Undercooked Hard Boiled Eggs? How To Fix Runny Eggs (Peeled & Unpeeled)

Did your hard boiled eggs turn out undercooked and runny?

The easiest way to save undercooked hard boiled eggs is to re-boil them.

Related: How to Fix Salty Rice: 7 Easy Hacks That Actually Work

How to Fix Undercooked Hard Boiled Eggs (Peeled)

It is safe to reboil peeled eggs even without the shell.

Simply place them in a steamer basket and boil for 30 seconds.

Reduce to a very low heat and cover with a lid to cook for another 10 minutes.

How to Fix Undercooked Hardboiled Eggs (Unpeeled)

To fix undercooked hardboiled eggs:

• Simply keep them in their shell and simmer under a low heat for up to 10 more minutes.
• Turn off the heat and cover your pot.
• Remove from pot and transfer to ice water. Let cool 2 minutes before peeling.

Do not microwave hardboiled eggs as this may cause them to explode.

Are Undercooked Hard Boiled Eggs Safe To Eat?

Consuming raw or undercooked eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.

Raw, runny, poached, or soft eggs may contain Salmonella bacteria.

Consuming contaminated eggs can cause food poisoning. Cooking eggs thoroughly will kill harmful Salmonella bacteria.

Do not keep eggs warm or at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Avoid eating restaurant dishes made with raw or undercooked, unpasteurized eggs.

You can’t tell if an egg has salmonella just by looking at it.  

Foods made with raw or lightly cooked eggs are not recommended for young children, pregnant women, the elderly, or people who are ill.

How Long To Boil Eggs

What is the perfect boiled egg time?

If you are looking for perfect boiled eggs, set your timer for 10-12 minutes.

Do not overcook your eggs, as this will cause a green ring on the yolk.

The size of your eggs, ratio of water to eggs, your altitude, and the shape of your pan may add to the cooking time.

Ensure your eggs are submerged in water to avoid undercooking.

Cool the eggs in ice water before peeling.

Here’s egg-sactly how long to boil eggs to avoid undercooked hardboiled eggs.

Egg Boiling Time

 *Large Eggs

How to Make Perfect Boiled Eggs Every Time

It can be difficult to know when that egg is perfectly cooked.

Rest assured, we have a few tricks to get you that perfectly soft or hard boiled texture you’re after.

How To Boil Eggs

It’s almost as easy as boiling water.

1. Choose The Right Eggs

• This is the first step in your hard or soft boiled egg adventures. Using eggs that are 1-2 weeks old is ideal. As the egg ages, the membrane separates from the shell, making it easier to peel.  
• If you only have fresh eggs, consider adding vinegar to the water to make peeling easier
• Use large eggs every time to take the guesswork out of when they are done

2. Store Eggs Tip-Point Down To Center The Yolk

This assures that the yolk is perfectly centered and ready to be filled. Food stylists use this trick when boiling eggs that need to look perfect. Simply store your egg cartons upside-down in the fridge.

3. Add Salt To The Water

• Salt raises the boiling point of the water slightly. This helps the egg white cook a bit faster, which makes it harder to over cook the yolk.
• Helps seal cracks  If a crack develops, the salt will aid in coagulation. That allows it to seal faster when it hits the salt water.
• Some salt actually permeates the egg shell. It’s not enough to taste, but it helps with peeling.

4. Peeling Eggs

• Boiling eggs in water with vinegar softens the shells and makes them easier to peel.
• Dropping cold eggs into boiling water and then cooling them in an ice bath also makes a slight difference.
• Eggs are also a little easier to peel freshly after hard-boiling.

To peel an egg with no extra ingredients or equipment, crack the egg all over on the counter, then roll, pressing slightly till it’s cracked all over.

Then peel.

Or peel hard-boiled eggs under running water to help release the shells. 

The water pressure pushes the shells off the eggs and washes them right off.

It’s not magic, but it makes peeling them easier.

Tip #1: To prevent egg shells from cracking, poke holes in the wider end of the egg before boiling.

This is where the air pocket is located. Use a push pin to poke the hole(s). 

Tip#2: You can also let your eggs sit out at room temperature (for 20 minutes) before boiling them to avoid cracked shells.

5. The Best Pot For Boiling Eggs

Choose a pot that’s large enough so that the water can boil rapidly without spilling over and so that the eggs have plenty of room.

The type of pot should not make much difference.

You can also use an egg cooker or bake the eggs in the oven.

