Egg Cooking Issues

[tombenson]

Hi everybody. My sister has kids and has been complaining recently worrying about cooking eggs whilst trying to do other things. I'm a final year design student and doing a bit of research to try and design something to help out. A few points have come up that i'd like to get a a few of your opinions on, and your help would be greatly appreciated!

a) Are there things (such as tending to the kids, hoovering etc) that you would like to be doing while eggs are boiling/ poaching?

b) Would you appreciate a product that times the eggs cooking then automatically removes them into cold water? this would allow you to be completely free to look after other things?

c) What other foods do you often boil? e.g. peas, carrots, rice?
Seriously your help is invaluable and I really appreciate it! If anyone needs any help with anything in return don't hesitate to ask.

Tom

 

[jennyema]

Hard boiling eggs is very easy and requires little attention, so my general answer is no. If this is a big complaint for your sister thanthings must be going pretty well for her!

a. Poached eggs need to be watched pretty much constantly. Hard boiling eggs is simple and requires little attention, particularly if you use the method that takes the pot off the heat.

b. No. It's simple enough to take them off the stove and then go back to whatever you were doing.

c. I sometime boil vegetables and sometimes steam them or cook them other ways. In any event, vegetables do not take long to cook and need to be monitored for desired degree of doneness. I'd never let a gadget determine that for me. Rice cookers have already been invented and do a great job.

 

[Katie H]

a. Poached eggs need to be watched pretty much constantly. Hard boiling eggs is simple and requires little attention, particularly if you use the method that takes the pot off the heat.

b. No. It's simple enough to take them off the stove and then go back to whatever you were doing.

c. I sometime boil vegetables and sometimes steam them or cook them other ways. In any event, vegetables do not take long to cook and need to be monitored for desired degree of doneness. I'd never let a gadget determine that for me. Rice cookers have already been invented and do a great job.

Pretty much what jenny says.

I raised 8 children and still managed to cook eggs in all the ways mentioned without any difficulty.

Actually, I don't think I'd have any need for an appliance that does what you are suggesting. One of the challenges I have is I don't really have room in my small kitchen for another gadget.

I wish you well on your quest.

 

[Maverick2272]

Same here, no need of one nor the space for one.

 

[auntdot]

Welcome aboard Tombenson.

I concur with the prior posters. Poached eggs cook very quickly and don't think a gizmo would work.

For boiled eggs don't think it is really needed and there are so many kitchen gadgets, one to boil eggs I would not go for even in Ron Propiel was spieling its virtues.

The veggie thing, like Jenny said.

Sorry.

 

[tombenson]

Cheers for the feedback guys. Interesting to hear as i've been asking around and people generally have a lot more problems . I guess it must be a confidence thing and people on a cooking forum probably have more experience !

Im 21 so don't know too many people with kids so have to bother you and other forums lot for help! anyway thanks and i'll kkep plugging away ad hopefully come up with something

 

[Michael in FtW]

The biggest problem, Tom - no matter the excuse/justification for creating a new product ... none of the other design students have a clue as to what they are trying to create - nor have they checked to see what products are currently on the market.

First - you have to know how to boil and poach an egg before you can create a new way to do either. And, since the boiling point of water is altitude dependant - you have to take that into consideration, too ... but, I would certainly never want some "gizmo" taking my perfectly poached egg (with a delicate soft yolk) dumped into a bowl of ice water! Reheating will only overcook the yolk!!!

And, as for the boiled eggs ... really - put the eggs in a pot, add water, bring to a boil, put a lid on, remove from the heat, wait about 13-15 minutes ... all you need is a timer! Then, pour out the hot water, roll the eggs around to crack the shells ... add cold running water .... peel ...

Some things can be put on the stove and ignored while tending to children or hoovering - like a pot roast, chili, stew. But poached eggs ... naw.

And, boiling vegetables - they too are short cooking - so no gizmo really needed (actually - steaming is even healthier) and your gizmo would have to be able to determine when they are done - not just an arbitrary formula of x minutes. And as for rice ... afraid the folks that make rice cookers beat you to that.

Now, if you're competing in the "Rube Goldberg" contest ...

 

[tombenson]

I've looked at hundreds of products that help to poach or boil eggs in some way so I agree ther are plenty of things out there so will have to come up with something new. Steamers are electric where as mine would be mechanical whcih is important with the whole climate issue.

