Boiled Egg And Soldiers

Name: Boiled Egg and Soldiers
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 large eggs; 2 ounces butter; 2 slices sourdough bread

July 13, 2012 by Irish American Mom 22 Comments

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.

Jump to Recipe

A boiled egg standing proudly in an egg cup is an inviting breakfast or lunch. Line up some buttered toast sticks (nicknamed soldiers) on the side, and I am in egg-dipping heaven.

Toast soldiers on a plate with a brown boiled egg in an egg cup — Boiled Egg Waiting To Be Cracked Open

Boiled eggs are a staple on any Irish or English household's menu, and are lovingly called dippy eggs.

A knob of melting butter on top adds a creamy lusciousness to the yolk.

When I was a kid in Dublin many years ago, boiled eggs were often on our menu for breakfast, lunch or tea.

Egg Cups
She Can't Boil An Egg
Egg Timers
Ingredients for Boiled Eggs and Soldiers
How To Boil Eggs
Making Toast Soldiers
Recipe Card for Boiled Egg and Soldiers

Egg Cups

Egg cups line the cupboards and dressers of most Irish homes. Whether made from plain white pottery, or delicately painted china, egg cups display a boiled egg exquisitely.

Yet their design is not just showy, also serving a very functional purpose. By balancing a boiled egg upright, the top of the egg can easily be tapped with a spoon to remove the cap, allowing access to the interior for delicious toast dipping.

A brown egg in a blue green and white egg cup — Boiled Egg in an Egg Cup

Egg cups are not widely available here in America. I confess I only own one egg cup.

Next time I visit Ireland I plan to extend my collection. Here in America, I have resorted to using shot glasses to hold my boiled eggs.

She Can't Boil An Egg

The saying "she can't boil and egg" or "he can't boil an egg" is often used in Ireland. It's is a way of saying someone has no idea how to cook.

Boiling an egg has traditionally been seen as a very simple task. In the past, a bad cook was often accused of not being able to boil an egg. Today I come to the defense of all those so-called bad cooks, wrongly denounced for their lack of egg boiling skills.

A triple egg timer with timers for hard, medium and soft boiled eggs — Triple Egg Timer

Image Credit

Egg Timers

If boiling an egg is so simple, then why on earth were egg timers invented? I love this triple egg timer, with separate hour glass timers for soft, medium, and hard boiled eggs.

Cooking an egg to order takes precision and exact timing. Hard boiling an egg is a little easier than soft boiling, but then you have to contend with the whole issue of preventing a black ring around the yolk if you wish to serve them cold.

Saying a bad cook couldn't boil water is definitely a more accurate indictment, because egg boiling is truly a skill.

Ingredients for Boiled Eggs and Soldiers

This ingredient list is pretty simple. All you will need is:

Eggs
Bread
Butter
Water to boil the eggs

How To Boil Eggs

When boiling an egg in America, the first decision requires choosing the color of your egg.

When I first came over here I was surprised by all the white-shelled eggs sold in grocery stores.

Six brown eggs and six white eggs in an egg container — A Dozen Eggs

I grew up eating brown-shelled eggs, so I confess I am a little partial to them.

A white boiled egg in an egg cup just looks a little anemic to my Irish eyes.

Three eggs covered in water for boiling in a silver saucepan — Eggs In Saucepan Covered By 1 inch Of Water

Use eggs that have come to room temperature. Eggs that are taken straight from the fridge tend to crack. Place the eggs into a saucepan which is just big enough to hold them on the bottom. Never pile the eggs up, but always lay them in a single layer. Completely cover the eggs with cold water.

If you wish to make sure your eggs don't crack during the boiling process, just prick a tiny hole in the rounder, less pointy end of the egg. There is a little air pocket there, with a membrane separating the inner egg from the shell.

Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat immediately the water starts bubbling and start your timer. You want to cook eggs on a light simmer on the stove top.

For soft-boiled eggs, simmer for just 3 to 4 minutes (the less time cooking the softer the egg).

For a yolk that is just-set, simmer the egg for 5 to 6 minutes.

For a hard-boiled egg, simmer for 9 to 15 minutes.

As a child I was always told 10 minutes for hard boiled, but 8 minutes usually does the trick. If you boil them for 15 minutes a black ring can start to develop around the yolk. An extr minute can make the difference between a soft and hard egg.

If planning to serve hard boiled eggs cold, immediately place them in icy water to stop the cooking process and prevent development of that ugly black ring around the yolk.

Dipping a toast soldier into the soft yellow yolk of a soft boiled egg in an egg cup — Dipping Soldiers In Soft Boiled Egg

As soon as the timer goes off, drain the eggs and serve them immediately. Remember if you leave them sitting in hot water, even with the burner turned off, they will just keep cooking.

