Hard-boiled egg timer
The 10-minute hard-boiled egg
Ten minutes gives a large egg a yolk that is set all the way through but still bright yellow – good for salads, sandwiches and deviled eggs. Twelve minutes gives a drier, paler yolk.
Cooking much longer than that causes the grey-green ring around the yolk. It is safe to eat but looks less nice, so move the eggs to cold water as soon as the timer rings.
Cooking a dozen at once
Use a pot big enough that the eggs sit in one layer, and add one extra minute if the water takes long to come back to the boil. The timer keeps the screen awake, so you can step away and still see the countdown.
Storing hard-boiled eggs
Cool the eggs completely, then keep them in the fridge in their shells for up to a week. Peeled eggs are best eaten within a day or two. Write the cooking day on the box so you know which batch is oldest.
Questions
How long do you boil eggs for hard boiled?
10 minutes for a large egg started in boiling water. 9 minutes gives a just-set yolk, 12 minutes a firm, pale yolk.
Why do my hard-boiled eggs have a green ring?
The ring forms when eggs cook too long or cool too slowly. Stop at 10–12 minutes and cool the eggs in cold water right away.
How long do hard-boiled eggs take at high altitude?
Water boils at a lower temperature up high, so add about a minute for every 300 m above 600 m. The egg timer has an altitude option that does this for you.