Shio Yudetamago is a popular Japanese snack commonly found in convenience stores across Japan and might just change the way you think about boiled eggs. By seasoning the eggs while they are still in their shells, they develop a uniquely mild, savory, and subtly salty flavor.
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What is Shio Yudetamago?
Shio Yudetamago is a Japanese snack made by boiling eggs and seasoning them with salt while they are still in their shells. "Shio" means salt, and "Yudetamago" refers to boiled eggs. Unlike simply sprinkling salt on peeled boiled eggs, the eggs are seasoned through the shell by osmosis, resulting in gently salted eggs.
It is delicious eaten straight from the shell and is also perfect in salads or as a topping for ramen. No special ingredients are needed to make it, so feel free to give it a try. You are sure to be pleasantly surprised.
The science behind salted eggs
Some people might think that simply adding salt to the water used for boiling eggs will not make the eggs taste salty.
That is absolutely correct: no matter how much salt you add to the water, the eggs will not taste salty. To infuse eggs with a salty flavor while they are still in their shells, you need to soak them in a salt solution for a long time after boiling.
To achieve this, a saturated brine solution is used. Eggshells contain thousands of microscopic pores, and by soaking boiled eggs in brine, salt can pass through those pores by osmosis, gradually infusing the eggs with flavor.
For this process, it is best to use freshly boiled eggs and chilled brine. The temperature difference between the two helps draw the brine through the pores in the shell more easily, allowing the eggs to absorb the flavor more effectively.
Although this might sound like a complicated scientific experiment, the actual cooking process is quite simple. Additionally, it doesn't require any special kitchen tools, so don't hesitate to try it.
Cooking time guide for your preferred egg texture
Similar to regular boiled eggs, shio yudetamago can be cooked to your preferred level of doneness by adjusting the cooking time.
The following guide shows how the texture of the eggs changes over time when they are taken straight from the refrigerator and cooked over medium heat in plenty of boiling water. Use it as a reference to achieve your desired texture.
5 mins: The egg white begins to set.
6 mins: The outer part of the yolk begins to firm up slightly but still runs when cut.
7 mins: The egg becomes soft-boiled. The yolk is slightly firmer and flows out less, while the white is set but still tender.
8 mins: The egg remains soft-boiled. The center of the yolk is runny, but it barely flows out when cut.
9 mins: The yolk is less runny but still moist.
10 mins: The outer part of the yolk is fully set but the center is still moist.
11 mins: The yolk is quite firm.
12 mins: The egg is mostly hard-boiled. The yolk is almost fully cooked.
Please note that this dish doesn't require cooling the eggs under running water after boiling. Keep in mind that the eggs may continue to cook slightly after the specified times.
📋Step-by-step recipe
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup water
- 2.8 oz salt
Instructions
🕒 Total: 13 hrs 20 mins
Step 1
Put the water and salt in a zip-top bag and mix well until the salt dissolves (it's okay if it hasn't dissolved completely). Place the bag in the refrigerator and let it chill for about an hour.
Step 2
Fill a large pot with plenty of water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and carefully lower the eggs, straight from the refrigerator, into the pot one at a time using a slotted spoon or ladle. Cook them for 7 minutes for a soft-boiled texture, or adjust the cooking time to your preference.
Step 3
Take the zip-top bag out of the refrigerator. Once the eggs are cooked, remove them from the pot and place them directly into the bag while they are still hot. Seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and let it sit in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours or longer.
How to store
The salted eggs will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days with their shells on after being removed from the zip-top bag. If they are hard-boiled, they can be stored for up to 3 days.
Cooking tips
- If you let the eggs come to room temperature before boiling them, reduce the cooking time by 30 seconds to 1 minute (this can vary depending on the room temperature). In this case, you will need to wait for the eggs to come to room temperature, but they will be less likely to crack during boiling.
- It is best to add the eggs after the water has come to a boil. If you place the eggs in cold water and then bring it to a boil, it becomes difficult to determine the exact cooking time needed to achieve a soft-boiled texture. However, this isn't an issue when making hard-boiled eggs.
- For the best flavor absorption, the eggs should be freshly boiled, while the saturated brine should be chilled.
I hope you enjoy this recipe!
If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a review 💬 and a star rating ⭐ in the comment below. Your support and feedback means so much to me!
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Printable Recipe Card
Shio Yudetamago (Japanese Salted Boiled Eggs with Shells On)
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup water
- 2.8 oz salt
Instructions
- Put the water and salt in a zip-top bag and mix well until the salt dissolves (it's okay if it hasn't dissolved completely). Place the bag in the refrigerator and let it chill for about an hour.
- Fill a large pot with plenty of water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and carefully lower the eggs, straight from the refrigerator, into the pot one at a time using a slotted spoon or ladle. Cook them for 7 minutes for a soft-boiled texture, or adjust the cooking time to your preference.
- Take the zip-top bag out of the refrigerator. Once the eggs are cooked, remove them from the pot and place them directly into the bag while they are still hot. Seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and let it sit in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours or longer.
Notes
- The salted eggs will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days with their shells on after being removed from the zip-top bag. If they are hard-boiled, they can be stored for up to 3 days.
Jean G. says
I love these lightly salted eggs. Found them in japan convenient store I will try this recipe these eggs at home. Thank you for the recipe!
Ryo Hikita (Umami Pot) says
Thanks for your comment! These might not taste exactly like the ones you had in Japan, but they should be pretty close. Hope you enjoy making them at home!