Soft boiled egg dilemma

team47b

Ok, so for the perfect soft boiled egg, none of that slimy white runny snot, nor hard boiled yoke, what is the correct timing, at sea level, based on the circumference?

Ok, so I'm not using a vernier scale on the egg, I'm being very casual about this dilemma, I'm simply using weight, measured in grams obviously and using a digital scale which has been tested and its accuracy verified by the bicycle weight weenies.

Egg placed into boiling water, 68 gram egg, 4 minutes, result - slimy muc slimy egg

Egg placed into boiling water, 62 gram egg, 4 minutes, result almost perfect, no slime, yoke a little hard at the end only, perfectly runny in the middle.

Now do I divide the weight by the time to arrive at the time per gram? Is this a simple sliding scale or are there variables based on volume?

G/T = TpS

Notes:
using water that has filtered through sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, comprised of different crystal forms of calcium carbonate (CaCO3)

Bottled Butane gas

Free range, live in a field happy chickens eggs

Pale brown shells

Eggs kept in a larder, not fridge.

sunshine, 30c, light fresh westerly wind, no clouds.

Wheelspinner

Did you polish them first?

Stevo_666

Too tricky to get dead right. If you can't be less picky, scrambling or frying is easier for the idle amongst us

sungod

the trouble is that eggs are poorly designed, the yolk coagulates at a lower temperature than the white, to get runny yolk and non-snotty white you need a temperature gradient within the egg, i'm guessing, but maybe starting with a fridge-stored egg could be better for this reason

lower egg into boiling water, making sure it's covered by >3cm, do not leave the pan on a surface that will cool the base, a thick cork mat might be good

around sea level, 4 minutes is the usual time to get non-snotty white with a still runny yolk, but will depend upon egg size and cooking paraphernalia, keeping other factors constant experiment with increments of 30 seconds to calibrate things

for a more scientific approach, the modelling has been done, this gives full details...

http://newton.ex.ac.uk/teaching/CDHW/egg/CW061201-1.pdf

team47b

Thanks sungod, good to see someone else has pondered this important issue

I think it's down to thermal qualities of the shell as defined by its thickness, breed of chicken and calcium supplements in their diet I think is the one inconsistency in this experiment.

I have a (solar powered) fridge, so I will experiment with original temperature of the egg before immersion in boiling water as you have suggested, although I will have to remove some beer and insulin from the fridge to make space for the eggs

TBC

team47b

Wheelspinner wrote:

Did you polish them first?

Brilliant!

Seriously do you think that Autosol will affect boiling times, I will email the makers of Autosol and ask them?

pinno

It boils down to the freshness of the egg in the first place. A fresher egg requires longer cooking times.

Some people put a tiny little hole in the top, hold it upright for the first 30 seconds with a spoon and then let it go.I think this has some merit as it reduces the pressure inside the shell. We all know pressurised cooling systems (Isetta's aside) have a higher boiling point.

pinno

Now there's a thing - can you fit it into the expansion tank in Peugeot?

team47b

Nah, I checked though

capt_slog

I always start with the egg in cold water, bring it to the boil and then turn it down toa simmer. Then it's around 4 mins after that for nicely done with no snot.

verylonglegs

Stevo is right, the best way to consume eggs in the morning is scrambled with a generous knob of butter served on a slice of granary toast. No timing issues to worry about then.

pinno

In typical BR style, this descends into a 'what I like thread' :roll:

Personally, soft boiled eggs chopped up between two slices of Granary, a smidgeon of Mayonnaise spread on one slice and lots of salt and Paprika.

Stevo_666

verylonglegs wrote:

Stevo is right, the best way to consume eggs in the morning is scrambled with a generous knob of butter served on a slice of granary toast. No timing issues to worry about then.

Yay, Masterchef here I come

team47b

Pinno wrote:

In typical BR style, this descends into a 'what I like thread' :roll:

Personally, soft boiled eggs chopped up between two slices of Granary, a smidgeon of Mayonnaise spread on one slice and lots of salt and Paprika.

Nice touch with the mayo and paprika, is that smoked paprika?

Is it de riguer to 'hole' the egg shell on completion of one's brekkie to confound the witches nautical aspirations?

sungod

for assured perfection of egg...

crack several eggs, taking care not to break yolks
discard almost all egg white (or save it if you want to make meringues)
carefully decant yolks with smidge of white into hot frying pan with oive oil
fry until yolks are on the edge of setting
slap onto waiting slices of sourdough toast and lean back bacon, three yolks per slice is about right, add a dash of worcestershire sauce, add top slice, squish
eat, accompanied by a glass of well-chilled bollinger special cuvée

...ideal packed brekkie when heading off to france on the eurostar

BelgianBeerGeek

We could all take a lesson from HRH Prince Charles here: come down to brekkers ready and waiting. Equerry (preferably a Queens Dragoon Guards chap, these wallahs from the light cavalry can be bit flighty, what?)
Where was I? Oh yes, several pans, eggs away, and present about twelve to the brekky plate. One can then decide by working one's way through them which of the fuckers is about ok.
(Censored in the normal way)

motogull

verylonglegs wrote:

Stevo is right, the best way to consume eggs in the morning is scrambled with a generous knob of butter served on a slice of granary toast. No timing issues to worry about then.

I'd like to introduce the egg banjo to this discussion.

team47b

Diddle-ing ding ding, ding ding, ding ding

BelgianBeerGeek

Motogull wrote:

verylonglegs wrote:

Stevo is right, the best way to consume eggs in the morning is scrambled with a generous knob of butter served on a slice of granary toast. No timing issues to worry about then.

I'd like to introduce the egg banjo to this discussion.

Only to be eaten after a night on the ale. With Tabasco sauce.

pinno

team47b wrote:

Pinno wrote:

In typical BR style, this descends into a 'what I like thread' :roll:

Personally, soft boiled eggs chopped up between two slices of Granary, a smidgeon of Mayonnaise spread on one slice and lots of salt and Paprika.

Nice touch with the mayo and paprika, is that smoked paprika?

Is it de riguer to 'hole' the egg shell on completion of one's brekkie to confound the witches nautical aspirations?

The prevailing and interminable Westerlies usually dictate the travelling aspirations of witches. I find that in very bad weather, they seek refuge in the local inns and drinking houses. I am fed up of tripping over their bloody broomsticks piled in the corner. On occasion, when refuge cannot be reached during severe weather, they end up in Newcastle. Some even get deported back from Norway.

captain_tiara

3rd generation chef...

Eggs in cold water. Bring to boil. Turn off heat. Leave till you can stick your fingers in to retrieve eggs. Soft boiled eggs. The quicker you get the eggs out the softer.

Tis the way it's done.

kingstongraham

Fridge stored large egg. 6 minutes 20 seconds always gives a good result.

Can't help with your situation.

pinno

KingstonGraham wrote:

Can't help with your situation.

No one can and no one will.