Here's Why You Shouldn't Boil Eggs Straight From The Fridge
You know that (admittedly disturbing) expression, "There's more than one way to skin a cat," which refers to the variety of ways in which you can solve a problem? Well, a more culinarily apt term for food lovers like us might be, "There's more than one way to boil an egg." If you're a regular consumer of egg salad or egg sandwiches, chances are you've explored the many promoted methods for achieving a simple boiled egg. Especially in the age of the internet, there seems to be an almost limitless number of methods for cooking eggs in the shell, from steaming them in a basket, to pressure cooking them in an Instant Pot, to baking them in the oven (via Food52). You can even make hard-boiled eggs in your air fryer, according to the Food Network.
So if you want to chow down on some soft- or hard-boiled eggs, and you have even a minimum of cooking equipment, rest assured you'll be able to achieve your goal. But there's one important step you should never skip before making any type of boiled egg, and that's making sure all your eggs are at room temperature — and not cold — before cooking.
Cold eggs will crack in hot water
While there are a variety of ways to turn out delicious boiled eggs, it's important to always start with room temperature eggs before slipping them into hot water. According to Southern Living, dropping cold refrigerated eggs into boiling (or simmering) water creates a "violent reaction" that will often cause the eggs to crack, yielding a waterlogged boiled egg instead of one that emerges protected by its shell. Additionally, the disparity between the temperature of the egg and that of the water can cause the egg white to attach to the inside of the shell, making it hard to peel without wasting a lot of the egg (via Southern Living).
Always bring refrigerated eggs to room temperature before boiling them. How to do so? Southern Living suggests removing the eggs you want to cook from the fridge at the same time you start to heat your pot of water: By the time the water comes to a boil, the eggs will have warmed up quite a bit. Another way to quickly bring eggs to room temperature is to place them in a bowl, fill the bowl with tepid water, and let them sit for five to 10 minutes (via Bon Appétit). With this helpful tip, your boiled eggs should turn out perfectly every time.