Tips on cooking Hard Boiled eggs?

Question

Can anyone give me some good advice or proven techniques on cooking hard boiled eggs? Every time I try and make them they are either under cooked or overcook. I also have had problems with peeling the eggs after cooking. The egg comes apart. I appreciate any advice or suggestions.

Answer 1

Make sure that the water you use is not warm or hot, cover the eggs at least an inch above with the water in the saucepan or pot. Place the pot on medium high, when it starts to boil, turn it off but leave the pot for 10-15 minutes with its cover on. After the time has elapsed, make sure that you have ice water in a bowl, transfer the eggs into the ice water. Then you should be able to peel the eggs with no problem because the ice water will expand the egg shell, making it easier for you to peel the shell off the egg.

This should work - I boil eggs all the time because my toddler likes it.

Answer 2

Funny, but I just put some on the stove before seeing your question!

Fill a pot with cold water (size depends on how many eggs you are boiling...for two eggs I use a one quart pot, for three I use a two quart pot...the idea is that they have some room to boil and jump around in there without too much crashing into one another).
Add a tablespoon or two of white vinegar. (This seals the shell if it cracks and therefore prevents the eggwhite from leaking out.)
Add eggs.
Bring to a rolling boil, and let them dance around for about a minute.
Remove from heat (put on another burner that is still cold) and cover.
Let sit for at least ten minutes (to play it safe, I go 15 to 20).

Then, drain the hot water, and fill pot with cold water. After the water warms from the hot eggs, drain and fill again with more cold water. Let it sit in the sink until the eggs have slightly cooled. Then take an egg and dry it off with a paper towel. Gently roll and tap (at the same time) on the counter to break the shell in many different places, and peel. If the egg comes apart, either you weren't thorough enough in breaking the shell first or the egg was very very fresh. Usually, though, a very fresh egg won't necessarily break apart, but the shell will stick more to the surface and not come off as cleanly.

Okay, and I have to be honest here. Because I was a little lazy and got distracted because I wanted to answer your question, I didn't add the vinegar, boiled the eggs too long, and now one of them broke open a little in the water! Still, it is salvagable and they are thoroughly cooked. Please still trust my recipe...if I had followed it myself, I would be in the presence of perfect hard boiled eggs! Good luck and enjoy!

Answer 3

Boil some water. Once it is boiling, place egg(s) in the water and cook 8 minutes. When the times is up, fill the pot with cold water and run it over the eggs for about 30 seconds (really cold water). Keep the egg in the cold water for about 5 or more minutes. Keep exchanging the water for colder. When the egg has been in cold water for about 5 minutes, hold it to see if there is any warmth.

To peel the egg tap it on the counter until it cracks slightly. Then, roll it on the counter until almost the entire shell is cracked. Then just peel the shell off gently.

Answer 4

Q: Why do shells stick to hard-boiled eggs? How can I peel them easily?

A: We've seen a lot of questions recently about hard-boiled eggs. For some, the problem is the shells sticking, others want to know how to prevent that "green halo" from forming around the yolk. Fear not, if you cook your hard-boiled eggs properly the yolks will be a beautiful yellow and the shells will slip right off.

First, let's address the issue of eggs sticking to shells. To prevent this, use eggs that are a week to 10 days old. Older eggs have a different pH from new eggs, which researchers say affects peeling. We also find that cooling eggs immediately after cooking in an ice bath makes them easier to peel.

But really, what good is an easy-to-peel egg if it is going to have that ugly green center? The green is made by the iron in the yolk combining with the sulfur in the white. Heat is a big foe of this chemical reaction. The longer you cook eggs, the more likely you are to end up with that green ring. The trick is to cook eggs just until the yolk is set without overcooking them. Removing the eggs from the hot water to an ice bath immediately after cooking will also help prevent the green from forming.

The best way to make easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs with pure yellow centers is to place the eggs in a pot of cold water and add a teaspoon of salt. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and remove from heat and let sit for 13 minutes. Drain the eggs and immediately place in an ice bath until completely cooled. Drain and enjoy your perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs.

Answer 5

I start w/ cold water. Put the eggs right in the pan (then you won't have to worry about them breaking when you try and drop them in the hot boiling water.) Make sure the water covers the eggs. Add a tsp of vinegar (this will smell, but it helps peel the shell off easy.) Set the timer for 15 minutes. The eggs should be cooked through everytime!

Answer 6

I put the eggs in the pot of cold water. bring it to a boil. boil for 10 - 12 minutes. The eggs will be done the yolks will be yellow. I usually peel the eggs while they're still warm from cooking. If cold, trying soaking the eggs before peeling. This will let enough water in so that the shell doesn't stick.

Answer 7

I am not good at the times...usually when I am hardboiling eggs it's for deviled eggs and if they are overcooked it's fine for that. i would say about 10 minutes for the hard boiled once the water comes to a boil. i do start them in cold water that way they heat as the water heats.

as for the peeling...the fresher the egg, the harder it is to peel. the older they are, the easier they will peel. we buy farm fresh eggs all the time and if i know i am going to hard boil them and they haven't been in the fridge for a couple weeks, i will actually go to the store and get the ones closest to being out of date instead because the farm fresh eggs take chunks of eggs whites with the shell because of being so fresh.

Answer 8

simmer the eggs for 10 minutes - don't do it in heavily boiling water.
(Less might do, but start here.)

After they are cooked, gently crack the egg shell, and roll it around on the counter or any hard surface. You are trying to crackle the shell all over. After crackling each egg, put it in a pan of COLD water.

shell the eggs under gently running cold water.

there is a thin white membrane between the shell and the egg white. If you get it just right, you can peel the eggshell off in strips.

it works most of the time, but practice help.

Answer 9

1.) Add a small amount of white vinegar to the water. It keeps the white from leaking out if the shell cracks.

2.) Either bring the eggs to room temperature or add them to the water when you put the pan on the stove - hot water + cold eggs = broken, leaky shells.

3.) Use a timer. Once the water starts to boil, lower to a simmer and set your timer for 10 minutes.

4.) When the timer goes off, *immediately* remove the eggs from the stove, dump the boiling water and rinse the eggs under the cold tap. When they are cool enough to handle, tap them and peel them under the running tap. The water helps keep the shell from sticking to the white.

5.) Make sure your eggs are fresh! The older the egg is, the more likely it will stick to the shell when you peel it.

Answer 10

All I do is boil them in water for about 15 min and then turn off the stove and let them sit for awhile. I have never had a problem with them being over cooked. As for peeling them.....run them under cold water as you are peeling them and the shell comes right off without the egg cracking and breaking.