How to cook eggs (scrambled, fried, boiled, poached)
Eggs come down to heat control: scramble them low and slow in butter, fry them over medium heat under a lid, boil them 7 minutes for soft or 11 for firm, and poach them in barely simmering water. Take scrambled eggs off while still glossy and chill boiled eggs in ice water.
About 20 minutes to learnEveryday skill
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How to do it
- Scrambled: whisk eggs with a pinch of salt, melt butter over low heat, add the eggs and stir slowly with a spatula.
- Take scrambled eggs off the heat while they still look slightly wet; they finish cooking on the plate.
- Fried: heat a little oil or butter over medium heat, crack the egg into a small bowl first, slide it in, and cover the pan for a minute to set the white.
- Boiled: lower eggs gently into boiling water with a spoon, cook 7 minutes for a soft center or 11 minutes for firm, then move them to ice water.
- Poached: bring a deep pan of water to a bare simmer, add a splash of vinegar, stir a gentle whirlpool, and slide in an egg from a cup.
- Poach for about three minutes, lift out with a slotted spoon, and blot on a paper towel.
- Cook eggs until whites and yolks are firm for anyone pregnant, very young, older or unwell.
Common mistakes
- Scrambling over high heat, which makes them rubbery and dry.
- Cracking eggs straight into the pan and chasing shell fragments.
- Boiling poaching water hard, which tears the egg apart.
- Leaving boiled eggs in hot water, which turns the yolk edge green.
Quick self-check
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Teach this to someone
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Teach: How to cook eggs (scrambled, fried, boiled, poached)
What to say
Eggs come down to heat control: scramble them low and slow in butter, fry them over medium heat under a lid, boil them 7 minutes for soft or 11 for firm, and poach them in barely simmering water. Take scrambled eggs off while still glossy and chill boiled eggs in ice water.
What to show, in order
- Scrambled: whisk eggs with a pinch of salt, melt butter over low heat, add the eggs and stir slowly with a spatula.
- Take scrambled eggs off the heat while they still look slightly wet; they finish cooking on the plate.
- Fried: heat a little oil or butter over medium heat, crack the egg into a small bowl first, slide it in, and cover the pan for a minute to set the white.
- Boiled: lower eggs gently into boiling water with a spoon, cook 7 minutes for a soft center or 11 minutes for firm, then move them to ice water.
- Poached: bring a deep pan of water to a bare simmer, add a splash of vinegar, stir a gentle whirlpool, and slide in an egg from a cup.
- Poach for about three minutes, lift out with a slotted spoon, and blot on a paper towel.
- Cook eggs until whites and yolks are firm for anyone pregnant, very young, older or unwell.
The check question
Ask: When do you take scrambled eggs off the heat?
Related skills
- How to cook rice on the stove
- Safe cooking temperatures and leftovers
- How to meal prep lunches for the week
- Every skill in Kitchen
Sources
- National food safety chart of safe minimum internal temperatures, current edition. Checked September 28, 2026.
Last reviewed . First published .