Can You Reboil Hard Boiled Eggs?

The other day I was busy multitasking as always and removed my hard-boiled eggs from the stove too early. I ended up with runny yolks and a solid egg white. I usually like my hard-boiled eggs solid throughout, but tasted the half-cooked egg and it tasted delicious. I was wondering, however, whether it was safe or not.

The good news is that after doing careful research, it turns out that eating hard-boiled eggs with solid whites and runny yolks is extremely safe, despite any concerns I had. 

In the course of my research, it turns out all my other questions about reboiling eggs or eating them half-cooked were answered as well. Here are a few of the questions I had, as well as all the answers I found along the way.

Reboiling Hard Boiled Eggs

In general, if the boiled eggs are underdone, it is better to reboil them for a few more minutes. If cooked eggs were kept in the refrigerator overnight, then reboiling them the next morning is the best way to heat them.

The same holds true whether you decide to microwave eggs in their shells or peeled eggs. In fact, it is highly advisable for you to re-boil your eggs rather than eat them runny or raw due to the fact that raw egg white is one cause of salmonella disease.

making hard boiled eggs

Remember, if your eggs are undercooked, they may not even be safe to eat. You might even want to overcook rather than under-cook your eggs. If you forgot to time the number of minutes you boiled your eggs for or not, then you might want to be doubly sure about your eggs by re-boiling them on purpose.

You might argue that some people proffer a runny yolk or undercooked eggs. However, why risk salmonella? It is better to overcook your hard-boiled eggs than to undercook them to avoid any health issues that have anything to do with eggs. 

There are various methods of heating eggs. You can steam them, leave them in a cup of pre-boiled hot water with their shells, or even microwaving them cautiously. You might feel like you are literally walking on eggshells, however, when you decide to microwave hard-boiled eggs because if you go one second too long, they will explode.

Related Article: Why Do Bodybuilders Eat Raw Eggs

What To Do If Eggs Are Not Fully Boiled

If your eggs are not fully boiled then all you need to do is to boil them again. In the event you have already cracked your egg’s shell half open and find that the yolk is still runny, you can re-cook your egg by positioning it carefully on a cupcake holder with the open portion of the eggshell facing upwards.

Next, bake the egg in an oven toaster or in an actual oven for a few minutes, until you see that the yolk has finally hardened. 

What Happens If You Hard Boil An Egg Twice?

If you hard boil an egg twice what happens is that your boiled egg hardens. If you reboil a half-boiled egg that still has a runny yok, then you will end up with a fully-cooked hard-boiled egg.

On the other hand, if you reboil an already hard-boiled egg that is cooked fully, then what happens is that your egg gets warmer and remains to be a hard-boiled egg. In other words, this is a great way to heat a hard-boiled egg.

Reheating Boiled Eggs Without Shell

It is possible to reheat boiled cooked eggs without shells. All you have to do to reheat an egg without its shell is to carefully position this in your oven and heat it for a few minutes until hot.

On the other hand, you can also heat your boiled eggs without shell in boiling water for a minute or two.

This is essentially the only way to safely heat an egg and avoid an explosion in the process. The reason is that when you heat an egg in the microwave, it will explode even without its shell, and more so with its shell.

Eating Hard-Boiled Eggs With Runny Yolk

Typically, the egg whites protect the yolk from infection. Thus, you kill all possible bacteria by cooking the whites. This means that the safe is very safe to eat if the whites are solid and cooked, even if you still have a runny yolk.

This is great news for people that love soft-boiled eggs. Make sure to cook the egg whites fully by boiling your egg for a maximum of three minutes and no more than that.

How To Tell If Hard Boiled Eggs Are Done

You can tell if hard-boiled eggs are done by paying attention to how many minutes the eggs have been cooking.

Start with a rolling boil and add your eggs into the water one at a time.

Start your timer or watch the clock. If your eggs have been boiling for exactly eight minutes, your egg will be cooked with a solid white outer layer and a nice golden yolk.

If your eggs have been boiling for twelve minutes, then you should have a harder boiled egg, with a tough white layer and a dark yellow yolk. More than that will cause your yolk to have the same texture as chalk as your egg would be moisture-free at this point.

How Long To Boil Eggs

The ideal time to boil eggs is between eight to twelve minutes. The reason is that it takes this long for an egg to boil in a rolling boil. Any more than this would cause the yolk to be chalky. Less than this would result in having a solid white but a runny yolk.

In truth, some people prefer a semi-cooked rather than a fully-cooked egg yolk.

Keep in mind that the egg whites actually keep the yolk free from infection. This means that even if you have a solid egg white with a runny yolk, the egg would still be safe to eat.

On the other hand, if you have runny whites and yolks, you would be risking getting an infection called salmonella.

Can You Boil An Egg For Too Long?