Also these are all seperate gadgets taking up space when Im would like to have something that can do different jobs. basically this will probably some kind of basic timer that alo winds the egg out of the hot water. Poaching is a big proble for a lot of people as they are too scared to even try it. This will be aimed at people with less experience cooking. I've been trying different methods (i'm sure you've seen how many there are) so i'm pretty much sick of eggs!

I see what you're saying about vegetables, had'nt really thought of that. Rice steamers use power and space, believe me things can always be improved! Just need to find out the little issues (like messy pans from poaching) .

Thanks

Tom

 

[jennyema]

Your pan is only messy from poaching eggs if you have done it wrong

You poach an egg standing at the stove and 5 minutes later you are eating it. You hoover after that. There are more than a few gadgets available in stores that make egg poaching easy for beginners. IMO there is probably not a huge market for new egg poaching machines.

 

[buckytom]

welcome tom.

the egg thing seems like overkill for a simple task, as has been mentioned by the previous posters.

along the lines of automated cooking gadgets, though, i've thought that an automatic baster would be nice.

some king of cylinder that periodically sucks up the liquid in the bottom of a roasting pan, or attached reservoir, and releases it over the turkey or chicken or whatever meat is on the rack in the roasting pan.

i was thinking of using some kind of heat controlled valve that built up pressure, then released the liquid, thus cooling down the valve allowing the pressure to be built up again over a period of time.

any thoughts?

 

[Maverick2272]

I have seen several other people come on here lately asking similar questions about some new product idea, etc. Is this a course requirement or something? Like for culinary school or some design school?

 

[Caine]

along the lines of automated cooking gadgets, though, i've thought that an automatic baster would be nice.
any thoughts?

That's already available. It's called a Reynolds oven roasting bag. The liquid evaporates, condenses on the inside of the bag, then drips all over the meat inside the bag.

 

[Jeff G.]

The only time you need a gadget to cook an egg is if you codling them, you really need an egg coddler for that

 

[buckytom]

That's already available. It's called a Reynolds oven roasting bag. The liquid evaporates, condenses on the inside of the bag, then drips all over the meat inside the bag.

hmm, i'll have to try one. thanks, caine.

it would seem to me that you end up steaming the animal, really, instead of roasting it in drier heat.

 

[GotGarlic]

That's already available. It's called a Reynolds oven roasting bag. The liquid evaporates, condenses on the inside of the bag, then drips all over the meat inside the bag.

But it wouldn't end up with crispy skin, would it?

 

[GotGarlic]

along the lines of automated cooking gadgets, though, i've thought that an automatic baster would be nice.

some king of cylinder that periodically sucks up the liquid in the bottom of a roasting pan, or attached reservoir, and releases it over the turkey or chicken or whatever meat is on the rack in the roasting pan.

i was thinking of using some kind of heat controlled valve that built up pressure, then released the liquid, thus cooling down the valve allowing the pressure to be built up again over a period of time.

Since I started oiling chicken and turkey skin before roasting, I've found they don't need basting. Great time-saver

 

[tombenson]

buckytom - thats not a bad but im too far down this road to start again,so il leave that to you! Could be tricky making it cheap enough. Might be better designing a whole new roasting pan with some kind of similar system. Don't know much about cooking but the principle sounds solid

genearlly not much enthusiasm for help boiling eggs or automatic timer so i'm going to concentrate on a help poaching to help beginners, no mess, with a good shape poached egg and full covering of white. A lot of people don't even attempt to boil a poched egg becaus theyr scared so there is a market

 

[tombenson]

maverick. this is my final project for product design degree. not sure about other people but kitchens the most most popular place for new products so not surprised you get a few people. it's a good place for a bit of expert advice

 

[Barbara L]

...along the lines of automated cooking gadgets, though, i've thought that an automatic baster would be nice.

some king of cylinder that periodically sucks up the liquid in the bottom of a roasting pan, or attached reservoir, and releases it over the turkey or chicken or whatever meat is on the rack in the roasting pan...

Probably also overkill, but this gave me the image of those drive-through laser car wash places, where the thing goes past your car shooting soap, water, wax at your car from the top and sides.

I use the roasting bags for my turkeys because they produce a perfectly moist turkey every time. However, if crisp skin is important for you, roasting bags don't give that to you.

Barbara

 

[buckytom]

barbara, that's the point of basting in the relatively dry envrions of an oven. crisp skin with moist meat.

and shiny tires...

you also release the flavors of the fat in the skin differently than when steaming.

a controlled baste without affecting the ambient temp (i.e. opening the door repeatedly) would seem to me the optimal procedure.