You Should Only Boil Eggs Starting At Room Temperature—Here's Why

To boil an egg, you just need an egg, a pot, some water, and a little bit of salt or vinegar. Simple, right? It is, until you try it and your egg ends up underdone, overdone, or cracked. One mistake that can easily lead to a subpar hard-boiled egg? Boiling it straight from the fridge. That's right, boiling your eggs while they're still cold will lead to disappointment and ruin your deviled eggs and egg salad sandwiches.

If you're wondering how a little thing like the temperature of an egg can have such a dramatic impact, you're in luck. We asked Atlanta chef Jennifer Hill Booker and Jason Smith, a chef in Grayson, Kentucky and a Food Network baking show judge, to explain the chemistry behind this simple blunder.

Why You Shouldn't Boil Eggs Directly From The Fridge

"Chemistry is a true science. When you put ice cold raw eggs into a pot of boiling water, you'll create a violent reaction inside that poor little egg shell," says Booker. This violent reaction will lead to a host of issues. Most noticeably, your eggs will be likely to crack due to the shock of the extreme temperature change. That's not all, though. Booker also states that the egg white will attach itself to the inside of the shell, rendering it far more difficult to peel. And it gets worse from there. When you peel away the shell, the egg is likely to be rubbery and tough.

The bottom line? Don't tempt fate. Bring your eggs to room temperature before you boil them.

How To Bring Eggs To Room Temperature

Luckily, it doesn't take long to bring your eggs to room temperature. Smith says to simply pull your eggs out of the fridge at the same time you start boiling your water. "Once the water starts boiling, the eggs will have come to the right temperature to put in the water," he says.

Eggs can safely sit on the counter up to two hours, but that doesn't mean you should pull them out of the carton and forget about it. Condensation can lead to the growth of bacteria and shorten the shelf life of your eggs. Remove the eggs you need shortly before cooking, and put the rest of the carton back in the refrigerator.

How To Boil A Hard Boiled Egg To Perfection

Now that you know what mistakes to avoid, you're probably wondering how to properly boil an egg. Smith shared these simple steps:

1. Place 1-2 tablespoons of salt or ⅛ cup of vinegar in a pot of water. Remove the eggs from the refrigerator as you bring the pot to a gentle boil.
2. Once the pot is boiling, carefully lower the eggs in the water. Reduce the temperature if needed and allow them to simmer for 12 minutes. (You don't want the eggs to bang against each other and crack, which tends to happen at a hard boil.)
3. Remove the pot from the heat and use a slotted spoon to place the eggs in a bowl of ice-cold water.
4. Once the eggs have cooled, they're ready to peel and enjoy.