How long do I boil an egg for a soft yolk?

For a completely liquid yolk with just-set whites, boil for exactly 3 minutes (room temperature eggs in already-boiling water). For a slightly thickened but still runny yolk, 4-5 minutes is ideal.

How do I make a perfect ramen egg?

Boil 6 minutes for jammy yolk. Transfer to ice bath for 5 minutes. Peel carefully. Marinate in mixture of 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sugar, and 100ml water for at least 4 hours (overnight is better).

Why do hard boiled eggs get a gray ring?

The gray-green ring forms when hydrogen sulfide from the white reacts with iron in the yolk at high temperatures. It occurs when eggs are overcooked or cooled too slowly. Ice bath immediately after cooking prevents it.

Should I start eggs in cold or boiling water?

For precise timing, start eggs in already-boiling water (lower eggs gently on a spoon). This ensures consistent timing. Cold water starts give more gradual, gentle cooking but timing is less predictable.

How do I make eggs easy to peel?

Older eggs peel more easily than fresh ones (the air pocket grows as eggs age). Always use an ice bath immediately after boiling. Crack and peel under running water, starting at the large end where the air pocket is.

Egg Timer Online

Free online egg timer for perfectly boiled eggs. Soft boiled (3 min), medium boiled (6 min), hard boiled (10 min). Set your preferred style and start.

About the Egg Timer Online

The egg timer is one of cooking's oldest and most essential tools, and for good reason: the difference between a perfectly cooked egg and a disappointing one is measured in minutes — sometimes seconds. Whether you prefer the barely-set whites and liquid yolk of a soft-boiled egg or the completely firm, set texture of a hard-boiled egg, precise timing is the only variable between success and failure once you understand the basics.

The science of egg cooking is fascinating. An egg is primarily composed of two proteins — ovalbumin in the white and phosvitin and livetin in the yolk — that coagulate at different temperatures. Egg whites begin to set at 62°C (144°F) and are fully set at 65°C (149°F). Yolks begin thickening at 65°C and are fully cooked at 70°C (158°F). In boiling water at 100°C, the temperature gradient from the outside of the egg inward changes quickly, which is why minutes matter so much.

Starting with room temperature eggs reduces cooking time variability. Cold eggs straight from the refrigerator require 30-45 seconds of additional cooking time compared to room-temperature eggs. For maximum precision, let eggs sit on the counter for 20 minutes before boiling.

Soft boiled (3-4 minutes): The white is just set — no translucency — while the yolk remains completely liquid. Ideal for dipping toast soldiers, topping ramen bowls, or eating directly from the shell with salt.

Medium soft boiled (5-6 minutes): White is fully set and firm; yolk is jammy and thickened but not solid, with a bright orange color. This is the style served in Japanese ramen as the iconic topping, often marinated in soy sauce after cooking.

Medium boiled (7-8 minutes): Yolk is mostly set with a slightly fudgy center. Good for egg salads where you want some creaminess without liquid yolk.

Hard boiled (9-12 minutes): Yolk is completely set throughout, with a powdery, dry texture. Use for deviled eggs, Cobb salads, or anywhere you need a fully firm egg. Be careful not to cook longer than 13 minutes — the sulfur compounds in overcooked eggs produce the unpleasant gray-green ring around the yolk.

Regardless of your preferred style, immediately transferring boiled eggs to an ice bath is the single most important step: it stops cooking instantly, preventing overcooking from residual heat, and makes peeling dramatically easier by causing the egg to contract away from the shell.

Recommended Use Cases

Soft boiled eggs (3 min)
Ramen eggs (6 min)
Hard boiled eggs (10 min)
Deviled egg preparation
Breakfast timing

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I boil an egg for a soft yolk?: For a completely liquid yolk with just-set whites, boil for exactly 3 minutes (room temperature eggs in already-boiling water). For a slightly thickened but still runny yolk, 4-5 minutes is ideal.
How do I make a perfect ramen egg?: Boil 6 minutes for jammy yolk. Transfer to ice bath for 5 minutes. Peel carefully. Marinate in mixture of 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sugar, and 100ml water for at least 4 hours (overnight is better).
Why do hard boiled eggs get a gray ring?: The gray-green ring forms when hydrogen sulfide from the white reacts with iron in the yolk at high temperatures. It occurs when eggs are overcooked or cooled too slowly. Ice bath immediately after cooking prevents it.
Should I start eggs in cold or boiling water?: For precise timing, start eggs in already-boiling water (lower eggs gently on a spoon). This ensures consistent timing. Cold water starts give more gradual, gentle cooking but timing is less predictable.
How do I make eggs easy to peel?: Older eggs peel more easily than fresh ones (the air pocket grows as eggs age). Always use an ice bath immediately after boiling. Crack and peel under running water, starting at the large end where the air pocket is.