5 minutes, large egg, straight from the fridge, into boiling water. Fully liquid yolk, whites just set.
Fully liquid yolk, whites just set
Five minutes. Ready when you are.
5:00
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Start it the moment the eggs go into the boiling water.
Method, altitude, and other eggs
Only matters above about 3,000 ft. If your city isn’t listed, you’re fine on the standard times. Learn more
From the fridge, into already-boiling water. Tap any time to start it.
Doneness
Medium
Large
Extra large
What you get
Very soft
Fully liquid yolk, whites just set
Soft
Runny yolk, set whites
Half boiled egg questions
What is a half boiled egg?
A barely-set, almost custardy white and a fully liquid yolk — the kopitiam breakfast egg you get across Singapore and Malaysia, usually cracked into a saucer with dark soy sauce and white pepper. The whole egg slides out of the shell rather than being peeled.
How long do you cook a half boiled egg?
Five minutes for a large egg from the fridge into boiling water. Six minutes and the white firms up into a regular soft boiled egg, which is a fine egg but not this one.
What is the difference between half boiled and soft boiled?
The white. A soft boiled egg at six minutes has a firm white that holds its shape when you slice it. A half boiled egg at five has a white that is barely set and pours. Soft boiled is a sliceable egg; half boiled is a pour-and-mix breakfast egg.
How do you open a half boiled egg?
Tap it once firmly around the middle with the back of a spoon, then break it apart over a saucer and let the whole thing slide out. Do not try to peel it — there is not enough set white to peel.
Is a runny egg white safe to eat?
An undercooked white carries a small salmonella risk, and it is not zero. For anyone pregnant, very young, elderly, or immunocompromised, use pasteurised eggs or cook the egg through. Everyone else: buy fresh, keep them refrigerated, and be aware the risk exists rather than assuming it does not.
