Hard boiled eggs oops, can I salvage them?

[ang79]

DDs like to take hard boiled eggs in their school lunches. So last night 10 yr. old wanted to make some. She followed the recipe in her American Girl cookbook (put eggs in water, when it starts to boil turn off the burner and sit for 15 min., then put in cold water). Different than how I usually to them, but she wanted to use her recipe book. I left them on the burner for the 15 min., then transferred to cold water. After sitting a bit in the cold water I put them in a plastic bowl in the fridge.

When we went to peel one this morning it is still mush inside! The white is a bit cooked, but it all fell in a gloppy mess on the counter (when I tapped the egg on the counter to crack the shell the whole thing collapsed). So I have 10 eggs yet, can I use them to just cook (fry) or make scramble eggs with? Or should I chuck them all? Wasn't sure how the heating, then cooling might affect them.

[trcy]

No advice in how to salvage them, but that is how I make hard boiled eggs all the time and never had an issue. Maybe there wasn't enough water?
Not sure I would try to cook with them. I probably would toss.


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[legaleagle]

No advice in how to salvage them, but that is how I make hard boiled eggs all the time and never had an issue. Maybe there wasn't enough water?
Not sure I would try to cook with them. I probably would toss.
Baby Bargains (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=87652)

Agreed with all of this! Though I've moved onto steaming them - just need a little water and they're very firm (hard yolk) at about 12 minutes and easier to peel.

[legaleagle]

The key to the method she used is 1) covering eggs by at least an inch (probably more for 10 eggs) and 2) covering the pot while it's sitting - that's probably why they were underdone.

[ang79]

The key to the method she used is 1) covering eggs by at least an inch (probably more for 10 eggs) and 2) covering the pot while it's sitting - that's probably why they were underdone.

I did cover them with water (but maybe not by a whole inch, the pot was full!). I layered 10 eggs on the bottom of the pot. And I covered with a lid once they started boiling. Not sure where I went wrong......

[wendibird22]

Huh, I use that method only my circa 1960s betty crocker cookbook says to have them sit in the hot water for 20mins.

I'd probably throw them out.

[boolady]

I hard boil eggs every week using this method. Boil, covered by 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches of water. When they come to a boil, cover, and let sit for 12 minutes. Something must have gone wrong in the cooking process. I would toss them-- I would think they are in a weird, semi-cooked/semi-raw state.

[specialp]

I can't think of a way to salvage them. I also do the boil, cover, turn off and sit for 12 minutes. I can't imagine what went wrong. Usually the problem is going too far and getting that greenish ring.

[sasha]

You can try cooking them again. I've done this. I'd put them back in the pan and cover with water, bring to a boil, and then check one at 5 minutes, 8 minutes, etc. You will lose the 'sacrificial' eggs that you check for doneness, but you'll be able to use most of them. I will cook an extra egg and check it when I try a new method of hard cooked eggs, it has saved me from underdone eggs several times.

The recipe your daughter used is the same one I used before I started using my Instant Pot. Wonder what went wrong?

[ang79]

You can try cooking them again. I've done this. I'd put them back in the pan and cover with water, bring to a boil, and then check one at 5 minutes, 8 minutes, etc. You will lose the 'sacrificial' eggs that you check for doneness, but you'll be able to use most of them. I will cook an extra egg and check it when I try a new method of hard cooked eggs, it has saved me from underdone eggs several times.

The recipe your daughter used is the same one I used before I started using my Instant Pot. Wonder what went wrong?

So safe to re-cook them after they spent the night in the fridge? Its probably been 23 hrs. since they went back into the fridge.

My normal method is to put them in the pot and boil it, then keep the stove on and boiling for 14-15 min. This time we turned the stove off, but left on hot burner (my stove is electric glass top) for the 15 min., so not actively boiling.

[sasha]

Yes, I don't think it is a problem at all. Most of the bacteria is on the shell, you've reduced that population by boiling, and you are boiling intact eggs again. For comparison, restaurants hold poached eggs for up to 5 days before heating in simmering water to serve.

I cook on an electric glass top too. Maybe it was the water to eggs ratio? No matter, you've got your trusted method for next time.

[trales]

That is the same method I use - put them in the pot, fill with water - when it boils turn it off - time for 12 minutes - put in cold water bath - peel- make egg salad. Makes you go hmmm that they did not cook.

[ang79]

So I reboiled them tonight and left them in the pot boiling, and the one I tested came out OK. I made DH eat it to make sure he didn't get sick before I give them to the girls, LOL! Guess I'll stick to my normal method from now on!