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Date: 12 September 2018. Perfect Eggs - Eggy Timer (no reefer advice)

© janice142

Today I'm going to suggest you spend $3 of your perfectly good money. The item to purchase is an Eggy egg timer. I want things easy. The Eggy shows me exactly how cooked my eggs are at any point during the boil. Since I bought this item at Walmart, every time my eggs come out of the pan they are precisely perfect. It is a wonder. A $3 solution suits my budget too.


As you may have surmised I do like eggs. They are versatile and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Eggs keep well without refrigeration provided precautions are taken. Best of all, they are inexpensive.
 

Of course it is best to keep eggs in a refrigerator. Not all boaters have that luxury however. Until I couple years ago I too lived without a reefer.
 

 

Memory Lane: When I was a child aboard our 40'er, we did not have a reefer. I never drank milk and a lot of what many consider "normal" was not a part of my life afloat.
 

Our boat, circa 2001:


Ice-boxes were prevalent aboard boats however they were drippy and leaky. Plus you had to find a place that would sell you ice. We did not use ours and eventually removed it.
 

The advent of 12-volt systems for refrigeration revolutionized the boating world. Though wildly expensive, they were a decided improvement for many. Of course you had to be able to power them. That brought on another set of complications.

 

I am eternally grateful to Bucky for the two solar panels that made such a difference in my happiness quotient. Having a way to keep items refrigerated is wonderful. Best of all are the ice cubes in my glass. The life of decadence took a decided jump with the additional solar panels. Thank you again!

 


For years I didn't have a working refrigerator aboard Seaweed. When it was particularly hot even the thought of going to shore to get ice was beyond my stamina level. Having enough solar panels to power a reefer is a True Blessing.
 


 

 

 


Regarding refrigeration of eggs: I am not an expert, microbiologist, bacteriologist nor scientist. I can only tell you what I did. You need to assess the risks for yourself.
 

I am not responsible for your decision. You are in charge of your choices and what you eat. Without equivocation, reefer stored eggs are safer than those kept at room temperature.



I share with you what I have done in the past:
Before having the power to run my refrigerator I would buy a dozen eggs from the grocery store. I did not buy special eggs, simply choosing whatever was the best price at the store. When I got back home I would set them on the counter until they came up to boat temperature. Then I stowed them in my locker under the sink.
 

Placement was away from the hull which gets warmer in the sunlight. Every day or two I would flip the carton upside down. That's it!
 

I did not grease or oil the eggshells nor do any of the other things that some folks will say extend the life of an egg. My method, such as it is kept the eggs fresh for a month or so. Of course if temps were in the 90's I would only count on the eggs lasting a couple of weeks. Perhaps that is because I ate more then because they are so easy to fix

 

BEFORE EATING AN EGG: When I am dealing with an old egg I'm planning on scrambling or frying, I always open it into a small dish. That way if the egg has gone bad I don't ruin the rest of the ingredients in my recipe.
 

Men won't have to wonder if an egg is bad. You'll see milky strands in the clear part and the yolk will be discolored. Either or both of those symptoms, or a stench that won't quit is all you need to know. Toss it. The egg has gone bad.

 

 

This is exactly what you want to buy for making boiled eggs. The gizmo is an Eggy egg timer by joie.

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Now do not think I am the genius who discovered this item. Nope. While shopping in Walmart I ended up chatting with a nice lady who was also at the store. She said this item had revolutionized her egg cooking. For $3 I took a chance and bought one.
 

I am a gizmo-holic. When it comes to galley gear I always think that with one more item, tool or spice I will become a particularly wonderful cook. It does not work out quite that way however I continue to be optimistic.



As the eggs boil the Eggy changes color. When the whole background is yellow the eggs are hard boiled. Above, that color scheme indicates about half done. The yolks are not solid yellow, yet. The egg is at the soft-boiled stage.
 

The Eggy is placed in the bottom of the pan with the eggs. Then add water and cook as normal. When I want to know if the eggs are done I simply look at the Eggy. If it is solid pale yellow, I remove the pan from the heat. My eggs are done.
 

Remove eggs from the pot to cool. Do not dump out the water used to cook the eggs.

Aboard Seaweed I let them cool in the original egg carton.
 

Folks in houses or with bunches of water are advised to cool freshly boiled eggs in a bowl filled with ice water. I do not waste water that way. As a matter of fact, the water I cook the eggs in will be used again. Some will go to my plants. A bit might be used for steaming veggies and the rest will be part of my dish-washing water.


Aboard a boat resources are precious. By not being wasteful I have more water for the important things like ice cubes and longer showers. With care this life can be quite decadent.
 

As you can see the eggs are yellow in the center. They are perfect for making Egg Salad or Deviled Eggs.

 

On these hot summer days a small plate of Grandma's Egg Salad with some chicken is cool and refreshing.


All this cooking is easier because I do not have to wonder when my eggs have boiled long enough. Eggy has made a difference in my life. It is a simple item that works as it is supposed to.
 

Side Note: The instructions are complicated. The manufacturer wanted me to boil it a couple times prior to use with the eggs. I didn't do that because I did not read the how-to until after I'd used the item. The only thing I have been careful about is to let the Eggy cool off slowly.


The Eggy upon examination is approximately 3/4" thick. It appears to be some sort of plexiglass. Layered in the middle is I believe a heat sensitive paint. As the water heats the paint changes color to match the color of the egg yolk. There are no batteries. It's simply a piece of plastic with a center that fades from bright orange to pale yellow as the egg cooks.
 

How to Use Eggy: Place it in the bottom of the pan with your eggs. Cover all with water. Put a lid on the pan. Turn the burner on high. Wait. Periodically check the color of the Eggy. When it is pale yellow your eggs are hard-boiled.

 

Though there are links in this article to Amazon, please note this gizmo can be bought at half the price from Walmart. I do very much appreciate it when you buy though my links found in the upper left corner of every page, however in this case you can save money by going directly to Walmart. J.

Folks who want to directly help out are welcome to use this PayPal link.


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As for me, I am going to enjoy my plate of chicken and egg salad. It's the perfect day for a light refreshing meal.



To those of you in Hurricane Florence's path, please be careful. I am worried about y'all.


Reminder: My favorite link for storms remains Mike's Weather Page. Also don't forget Cap'n Tom's great advice to check for webcams in the impact area when the meteorologists are showing the storm at it's worst. Live webcams can show you actual on-the-ground storm without the media hype, at least until the power goes out.
 

Good luck to one and all. Thanks for reading.
 

Have you an Eggy timer or do you use a different method for perfect hard-boiled eggs?
Are you in the path of Hurricane Florence?

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