You can’t overcook an egg the way you can overcook, say, steak. The only difference an overcooked egg has from a regular egg is that an overcooked egg’s yolk feels chalky in your mouth, whereas a perfectly cooked egg would feel like it still had some moisture.

It is similar to how a dry slice of cake would taste compared to a moist slice of cake. Boiling an egg too long will ensure a thoroughly cooked egg and most people won’t even notice, to be honest.

Are Hard-Boiled Eggs Good For You?

The combination of healthy elements, such as choline and protein, in hard-boiled eggs, increases mental energy, so you feel more alert. Zeaxanthin and lutein are contained in hard-boiled eggs. These have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help maintain the health of your eyes. This prevents macular degeneration. 

Hard-boiled eggs are also a top source of choline, which is important for growth and cellular maintenance. Reduced cholesterol makes hard-boiled egg whites the perfect snack. 

For pregnant women, hard-boiled eggs contain protein and vitamin D to support the general growth of your baby throughout pregnancy supporting your baby’s bones and teeth. 

You get excellent lean protein from hard-boiled eggs. For people who want to lose weight, hard-boiled eggs help fill you up without the calories. Eggs that are hard-boiled are filling tasty and great for your health.

What Exactly Is the Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg?

The perfect hard-boiled egg has a creamy consistency with no green ring around the yolk. Leave your hard-boiled eggs in their shell until you are ready to prepare or eat them. The eggshell protects the egg from bacteria and helps prevent the egg from absorbing refrigerator odor from other food.

When you prepare your eggs properly you can be assured of the preserved freshness of up to seven days in your refrigerator. It isn’t safe to keep your hard-boiled eggs at room temperature.

Keep your eggs covered in a container with their shells on. In the event your eggs are peeled, make sure to line the plastic container with a paper towel before arranging your eggs in it.

hard boiled eggs

How Long Will Cooked Eggs Keep in The Refrigerator?

Cooked eggs will keep in the refrigerator for up to seven days provided that the temperature is set at around forty degrees Fahrenheit. Starting with a properly boiled egg right from the get-go will ensure better longevity in the refrigerator.

Can You Eat Boiled Eggs Cold?

You can eat boiled eggs cold without reheating them. Adding a bit of hot sauce, salt, or pepper to them will enhance their taste.  You can also eat them plain if you prefer.

Some folks dice them up and mix mayonnaise with the diced hard-boiled eggs. This makes the perfect dip for crackers or chips. Remember, one egg has around six grams of protein which is really good for your health, as well!

How To Warm Up Peeled Boiled Eggs

Warm up peeled hard boiled eggs by cutting them in half and putting them in the microwave. Be sure to use a microwave-safe bowl and microwave them on high for ten seconds. Check to see if they are hot enough and if not, just repeat the process for another ten seconds.

Microwaving Hard Boiled Eggs

If you microwave an egg straight in the microwave, it will explode.

On the other hand, there is a procedure to microwave eggs that prevent an explosion. To make hard-boiled eggs in the microwave, first microwave just a bowl of water that has enough water to cover the egg.

Once hot, remove the bowl with water from the microwave. Using a pin, prick the bottom of the hard-boiled egg, which is the fatter part of the egg, and submerge the raw egg in the now hot bowl of water.

Put the bowl of water back into the microwave and microwave on high for forty seconds. If you are using medium-high heat or fifty percent maximum microwave capacity, then you can microwave the egg for three minutes.

Either way works. Check the egg for doneness, as every microwave is different. Microwave your eggs again if you feel they are undercooked.

Why Do Eggs Explode In The Microwave?

Eggs explode in the microwave due to rapid heat. When eggs are microwaved, the water content within the egg gets extremely superheated. When you continue to microwave the egg within its shell, the molecules expand, causing the egg to explode.

How Do You Microwave An Egg Without It Exploding?

To microwave an egg in its shell in the microwave without exploding, use a pin to price the bottom or fatter part of the shell. Make one hole and then, submerge the egg in pre-heated water in a bowl. Microwave the submerged egg shell for forty seconds on high heat, or three minutes on medium heat for a perfect hard-boiled egg without the explosion.

How To Fix Undercooked Hard Boiled Eggs

Undercooked hard-boiled eggs can be re-boiled in the same pot of water for another few minutes. You can also submerge them in a bowl of hot water and microwave it for three minutes on medium heat, provided the eggshell has a pin-hole or has been cracked already to prevent an explosion.

Hard-boiled eggs that are undercooked are safe to eat if the egg white is solid. The yolk can remain runny and as long as the egg white is solid, the egg is safe from salmonella.

Hard-boiled egg yolk not done is fine to eat as long as the rest of the egg, specifically the egg-white, is cooked solid. The reason for this is because it is the egg white that protects the egg yolk from bacteria. Thus, no matter what state the yolk is in, as long as the egg-white is solid and cooked, you are good to go.

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