Coddle this! My eggs never come out right!

Question

Oh, egg coddler. You seemed so cool when I first heard about you! And no matter how many different ways I try, the eggs I entrust to you are always returned... Well-- just odd. Usually the yolks are cooked all the way on the bottom, and runny on the top, which in itself would be tolerable if the white part weren't also still clear and runny. Gross! I've tried hotter water, not so hot water, longer time in the water, shorter time in the water. Nothing I do make these eggs come out the way I expect: fluffy whites, slightly runny yolks, and consistent throughout for both. I have a two-egg coddler into which I crack two eggs, after buttering the inside, and then into a pot of boiling water up to the lip it goes, while I turn down the heat to a simmer. I usually leave them in there for anywhere between 7 and 15 minutes and nothing works. Please someone help me get these eggs coddled!

Thank you,

xtine · Answer

And here I am, more than a year later, in the same position! Anyone ever solve the runny white issue?

Juliana T. · Answer

Well I found this thread because I’am in the same position as Daniel ^ here. Wth! Did you ever figure it out Daniel? I read the other comment and have a gas stove and have no problem getting a good boil. Although the instructions for the pretty egg coddlers with silver lids say only water up to where the silver rim starts... I read another blog where the gal completely submerged her lid other then she left the loop handle out of the water. Im trying that next. Runny whites are vile to me. Wish me luck.

Lori T. · Answer

Well, in my experience a coddled egg texture is pretty similar to a poached egg- meaning the white isn't ever what I consider fluffy.   It's just a matter of discovering the timing you need to use, for your stove, the pot, and your coddler.  It's possible that what you think of as a simmer is simply too cool to cook your eggs in the expected time.  A simmer requires liquid just slightly below boiling point, so that a bubble or two may escape every minute.  Fussy as it might be, perhaps you should try to use a thermometer to check your temp for simmering.  What you want is to hit a sweet spot of between 180-190F.  Kind of tough to do with an electric stove, but possible.  I also like to add a bit of cream to the top of each egg as well, so there is a liquid inside to sort of steam gently.   Truthfully, I don't mess with the whole bringing to a boil and then trying to cool it back down.  I'd rather take a bit longer with water at the right temperature, which makes it more likely to get whites that are done but not tough, and a yolk that is still soft.

Coddle this! My eggs never come out right!

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