I often wonder how the lord of the manor in years gone by ever managed to eat a soft boiled egg. I imagine the poor maid dashing from the kitchen with his egg the moment it came out of the boiling water. If the kitchen was too far away from the breakfast room, the egg would surely keep cooking as she sped to his lordship.

That's why I think egg timers were set for 3 minutes rather than 4, to try to keep that yolk as soft as possible while transporting it through the Big House.

Boiled eggs are also used to make Scotch eggs.

Making Toast Soldiers

Toast soldiers are just strips of buttered toast.

Their slim, rectangular shape makes them perfect for dipping into a boiled egg.

Sourdough bread loaf on a cutting board with a knife and one slice cut — Sourdough Bread Perfect For Making Toast Soldiers

In Ireland I always loved soldiers made with batch bread, a thick textured loaf with a distinctive flavor. However the choice of bread is totally up to you.

Here in America I use good sourdough bread. I just cut a thick slice, toast it, remove the crusts and slice it into thin strips. My potato bread also works great.

I always butter my toast before cutting it into strips, but butter is totally optional.

After removing the top of the egg, you can sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the soft yolk of your runny egg.

To break the top of the egg, take a small spoon and tap it against the top of the egg until it cracks. Then, use the spoon to lift off the cap of the egg to reveal the perfect runny yolk, just waiting for toast fingers to be dipped inside.

A medium boiled egg in an egg cup with the top off and toast soldiers on the side — Medium Boiled Egg

Boiled egg and soldiers - a perfect combination! I hope you enjoy these dippy eggs from Ireland and the United Kingdom.

A little piece of advice. It's important to know that with a runny yolk there's an increased risk of salmonella, since the egg is not fully cooked through.

Recipe Card for Boiled Egg and Soldiers

Here's a short video tribute to boiled eggs.

Here is the printable recipe card for your kitchen files.

Boiled Egg and Soldiers

Learn how to make soft boiled eggs to dip toast soldiers.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: British, Irish

Keyword: Boiled Egg, Soft Boiled Egg, Toast Soldiers

Prep Time: 7

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 15

Servings:

Calories: 460kcal

Equipment

Egg Cup

Ingredients

2 large eggs
2 ounces butter
2 slices sourdough bread

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Remove the eggs from the fridge an hour or two in advance. Allow the eggs to come to room temperature before boiling. Eggs straight from the fridge tend to crack when boiled.
Place the eggs into a saucepan which is just big enough to hold them on the bottom. Never pile the eggs up, but always lay them in a single layer. Completely cover the eggs with cold water.
Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat immediately the water starts bubbling and start your timer.
For soft-boiled eggs, simmer for just 3 or 4 minutes (the less time cooking the softer the egg).
For a yolk that is just-set, simmer the egg for 5 to 6 minutes.
For a hard-boiled egg, simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
While the eggs are boiling make the toast soldiers. Pop the slices of bread into the toaster. When done, remove from the toaster and butter the bread. Cut off the crust and slice the bread into thin 1 inch strips.
As soon as the timer goes off, drain the eggs and serve them immediately with the toast soldiers. To serve stand each egg in an egg cup. A shot glass will work if you do not own an egg cup.

Nutrition Facts

Boiled Egg and Soldiers

Amount Per Serving (75 g)

Calories 460 Calories from Fat 261

% Daily Value*

Fat 29g45%

Saturated Fat 16g100%

Cholesterol 247mg82%

Sodium 602mg26%

Potassium 151mg4%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 14g28%

Vitamin A 978IU20%

Calcium 63mg6%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.

Tried this recipe?Mention @IrishAmericanMomBlog or tag #irishamericanmom!

If you don't have an egg cup, never fear. You can always serve your egg mashed up with butter and a little salt in a cup.

I remember eating mashed up egg in a cup when I was a child.

Mashed hard boiled egg in a cup with toast soldiers — Boiled Egg In A Cup

When my triplets were toddlers, boiled egg in a cup was perfect for lunch.

Toast soldiers make great finger food for little ones. I just scooped the boiled egg out of the shell with a spoon, mashed it in a cup with a big knob of creamy butter. Of course when they started to feed themselves I served their eggs in plastic bowls.

If you are ever accused of not being able to boil an egg, don't worry. It's just a matter of timing anyone can learn.

And so, may all the eggs you boil, be happy eggs. Enjoy!!!

If you enjoy eggs you might like these recipes...

Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs On Toast

Poached Eggs On Grated Potato Cakes

Scotch Eggs

Egg Salad Sandwiches Irish Style

Spider Deviled Eggs For Halloween

Thanks for following my recipes and ramblings.