the-food-lab-science-of-how-to-cook-perfect-boiled-eggs.html
So, if I have a giant pan, it will spend a lot longer between 150f and 212f than a small pan off water will. All that time the eggs will be cooking.
So for accurate timing start with boiling water.
But with boiling water, there is a danger the eggs will crack. I recommend that you warm the eggs to room temp to minimize that risk. The water temperature is lowered a bit when the eggs are placed into the pan of boiling water.
The size of the eggs matters too. I can't persuade the chickens to lay even sized eggs - especially the chickens that produce the eggs sold at the farm.
Now to really answer the question.
Use a large pan
Make sure there is enough water to completely cover the eggs
Bring the water to a boil
While bringing the water to a boil, take eggs from fridge and immerse in cold water
When water is boiling, add the eggs. If there are a lot of eggs, add them all at once in a steamer rack
Set timer according to the following
Medium eggs 3:30
Large 4:00
Extra large 4:30
Jumbo/giant/huge 5:00
They suggest 4 to 5 minutes off heat after coming to a boil.