How Long Does It Take To Make Soft + Hard-Boiled Eggs?

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Soft and hard-boiled eggs sound easy enough to master, right? But for most people, like our audience member Kieren, it's not that easy. (We hear you, Kieren!)

Q: "I can’t seem to get my soft and hard boiled eggs right. I either undercook them or overcook them. What do I do?"

A: Don't fear! Geoffrey Zakarian has got us covered with these foolproof tips.

First off, Geoffrey wants you to buy the best eggs you can — within your budget, of course. He consistently buys the same size eggs. (He likes jumbo!)

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"I buy one size because when you're baking or doing anything else that requires eggs, if you have a jumbo egg and you add a medium egg to it, it's going to change the recipe," Geoffrey says. "So I always buy one kind of egg."

According to Geoffrey, your water should be simmering, not intensely boiling — just bubbling.

Then, gently drop the egg and set a timer accordingly.

Very soft egg: 3-4 minutes

Medium: 6 minutes

Hard-boiled: 12 minutes

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Plus, you don't have to transfer the soft-boiled eggs to ice water, Geoffrey says. You can just cut off the top and eat it! You can still transfer the hard-boiled eggs to ice water, but that's only because it makes them easier to peel, he explains.

Note: Consuming raw egg may increase your risk of foodborne illness.

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