Yes, You Can Grill Eggs — Here's How

Eggs are one of the most versatile ingredients in the world. You can boil them, fry them, or stick them in a cake. But have you ever considered grilling them? Yep, eggs are one of the unexpected foods you should be grilling, and they taste amazing. Not only are they super easy to cook, but the grill gives them a slightly smokey flavor that is super addictive. 

If you want to try grilling eggs for yourself, all you need to do is gently place an uncracked egg on your grill and rotate it every 3 to 4 minutes so it cooks evenly. They should only take 6 to 14 minutes to cook, depending on whether you want your yolks runny or firm. When time's up, remove your eggs from the grill and place them in an ice bath. This is also a great hard-boiled egg hack, because it will stop your eggs from overcooking and getting that nasty gray ring around the yolk!

Grilled eggs might be uncommon in America, but they are quite common in Southeast Asia, particularly in Cambodia. There, eggs are drained and mixed with fish sauce before being returned to their shells and steamed. The steamed eggs are then skewered and cooked over a charcoal grill. 

When grilled eggs are cooked, they have the same consistency as hardboiled eggs, which means there are tons of great things you can do with them. Of course, you can eat them as is with a little sprinkle of salt, but you can also use them to make an upgraded egg salad that is to die for. Egg salad made with grilled eggs has a smokier flavor, which you can play up by adding a bit of smoked paprika. They also work great as an addition to potato salad and as deviled eggs. 

Another way to use them is in salads, where you can slice or crumble them for extra texture and protein. Grilled eggs are even a great addition to ramen, especially if you cook them to have a runny yolk. For an extra punch of umami flavor, peel your eggs after grilling and marinate them in a mix of soy sauce and mirin. This will make them extra rich and salty, which compliments the egg's smokiness. 

Likewise, you can make Cambodian grilled eggs, which are a bit more labor-intensive, but well worth the effort! These eggs have their whites and yolks drained through holes and mixed with various seasonings. The egg mixture is then poured carefully back into the egg shells and steamed. These steamed eggs are then skewered and grilled to give them their unique flavor.