Why are some boiled eggs so hard to get the shell off? And others it comes off in virtually one piece?

Answer 1

I raise chickens. The best way is to put a dash of salt in the water before it boils, and get the egg iced down before shelling. The harder shells come off easy, the thinner shells are tough to get off. If I feed my chickens scratch feed without layer feed, the eggs have thin shells. But if I feed with layer and scratch the shells are hard.

Answer 2

Yeow! When I clicked on the ANSWER THIS QUESTION there were 0 answers!! By the time I was done, there were at least 4!!

If you put an egg directly from the boiling water into COLD water, and peel it under cold water, you will never have a problem getting the shell off again - guaranteed!
*A pinch of salt into the boiling water will make sure that the egg doesn't pop open while cooking (because of osmosis).

Answer 3

If you crack the egg shell then let the egg sit in its shell for about 2 mins after boiling it and then peel it under cold running water the shell will almost come off in one go.

Answer 4

This is a bit confusing, even if you search online you get conflicting results.

I thought it was the fresher the egg the more difficult it is to peel. My theory is it's because the membrane is beginning to dry out, sticking to the shell, making it easier to separate the shell from the egg white. There must be a more scientific explanation but that's the best I can come up with.

One way to find out for sure is to experiment.
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Answer 5

According to the egg council, the older the egg the easier it will be to peel. If you know you are going to need boiled eggs , try to buy some a week ahead and let them sit in the refrigerator.

Answer 6

Lyric, that's what I've always heard also. If you "shock" the egg, by running it under cold water immediately after its done boiling, the shell will come off without a problem.

Answer 7

Plunge the eggs straight in to cold water after boiling,works for me.

Answer 8

Chickens eat grit to make the shells on thier eggs, if the chicken has not had enough of this the shells will be thinner, my dads free range eggs from chickens in his garden used to have rock hard shells as he used to give them a good supply of grit to peck at.
Yes put them under the cold tap to contract the shell and make it easier to get off.

Answer 9

It depends on the freshness of the egg, the fresher it is, the harder it is to get the shells off, also it is down to the hen's diet. If they are fed a high calcium diet (which they should be) then the shells are stronger, and perversly they are easier to get off, than if the shells are brittle and thin!

Answer 10

I always do it under a running tap, you kind of rub the egg in one hand and push the tops of your fingers under the shell. You must of course crack the shell all over first and put a dish underneath to catch the shell