Scientists Uncover New Recipe for the Ideal Boiled Egg

A team of researchers from Italy has explored innovative ways to improve the way eggs are cooked, focusing on resolving the challenge posed by the two distinct cooking temperatures of the yolk and the albumen. Typically, the egg white solidifies best around 85°C while the yolk reaches its optimal state near 65°C, a disparity that conventional boiling often fails to address adequately.

To overcome this, scientists designed a method termed “periodic cooking,” which calls for the egg to be alternated between environments of differing temperatures. In practice, this involves placing the egg in a pan of boiling water at 100°C, then transferring it to a bowl maintained at 30°C, with the process repeating every two minutes over a span of 32 minutes.

Results from computer simulations demonstrated that this carefully timed regimen produced an egg that is evenly cooked throughout, while also enhancing its nutritional profile compared to eggs prepared using standard boiling techniques or sous vide methods. This new methodology may offer egg enthusiasts a recipe for consistently superior results, provided they adhere to the precise timing and temperature changes of the process.