How do I keep my hard-boiled eggs from tearing up?

Question

I am making deviled eggs for Christmas, but EVERY attempt that I have made in the past has been awful. My eggs always tear up when I try to peel them. The only reason I'm taking them this year is that my mother-in-law asked me to bring them, and everyone else had already picked what they were bringing. Does anyone have any tips on how to keep your eggs from tearing up during peeling???

Answer 1

Use older eggs. Place in enough cold water to cover and add a tsp of salt. Bring to a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover with a tight lid. Let sit for 20 minutes. Place in an ice water bath for about 5 minutes. Peel under cold running water. NOTE: For better looking deviled eggs, place the eggs on their side (in the frig) the night before cooking. This helps center the yolk.

Answer 2

Everyone has a different method for cooking eggs, but most agree (me too) that your eggs shouldn't be too fresh. Of course, if you're making them for Christmas, you have to go with what you can get. My method for cooking them is to cover no more than 8 eggs at a time (this is to keep them from overcrowding) with COLD water. Don't add salt to the water...it won't absorb into the eggs, and it makes the water take longer to boil. Bring to a rolling boil, turn off heat and cover with a tight lid. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the egg (less for small, more for large or jumbo). Pour out the water, shake the eggs around in the pan to break the shells, and run cold water in the pan-ideally you would leave the pan under a stream of cold running water in the sink. When the eggs are cooled, roll them gently around in your hands to loosen the inner skin. Peel under the cool running water...usually the shell will peel right off...but no matter how you do it, it never works with all eggs all the time.

Answer 3

As odd as this sounds use "old" eggs, fresh eggs do not peel worth a darn as the inside skin is still adhering to the shell. In an older egg by this I mean one week or older this skin pulls away from the inner side of the shell and allows for easy peeling.
These days most eggs at the grocery are already at least two weeks old so they should work perfectly for you.

Answer 4

I must agree with the others. Fresher eggs "stick" to the shell. When I am going to make hard-boiled eggs, I go and buy the eggs at least a week ahead of time. Since you don't have a week until Christmas, check the dates on the egg cartons at the store and pick the carton with the oldest date.

Answer 5

Use day-old eggs. If you use fresh eggs they won't turn out the way you want them to. Trust me I cook a lot. And also prolong the time you use to boil them a bit and when finished put in ice cold water for a while.

Answer 6

put your eggs in a pan with hot water.when the water starts to boil let it boil for no less than 10 minutes when 10 minutes is up drain the hot water. let them cool for 30 seconds then put them back in the pan with cold water and peel them while holding them in the water. this always works for me

Answer 7

Try to use eggs that aren't super fresh ,they should be bout a week old.Also hold them under running water while you peel em.

Answer 8

place eggs in cold water in a pan..and one large pinch of salt for every 12 eggs..cook on high till boiling , let boil for 5 mins..remove from heat and cover...let sit for 5 more mins then pour out hot water and replace with cold water..let sit for 3 mins then start peeling..Also be sure you use the freshest eggs possible..this always works for me..good luck.

Answer 9

Thanks for asking that question!