6. Use Enough Water

• Fill your pot with about enough water to submerge the eggs, then bring to a boil.
• It’s important they don’t overlap and the pot isn’t too crowded so they all cook at the same time.

7. Cool The Eggs

Run cold water over the eggs to cool them quickly and stop them from cooking further. 

Or dunk them in a bowl of ice water.

Did you know?

A large egg contains only 70 calories and 5 grams of fat. 

Egg protein has just the right mix of essential amino acids needed by humans to build tissues. – Think Egg

Check out the FAQ section below for more egg-citing facts!

How To Boil An Egg

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• Water
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place eggs in a large pot and cover by an inch of cold water. Place pot on stove and bring to a boil. Instantly turn off heat and cover pot. Let sit for 11 minutes.
2. Remove from pan and transfer to ice water.
3. Let cool 2 minutes before peeling and serving.

Sooo easy!

Classic Egg Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoon whole grain mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 stalk of celery, minced (about 1/3 cup)
• 2 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• Paprika, for garnish
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Roughly chop hard-boiled eggs and transfer to a medium bowl. Mash slightly with a fork to break up yolks.
2. Add mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, celery and chives and mix until evenly combined.
3. Season with salt and pepper.

Ways To Garnish Boiled Eggs & Egg Salad

• paprika, radish, chives
• bacon, blue cheese, chives
• Sriracha, Frank’s Red Hot, black sesame seeds, cilantro
• smoked salmon, capers
• kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian parsley
• Feta, parmesan, oregano
• ham, cheddar, green onion, black pepper
• jalapeno, cumin, tomato, taco seasoning
• bacon bits

Boiled Egg FAQS

Can you eat undercooked hard boiled eggs?

To avoid foodborne illness, undercooked eggs should not be consumed.

The inside of eggs can carry salmonella. According to the FDA, to prevent illness from bacteria, eggs should be cooked thoroughly.

Foodborne illness is no yolk.

Why did my hard boiled eggs not cook?

Using too much water can alter the cooking time for hardboiled eggs.

Not using enough water can cause the eggs to be exposed and undercooked.

Crowding too many eggs in a pot can also lead to uneven cooking.

Can I “hard boil” eggs in the oven?

Instead of boiling eggs in water, just bake a big batch in the oven to get the same results. 

Place eggs in the cups of a muffin tin and bake at 325°F for 30 minutes.

As soon as you take them out, transfer them ice water to stop the cooking process.

Can I hard boil eggs in an Instant Pot?

If you don’t want to mess with a pot of boiling water, use an Instant Pot to boil your eggs.

Just cook them in an Instant Pot for 5 minutes, release the pressure for 5 minutes, and cool them in an ice water for 5 minutes.

Can I boil eggs with a no-flame technique?

If you don’t have a stove top, go with this no-flame method that doesn’t involve boiling water.

1. Just grab a bowl of very hot water (the microwave works perfect for heating it up) and place your eggs in it
2. Let them sit for about 15 minutes
3. Transfer them to an ice bath, then peel

Are older eggs easier to peel?

Older eggs are best for hard-boiling. 

The scientific explanation: White albumen in a fresh eggs has a low relatively low pH level.

When cooked, these fresh egg whites bond more strongly to the inner shell membrane than it does to itself.

Can I boil eggs in the microwave?

Yes, completely submerge the egg in a bowl with water, cover with a plate and microwave for 4 minutes at 50%. 

Important! Using a safety pin, prick the bottom of the egg or it will explode.

Let the egg rest for 2 minutes before peeling.

Are eggs healthy?

One large egg contains:

• Vitamin B12 (cobalamin): 9% of the RDA
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 15% of the RDA
• Vitamin A: 6% of the RDA
• Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 7% of the RDA
• Selenium: 22% of the RDA

A large egg contains 77 calories, with 6 grams of quality protein, 5 grams of fat and trace amounts of carbohydrates.

Almost all the nutrients are in the yolk, the egg white contains only protein.

Eggs also contain small amounts of almost every vitamin and mineral required by the human body, including calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, manganese, vitamin E, folate and many more.

Why do my egg yolks turn green boiling?

Over boiling your eggs or not cooling them quickly enough will cause the dreaded green ring.

When cooked or heated, egg whites produce hydrogen sulfide.

When this mingles with the iron in the egg yolk, it creates a green color and sulfur-y smell.

Tip: Transfer the eggs to a bowl full of ice water to cool them down quickly.

This will keep the yolks yellow.

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