Maybe you cooked a large batch of soft-boiled eggs late at night for a party you’re planning for the next day. And, you turn them in for the night, forgetting to place them in the fridge!
Can you still eat them or should you toss them?
You should not eat soft-boiled eggs that you left out overnight. In fact, you should not eat soft-boiled eggs that you’ve left out for more than 2 hours in order to prevent the likelihood of catching a food-borne illness. Soft-boiled eggs should either be eaten or refrigerated right after cooking.
We know this might sound a little alarming, but do not worry. As long as you practice safe food handling and storage, soft-boiled eggs are perfectly safe.
If you want to know more about how to prepare and store your soft-boiled eggs, then read on!
What Happens If You Eat a Soft-Boiled Egg Left Out Overnight?
Soft boiled eggs will likely accumulate high amounts of bacteria when left out for more than two hours. Therefore, if you leave your soft-boiled eggs out overnight, they will likely taste bad and have high levels of bacteria.
Soft-boiled eggs will not last as long as hard-boiled eggs either outside or inside the refrigerator. Soft-boiled eggs do not have a fully cooked center, and this means the bacteria is much more likely to develop and multiply while sitting at room temperature.
You should never eat a soft-boiled egg that has been out for more than two hours if the temperature is 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius). If your home is warmer than this, then you should throw it out after an hour if not sooner.
The best way to guarantee the safety of a soft-boiled egg is to consume it right after it is cooked. This is true for almost every egg dish, but the lighter you cook it the more imperative it is to consume it quickly.
How Do Eggs Go Bad?
Raw eggs go bad due to the development and cultivation of bacteria inside of the egg. Most eggs have bacteria present inside and outside of them, and over time this bacteria multiplies causing the egg to decay.
A decaying egg tends to turn a yellowish-green color on the inside. They smell very pungent, with a potent sulfur scent protruding from the cracked shell. This is the result of the proteins breaking down.
In the United States, Australia, Japan, and some other countries, eggs are always washed as soon as they are collected from the hens. This is done to prevent the spread of salmonella (typically present on the outside of the eggshell).
However, it has the effect of opening the pores of the eggshell and thus causing it to decay fast (because the pores let bacteria in). To prevent the bacteria from multiplying, in these countries eggs must be refrigerated at all times.
Raw eggs will actually last for quite a long time as long as they are stored properly. Washed eggs must be kept at 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) at all times before they are cooked. This will ensure they will last longer and be safe to consume.
How Should Soft-Boiled Eggs Be Stored?
Soft eggs should be stored in an airtight container or other sealed containers. The eggs should always be refrigerated unless they are going to be consumed right away. If you keep the soft boiled egg in their shell you can store them in the egg carton.
Another method of storing your soft-boiled eggs is in cold water. Peel your soft-boiled eggs and keep them in a sealed container filled with water. If you use this method, make sure you change the water every day.
Do not use warm water or contaminated water. Your best option is filtered cold water from a fridge or bottled water at a cold temperature.
How Should You Serve Soft Boiled Eggs?
Soft boiled eggs can be consumed in a variety of ways from Brulee to peeled and sliced. The easiest way to serve your soft-boiled eggs is in an egg cup with a spoon and pepper and salt. But, this is far from it!
To begin, for the best quality, you should serve your soft-boiled eggs right after cooking. Refrigerated soft-boiled eggs will need to be reheated before consuming them and this may make the yolk harder than desired.
Eggs benedict is a tasty dish popularized in New York City. Although this is not the traditional recipe, you can use this to make a modified version of the recipe. This dish combines two halves of a soft boiled egg or soft-cooked egg with hollandaise sauce on top of an English muffin.
You can also peel your soft-boiled eggs, coat them in breadcrumbs, and deep fry them. The yolk will likely cook some more while you fry it, but the moist nature of the soft-boiled egg will prevent it from getting dry.
Sliced soft-boiled eggs can also be served on buttered toast. If you slice the eggs in half and spread them over the bread the soft yolk will mingle well with the dryer bread. This is a complimentary and simple dish.
How Long Can Soft-Boiled Eggs Be Stored?
Soft eggs can be stored safely for up to two days in the refrigerator. They should be kept between 34-45 degrees Fahrenheit (2-7 degrees Celsius) and in a safe, sealed container.
Soft eggs do not last nearly as long as hard-boiled eggs in the fridge. In comparison, hard-boiled eggs can last up to a week when stored either in their shell or peeled and in water.
The reason hard-boiled eggs last longer than soft-boiled eggs is because the yolk is fully cooked in hard-boiled eggs. Hard-boiled eggs reach higher temperatures while they cook and thus more bacteria is killed and is less likely to cause the egg to rot.
We do not recommend that you freeze your soft-boiled eggs, however. Eggs, whether fried, boiled or soft boiled do not freeze well and will not retain their structural integrity.
They tend to become grainy and crumble easily. This means the eggs will not be tasty or have a pleasant texture anymore. As we said above, your best bet is to make your soft eggs to serve and be eaten right away.
How Can You Tell If a Soft-Boiled Egg Has Gone Bad?
The best way to test if your soft-boiled eggs have gone bad is to smell them. Although you can’t rely on scent alone, smell is a reliable test for eggs. Eggs produce a very harsh, pungent sulfur scent when they start decaying which is very evident.
Soft-boiled eggs will also start to turn colors after they start decaying. These color changes can be seen in the yolk and egg whites.
The yolk starts to change to a green or grey color and this color can leach into the whiteness of the yolk. As such, when you cut your egg in half you will likely smell a pungent sulfur scent and a wet, grey yolk.
Can You Get Salmonella From Soft Boiled Eggs?
You can technically get salmonella from any eggs, whether they’re cooked or raw. However, soft-boiled eggs are not at a higher risk of carrying salmonella than hard-boiled eggs.
Salmonella is usually killed during cooking time. This is why it is so important that food reaches a certain temperature before being consumed if it is an animal product.
Therefore, salmonella is typically transferred from one contaminated surface to the food. This is the most likely way food is contaminated with salmonella, rather than the bacteria which is already present in the food.
The most important thing is you wash your hands thoroughly before handling your eggs. After handling the eggshell you should also wash your hands since salmonella is usually mostly present on the outside of the shell.
Next, either immediately refrigerate or consume the soft-boiled eggs. Do not leave them to sit out since this is a breeding ground for more and more bacteria.
Should You Wash the Outside of an Egg Shell Before Cooking/Boiling It?
Unless you live in a country that cleans eggshells at an industrial level (before reaching the store) you should not wash your eggs before cooking them. In fact, if you choose to wash your eggs you might be encouraging the bacteria into the egg rather than washing it off.
Eggs have very small pores all over their shell. Let’s remember, these are the incubation centers for chicks to grow and hatch, so they need to have air.
These pores are too small for the gooey interior to leach out. And, in order to protect the chick, most harmful bacteria and such are also prevented from entering.
However, when you wash your eggs, you are creating friction with the eggshell. As a result, the pores are opened further and bacteria is likely to slip through this thin layer and settle into the egg.
This is why eggs in the USA and other countries must be refrigerated while eggs in many South American countries do not. The shells have not been irritated by industrial cleaning methods and thus they can last for a few weeks on the shelf.
Therefore, if you’re visiting any areas where the eggs are sold unwashed on the shelf, do not take them home and scrub them. The best way to handle them is to cook them as they are and wash your hands thoroughly after holding them.