Hard-boiling Eggs

[*lee-lee*]

i need some tips on hard-boiling eggs. i usually boil 8 or 10 at a time - i use hot tap water and boil rapidly for about 10-15 minutes. then i usually let the eggs sit in the hot water for another 15-20 minutes and then drain the water and put the eggs in the fridge.

half the time the eggs are very easy to peel but the rest of the time there is a layer of "skin" that i can't ever get off so i end up throwing them out. i usually leave the eggs out to get to room temperature before i boil them but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

anyone have tips so the eggs peel easier? is it better to peel them when they're still warm or cold?

[confused]

I find it easier to peel them as soon as they are done boiling and by running them under cold water while peeling them. I also have trouble peeling them after being in the fridge after a few days.

paula

[jerseyangel]

Try this method--

Put eggs in botton of a saucepan. Fill to just cover eggs with cold water. Bring to a full boil, then immediately cover pan and let pan sit off the heat for 20 minutes. Leave the pan covered during this time.

After 20 minutes, drain pan, and refill with cold water. After a couple minutes, the eggs should be cool enough to handle (be careful). Peel immediately under running cool water.

[julirama723]

After they've boiled, I run cold water over them for about 5-10 minutes until they're sufficiently cooled. I don't peel them right away. Because the cold water helps the egg constrict and "shrink away" from the shell, I have no problems peeling them when I'm ready to use them.

[purple]

I have heard to use older eggs first and also to add a splash of vinegar to the water.

[jerseyangel]

Yes--I've heard to add vinegar, too.

[cruelshoes]

We have 9 chickens, so I have probably boiled more than my fair share of eggs. A recent issue of Backyard Poultry magazine had an article about hardcooking eggs. this method works great for me. Here is a link:

Open Original Shared Link

Hard-Cooked Eggs

Is a recipe for boiled eggs necessary? Yes! If you've ever had a tough egg that you were tempted to bounce instead of eat, or an egg with a green yolk, or an egg that you couldn't peel, these directions are for you.

That unsavory-looking green tinge to a hard-cooked egg yolk is due to a reaction of the iron and sulfur in the egg yolks that occurs at high heat. Prevent that by using this method, which cooks but doesn't boil the eggs. That same lower temperature will yield a firm, but not rubbery, texture.

Fresh hard-cooked eggs are notoriously hard to peel. Try removing the shell from an egg laid the previous day, and you'll end up tossing out half of the white along with the shell. As an egg ages, the membrane around the white begins to separate from the shell. This allows for easier peeling. However, as an egg ages the flavor deteriorates, so the best eggs to hard-cook are between one to two weeks old.

To hard-cook eggs:

Place the eggs in a pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a simmer. Don't let the water come to a rolling boil. As soon as the water is simmering, cover the pot and remove from the heat. Set a timer for 12 minutes for small, 16 minutes for large, and 18 minutes for jumbo eggs.

Meanwhile, fill a bowl with ice water. When the timer goes off, drain the water out of the pot. Then shake the pot back and forth so that the eggshells crackle all over. Immediately immerse the eggs in the ice water. The water will seep under the shells and loosen them from the whites.

When the eggs are cold to the touch, remove them from the water and peel. Any tiny pieces of shell stuck to the eggs can be rinsed off under the tap. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to four days for optimum quality.

[*lee-lee*]

i did the cold water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and sit for 20 min, run cold water until eggs have cooled then peel method. i had about 80% success. 2 of 10 eggs look pretty bad but at least i didn't have to throw any away.

i'll try the Backyard Poultry magazine method next time with older eggs. (i had to use fresh eggs this time that i just bought today.)

thanks everyone!

[Jenny (AZ via TX)]

I put the eggs in a saucepan. I set the temp on high and cook for 20 minutes from when I first turn the stove on. Then put the eggs in cold water. To peel, I tap the top and bottom of the egg. Put a paper towel on the counter and roll the egg. The shell comes right off.

I never knew there were so many different ways to boil and egg.

[*lee-lee*]

Jenny, that's exactly how i've always boiled eggs but i've been having so many problems lately! maybe it's just my eggs but it's still interesting to see everyone else's methods!

[ShayFL]

I have always run them under cold water once done boiling and then threw in an ice tray and let the ice melt. Never had one stick.

[Nancym]

Old eggs peel vastly easier than fresh ones. So whenever possible make sure those eggs have been around for awhile before you HB them.

My technique for cooking them is kind of cool. My friend raves about my eggs and loves the way I do them. Perhaps they don't get overcooked, I dunno why they're so good this way.

I put the eggs right out of the fridge into a pot and put enough water to cover them. Make sure the water isn't hot, should be tap water temperature.

Next I put the pan on the burner and turn it up only to medium. I set my timer for 20 minutes and go do something else. When I come back the water is simmering very, very lightly, never gets to a boil. The eggs NEVER crack and it seems like the yolk is softer and less sulpher-y with the more gentle cooking. After 20 minutes I take the eggs out and let them cool. Then you can peel them.

[Wonka]

i need some tips on hard-boiling eggs. i usually boil 8 or 10 at a time - i use hot tap water and boil rapidly for about 10-15 minutes. then i usually let the eggs sit in the hot water for another 15-20 minutes and then drain the water and put the eggs in the fridge.

half the time the eggs are very easy to peel but the rest of the time there is a layer of "skin" that i can't ever get off so i end up throwing them out. i usually leave the eggs out to get to room temperature before i boil them but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

anyone have tips so the eggs peel easier? is it better to peel them when they're still warm or cold?

Eggs that are older, peel easier. The fresher the egg the stronger it sticks to the shell. I never boil eggs. I put them in a pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, take off heat, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Run under cold water and peel. Very easy and they come out perfect every time.

[babysteps]

I used to peel all my boiled eggs, now I more often cut them in half (well, cut them open, often it's more like 1/3 - 2/3 break) with a sharp knife & use a spoon to scoop/eat them. This would work with any 'hard to peel' eggs - but only before trying to peel them, lol !

The Brits use egg cups to make this easier; I just hold the egg on a plate with one hand and hack at the egg with the knife in my other hand. An iced teaspoon or small spoon works best unless you have extra jumbo eggs.

Happy egg eating everyone

(ps I like soft boiled, I usually cover eggs with 'instant hot' water, bring to boil, set aside for 6-1/2 min's for soft, 10 min's med & 15 minutes -plus cook on burner for another 5 - for hard boiled; then plunge into icewater for a few minutes)