If You Love Ultra-Runny Yolk, Dippy Eggs Are The Perfect Breakfast

How do you take your eggs? Hard-boiled, scrambled, or ... dippy? If you've heard the latter term before, you know that it's pretty self-explanatory: Dippy eggs have runny yolks, which make them perfect for dipping bread or potatoes into. The term can be used to describe poached, soft-boiled, over-easy, or over-medium eggs. The concept of may have originated in the UK, where kids and adults love eggs and soldiers, a dish that involves buttered toast cut into sticks that are the perfect size for dipping. The name for this breakfast may have been inspired by actual soldiers, or by Humpty Dumpty and the King's men.

In the U.S., runny yolks are particularly popular in Pennsylvania (and may have been brought over by the Pennsylvania Dutch). While we eat them all over the country, the word "dippy" has stuck in this region in particular, and locals have strong opinions about what constitutes a proper dippy egg. According to a Facebook post from Zack's Farm to Table in New Bethlehem, PA, the general consensus is that the yolk should be runny, but the white set. One former waitress commented, "Up is sunny side up, dippy is over easy, slightly dippy [is] over medium, and 'kill it' is over hard." But as Zack's explained, "Dippy means something different to each of us."

There's one thing everyone can agree on when it comes to dippy eggs: The yolk must be runny. Depending on which method you're using to cook your eggs, they'll be done at different times. After they're placed in simmering water, soft-boiled eggs should only take six minutes to make. To ensure the yolks stop cooking after you remove them from the pot, run them under cold water or place them in an ice water bath. As for poached eggs, you'll want to set a timer for three minutes if you place your eggs in boiling water, and five minutes if you go with simmering water. If it's your first time making these and you're not sure if they're done, there's a simple test to check your poached eggs: Lift an egg out of the pot with a spoon and gently poke it to see if the white is firm.

As for over-easy eggs, you'll only need between two and three minutes until they're at the perfect texture — two minutes once you crack them into the pan, and another 30 seconds or so once you flip them. To achieve over-medium doneness, just cook a little extra longer on each side. As long as the yolks are dippy, that means you've done it right.