How to Make Perfect Every Time Jammy Soft-Boiled Eggs

For the creamiest, dreamiest eggs, look no further. This hybrid of a poached egg and hard-boiled egg has a soft, custard-like center. This recipe shows you how to make the perfect jammy eggs and how to use this wonderful ingredient.

My new kitchen mantra is, “when in doubt, place a jammy egg on top.” In other words, when a dish is missing that special something, or you want to make a salad more substantial, or your fried rice is looking sort of tired, you can always boil up some of these beauties.

This egg with a rich and oozy yolk elevates any dish it accompanies.

I could think of a thousand dishes made better with an egg on top: steak, salads, ramen noodle soup, toast.

It is a wonderful idea from a culinary perspective, to put a soft egg on a dish. The egg always brings luxuriousness to the party. The added bonus is that it provides a quick and healthy source of protein. So, this decision to add eggs to a dish, makes the nutritionist in me happy as well.

Let's Get Cooking!

WHAT IS A JAMMY EGG?

Somewhere between a hard boiled and a runny soft boiled egg is the perfect sweet spot for a jammy egg.  The white is firm and set, creating a perfect encasement for the jammy yolk that oozes deliciousness at the center and is stable at its edges where it meets the egg white.  Perfect for spreading on toast because of its jammy consistency.  

TOOLS YOU WILL USE:

• A Good Knife
• Cutting Board
• Sauce Pan
• Spider Spatula
• Medium sized bowl

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT JAMMY EGGS

Cook time:  I’ve tested a few different cook times and found that 6 1/2 minutes on a steady boil creates the perfect jammy yolk center and firm but supple egg white.  At 5 1/2 minutes, the yolk can be a little too runny and 7 minutes starts to get into hard boiled territory. 

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MASTER THE JAMMY EGG!

1. Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil
2. Once water is boiling, set timer and cook for 6 minutes, 30 seconds.
3. Gently lower eggs into the pot of boiling water and cook for exactly 6 minutes, 30 seconds. (I like to use a spider spatula or slotted spoon to do so). Be carful, If you crack a shell, the egg is not usable. 
4. Make your ice bath by filling a medium bowl halfway with cold water and adding a generous handful of ice cubes. 

5. Once timer goes off, remove eggs from boiling water and dunk into the ice bath. Allow eggs to sit in ice bath for about 2 mins-until slightly warm but cool enough to handle and peel.

6. Remove from ice bath and peel carefully, making sure to not break the egg apart as you work your way around.

7. Cut or mash and enjoy with salt and pepper or, as I love to do, sprinkle with Everything Bagel seasoning.  

EASY EGG PEELING METHOD

Here's a great technique from Food 52 that makes peeling your jammy eggs a breeze. Feel free to use the water from your ice bath or use an alternative bowl of room temp water. What's great about this method is that peeling the eggs in water helps the shells to easily release and provides a place for them to collect. Use collected shells in you compost or discard. Note: Food 52 writes this method for hardboiled eggs but it works just as well for jammy eggs. Whatever method you use, just be sure to treat the eggs gently enough that they don' break apart as you peel them.

• Once eggs are cools enough to handle, fill another clean bowl with room temperature water, (or scoop out ice from the ice bath and add more water to your current bowl). Keep eggs submerged and use the edge of the bowl to knock them in the center to start cracking the shell. Be sure to be gentle, so as to not break the egg entirely in half.
• Once cracked, the water will help separate the shell and membrane from the delicious egg inside.

STORING JAMMY EGGS

• Shell on – 7 days in the fridge
• Peeled – 3 days in the fridge
• Reheat notes – Reheating too aggressively or too long will cook the yolk to hard boiled, to reheat add to a bowl of hot water and allow to warm through for several minutes.

HOW TO USE JAMMY EGGS – RECIPE IDEAS!

Here is a list of delicious uses for jammy eggs:

1. Avocado Toast with Jammy egg
2. Kimchi Cauliflower Rice with a Jammy egg
3. Steak and Jammy Eggs
4. Caesar Salad with Jammy eggs
5. Vegetable Hash with Jammy Eggs
6. Ramen Noodle Soup with a Jammy Egg
7. Buddha or Bliss Bowl with Jammy Egg
8. Insanely Delicious Asparagus Salad with Jammy Eggs

EASY JAMMY EGG SERVING SUGGESTION

Crack the cooked egg softly on the countertop or cutting board. Carefully remove the shell. You can rinse the egg under warm water to remove any residual shell pieces. Slice the egg in half or smoosh with a fork or break it into pieces. Season, eat, and enjoy.

MORE EGG-CENTRIC RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE:

Perfectly Soft Scrambled Eggs with Goat Cheese

Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs

Veggie Hash with Eggs

I can’t wait for you to try this Perfect Jammy Eggs Recipe! When you make it, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @abrapappa or use the hashtag #abraskitchen so I can feature your photo! 

If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate and leave a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!