Anyone who cooks hard eggs themselves knows the phenomenon only too well. But why does the yolk turn green, what can you do about it and is it harmful to health? We will clarify all this today in this guide!
Not only the Easter bunny likes them, eggs are also very popular with us Germans.
For many, a boiled egg is as much a part of Sunday breakfast as hot coffee and fresh rolls.
But what if you discover a greenish discoloration around the yolk when eating eggs? That doesn't really look tasty! Is the egg old and bad?
Can you still eat it or is it better to push it aside?
I'm going to tell you where the green haze comes from in hard-boiled eggs and how to prevent the yolk from turning green.
Why is the yolk green?
Blue-green yolk is formed when we cook the egg too long. Too long in this case means over ten minutes. If you do not rescue the egg from the water first, the iron from the yolk reacts with the sulfur from the egg white.
Now iron sulfide is formed, which already appears greenish in nature.
The typical green-gray border around the yolk is formed because only the surface of the yolk is in contact with the egg white. Thus, the inside of the yolk still retains its yellow color.
When you crack your egg on Easter Sunday and eat the first spoonful, a green-gray border around the yolk can really spoil your appetite.
But there's an all-clear right away: your hard egg is neither old nor bad!
In fact, we have to come to the egg's defense here, because it's not to blame for the discoloration. It's not the egg, it's actually you.
If you find the bluish yolk so unappetizing that you do not want to eat it, then simply prepare an egg spread.
Mixed with curry, the yolk becomes beautifully yellow and the problem has solved itself!
Can you eat green egg yolk?
It is not a visual eye-catcher and the yolk also becomes quite dry if you cook it too long, but you can still eat green egg yolk without hesitation. The green-grey discolored egg yolk is not harmful to health.
The reaction that turns the yolk green is highly unappetizing to look at, but not unhealthy. Blue-green yolk also does not affect the taste of your breakfast ice cream.
It's very adventurous what happens in our breakfast egg, isn't it? Iron, sulfur and all that reacts with each other.
Hard-boiled eggs from the supermarket often have this greenish discoloration.
Do not be surprised if the yolk is green in color. For hygienic reasons, these eggs are cooked for a particularly long time to reliably kill pathogens.
It's also not uncommon for self-dyed Easter eggs to have a green haze around the yolk. By the way, if you are interested in dyeing Easter eggs with natural ingredients, check here: "How to dye eggs with shells, herbs and flowers“
What is the shelf life of hard boiled eggs?
Hard-boiled eggs can be kept for up to three weeks on average. It is best to store them in the refrigerator.
If you want to keep the eggs longer, you should not quench them with cold water. This damages the natural protective layer of the egg and germs can penetrate more easily.
By the way, the brightly colored eggs from the supermarket last longer, because the shell is usually sealed with shellac and wax.
So no or only a few germs enter. The eggs can last up to three months if you store them in the refrigerator!
How to avoid the green-gray border around the egg yolk
We probably all agree that it doesn't look very appetizing when the egg yolk is green-grey. That's why I'm going to show you the solution to prevent discoloration. After all, we all want the yellow of the egg! :)
Take fresh eggs if possible. With these eggs, the alkali content is not so high.
This increases in the egg white the older the egg is. The higher alkali content accelerates the reaction between iron and sulfur.
How to prepare hard boiled eggs properly
You can only prevent the greenish discoloration on the yolk by not overcooking it. If you overcook your eggs, the yolk will turn green and dry.
You don't want to give up your hard-boiled egg? Then follow our instructions so that you avoid the green haze with hard eggs.
Here's how you do it:
- Place the eggs in a pot and pour cold water over them. They should be completely covered.
- Bring the water to a boil on the highest setting of your stove.
- Take the pot off the plate immediately when the water boils.
- Put the lid on your pot and let the eggs cook. Medium eggs need about nine minutes, large ones more like 12 minutes.
Now quench the eggs with cold water. This stops another fermentation process. It's that simple! You will see: The result is literally just the yellow of the egg.
How many eggs per week are healthy?
Our conclusion
Whether Easter bunny or human, now everyone can prepare the perfect hard-boiled egg. Even if the greenish yolk edge is not harmful to health, it looks quite unappetizing.
From now on, you'll really enjoy your Sunday egg yellow and there won't be any green-green surprises at Easter either.
Even the Easter bunny will be jealous of this egg yolk 🙂
Good luck and enjoy it!
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