Avoid Uneven Yolks In Hard-Boiled Eggs With A Simple Stir

When served as part of a simple breakfast, a savory appetizer, or a satisfying topping for a salad, hard-boiled eggs can do you well. While these versatile indulgences are pretty easy to make in theory — all you really have to do is drop a few eggs into a boiling pot of water and wait — hard-boiled eggs can be quite finicky when it comes to cooking them. If you're consistently ending up with eggs that have uneven yolks, you're far from alone. Luckily, the fix for this problem is pretty simple. All you have to do is stir your eggs more.

When egg yolks come out wonky, it's often a sign that the eggs aren't cooking evenly. Just because you immerse your eggs in a pot of boiling water doesn't mean they have even exposure and will cook perfectly. You need to stir your eggs while they're cooking to expose all parts of it to the boiling water equally. If the eggs stay stagnant and lay on their side, they'll inevitably come out uneven. Let's dig more into the why behind this phenomenon.

Eggs, like all things on Earth, are at the mercy of gravity. Leaving them to lay in a pot on their side will inevitably mean that the yolk will be pulled down on one side. Luckily, it's very easy to prevent this from happening with a few simple stirs. As molecular gastronomist Hervé This shared with Yummly: "A slow centrifugal force will keep the yolk from leaning one way or the other."

If the suggestion of this method gives you pause, don't worry; this doesn't mean you have to hover in front of the pot the whole time you're cooking your eggs. Just give the eggs a quick stir every once in a while to ensure that they are moving around, and you're good to go.

The answer to fixing uneven yolks is simple, so don't make it complicated. There's still hope to make some of the best deviled eggs yet.

As previously mentioned, hard-boiled eggs are easy to make, but their fragile ecosystem means a lot can go wrong in the process. Avoid these mistakes with hard-boiled eggs to avoid a ruined breakfast. 

If your yolks aren't uneven, but you always find a green ring around the edges, this is because of a natural chemical reaction that happens when eggs become overcooked. The ring isn't harmful, but it's not always the most appealing to look at. Even for the most experienced chefs, it's a good idea to set a timer to know when it's time for your eggs to come out of the water. This can also be prevented by immediately cooling your eggs after cooking. Overcooking is also the diagnosis of an egg yolk that looks pale and chalky. If your eggs taste good, but they're coming out misshapen, this probably means the eggs are just a little older than others, but they should still be safe to eat. Check the date on the egg carton to be sure. 

While eggs are a good source of protein and are a good way to start the day, they can also leave you with a headache if you haven't mastered how to cook them properly. Pay attention to the pot and be diligent about how you cook your eggs; you should have some happy yolks.