Martha Stewart's Go-To Method For Steaming Eggs To Perfection

Eggs are a deeply personal dish with chefs, both professional and novice. However, if you are still exploring your go-to method for making them, try this Martha Stewart tip: steam them. In an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, Stewart revealed that her favorite way to make the staple breakfast food is soft-boiled with steam. She said, "The New York Times ran a one-page story a couple years ago by [J.] Kenji López-Alt. He said he spent 10 years developing the steamed egg thing. I do it exactly the way that he told us to do it."

The media mogul noted that the process is rather simple. Stewart explained that you need a rack or steamer insert to place over water in a covered pan. Bring it to a boil, and then, "Put the eggs in the rack over the boiling water, cover, and do either three minutes, three and a half minutes, four minutes, or five minutes." Stewart prefers her steamed soft-boiled eggs to be cooked for just four minutes. This allows their whites to firm up, but you still get a jammy, golden yolk. It's important not to stack them. Stewart says six is an ideal number if you are using a large pot. The beauty of this technique is not only that the eggs are delicious, but also, as a side benefit, the shell peels right off. 

But why steaming over any other method? When you steam eggs like Martha Stewart, it's all about results without the guesswork as it relates to time. When you boil them, the cook time can vary, as can the end product. However, with steaming, the yolk and white will cook evenly, sidestepping any runniness or rubberiness that might otherwise become a challenge. You will find that when you bite into these steamed eggs, they are tender and creamier than those cooked otherwise. This hack is perfect if you are making soft-boiled eggs with toast soldiers.

If you are going to steam eggs and eat them cold, one critical step is to always have an ice bath on standby so they don't continue to cook in their shell. This ensures you get the texture and consistency you like, whether they are steamed soft or hard-boiled. If this sounds like more work than you are up for, you can kill two birds with one stone by steaming eggs in your rice cooker or simply use the steamer basket set for one of Stewart's suggested times. 

Static media owns and operates Daily Meal and Tasting Table.