The battle for the “perfect” cool egg wasted everyone's time for decades. You've probably tried starting with cold water, which essentially involves babysitting the potty like a helicopter parent until the first bubble appears, only to end up with rubbery yolks because you were brave enough to look away for 30 seconds. Then comes the joy of peeling them, which usually ends with half the egg whites sticking to the shell. No, thanks.
While everyone else is busy arguing about the temperature of the water, your fryer sat at the counter with a real solution. He's a master at “boiling” eggs using just hot air, and honestly, it's a shame we didn't start doing this sooner. You will get consistent results every time, no matter how many eggs you put in your basket.
It's time to ditch the pan and give your air fryer the job it was truly designed to do. If you're ready to stop complicating a simple appetizer, here's how to cook perfect eggs without the drama on the stovetop.
If you've ever had egg boiler on the countertop as a separate device, then listen. Your air fryer is already here and it is very useful thanks to its ability rehabilitate the remainsfry and bake with enthusiasm and get stellar fried cheese. He can also bear the burden of boiling eggs for you.
Why you should cook hard-boiled eggs in the deep fryer
Don't cook a full basket of eggs until you know the time and temperature.
A better question is: Why don't you cook hard-boiled (or soft-boiled, or in the shell) eggs in the air fryer? It's not like boiling water adds any flavor to the dish like salted pasta water would. Like most tasks you can accomplish with an air fryer, cooking eggs this way produces more consistent results with fewer variables, less time, and less cleanup. Basically, I quickly wiped it down with a paper towel for show once I finished the egg cooking experiment.
Case mostly closed, but if you need more reason, your eggs have less risk of cracking during cooking, which can be caused by shaking while boiling. Even the smallest fryers can hold at least a half dozen eggs or more. Plus, it's another tick on the list of reasons to leave your air fryer on the counter, letting it handle as many kitchen tasks for you as possible.
Read more: How long do eggs last in the refrigerator and how to tell if they have gone bad?
Best Ways to Cook Boiled Eggs in the Air Fryer
High air fryer temperatures cause uneven cooking and make food difficult to clean.
From runny yolks to jams and solids, the air fryer can handle it. There is no need to wait for the water to boil, and do not forget to set the timer at the most crucial moment. There are a lot of rumors floating around the internet about the do's and don'ts when it comes to boiling eggs in the fryer, but in my experience, most of them can be ignored. It is not necessary to bring the eggs to room temperature first. You don't need a layer of foil as a nest for the eggs. You don't even need to preheat the air fryer. (Who started the rumor that air fryers still need to be preheated? They're not ovens.)
Here's What You Need to Do to Get the Best Boiled Eggs in the Air Fryer
- Test one egg first to determine the optimal temperature and time for your fryer model. (While I wholeheartedly support this method, I wouldn't use a dozen at once without trying it out first.)
- Use low heat, between 270 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place eggs in one layer
- Set the fryer timer according to the type of yolk you want:
- Submerge cooked eggs in cold water and remove them from the fryer to prevent the yolk from warming further and to make cleanup easier.
After boiling, place the eggs in cold water.
Cooking time for boiled eggs in air fryer
- Liquid yolk: 7-8 minutes
- Soft yolk: 9-10 minutes
- Jammy yolk: 12-13 minutes
- Hard-boiled yolk: 15-17 minutes
Nine minutes in the deep fryer will produce a soft-boiled egg.
Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking Eggs in the Air Fryer
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that turning on the air fryer will allow you to shave a significant number of minutes off your cooking time. Although cooking eggs in an air fryer takes a little less time because they don't have to wait for the water to boil, they are not designed to get the job done quickly. In my experience, the higher temperature in the air fryer's convection environment caused the eggs to cook unevenly. (Note that boiling water is only 212 degrees Fahrenheit.)
I've read a few comments about deep fryer eggs that say they are harder to peel. I haven't found this to happen when using a lower temperature; however, I found this to be true for one egg, which I cooked at about 400 degrees. There was also a more “eggy” smell when cooking the egg.
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