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In this section we take a look at how cooked is cooked, or how to identify how you like your eggs cooked. Then we will explore the basic cooking methods and what you can then do to your basic egg to make it into a more satisfying meal if you want to. However before we go near a cooker it is helpful to know how cooked is cooked.

If you have an egg you have a meal, the trick is to cook your eggs just right for you. Remember everyone is different and even within a family I bet there are rarely two people that like their eggs cooked exactly the same. The trickybit is usually about getting your yolks right. The yolk comes packaged in the white so it is pretty difficult to see whether it is cooked or not. So you are reliant on timings and to a certain extent experience. The key is not to panic.

Your egg white is either raw or cooked and it can take a fair amount of cooking so you don't need to wory about your egg whites being overdone. It is cooked once it has gone solid and white, which takes about 2 - 3 mins. Easy!

The egg yolk goes through 4 stages of cookedness, not sure if that is a word but I hope you understand what I mean, and it’s mainly down to the length of time you cook them for.

  • Stage 1 – raw or uncooked
  • Stage 2 – runny
  • Stage 3 – soft
  • Stage 4 - hard

Raw

A raw yolk should be soft and yellow. It wont start to cook untill it has been heated through. You can eat raw yolks, they are used in things like mayonaise, but it is recommended that you cook them to avoid the risk of Salmonella. Having said that an egg that has been partially cooked is not much use for anything so the absolute minimum of cooking time is 2 mins, enough to get your egg white solid all through. In these pictures I have tried to capture the egg at both the raw and partially cooked stage.

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Runny

The difference between a raw and a runny yolk is that at the raw stage the yolk will not have heated through yet and the white will still be clear and runny too, at the runny stage your yolk will be hot but wont have started to thicken, so if you pierce it the yolk will run over the plate and your white will be cooked through but may well be soft next to the yolk.  The majority of us don’t like runny whites in a cooked egg so be sure to cook them long enough for the white to have cooked, at least 2 mins. Many people like their fried eggs runny and there are a hard core of us that want our boiled eggs runny too.

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Soft

The difference between a runny and a soft yolk is about 1 minute cooking time so don’t be too hard on yourself if they are slightly less soft than you would like them to be, that is where experience comes in. A soft yolk will be heated through and will be starting to go viscose, or thicker. It solidifies from the outside in so it is highly likely that there will be a thicker rim to your yolk when you dig in. It will still run when you pierce it but not as far as a runny yolk. Perfect poached eggs are normally served at the soft stage as are boiled eggs if you want to dunk soldiers without running the risk of a runny white! In the picture below you will see a soft poached egg. As the yolk is cooked around the outside the egg holds it's shape better than the runny poached egg above.

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Hard

At the hard stage the yolk goes pale and takes on a crumbly texture. If you like your eggs well cooked, the yolk will stay soft ish for several minutes before it really starts to go pale and crumbly, so leave the egg to cook a little longer, up to 10 mins, and it will be properly hard. You need hard boiled eggs for such tasty treats as pickled eggs and egg mayonaise sandwiches. I also prefer scotch eggs to be well cooked unlike some who swear by a soft yolk.

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Remember

  • Microwaves should be used with caution where egg cooking is concerned, and never for boiling, poaching or frying an egg.
  • Eggs continue to cook in their own heat so to get them at their best eat them straight away
  • If you want to stop soft boiled eggs from cooking you can cool them quickly by putting them in ice cold water.

So now we understand the level of cooked-ness we are after we can start looking at the different methods we can use to cook our eggs. With each method covered here, we will give you some idea's for turning your basic egg into a sumptuous and filling meal. The basic cooking methods covered are;

Eat and enjoy!

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