How to get perfect hard boiled eggs

I've tried for years to figure out how to peel hard boiled eggs without tearing up the skin of the egg. Does anyone have a tip or tricks to de-shelling hard boiled eggs without damaging the surface of the egg????

i put the eggs in cold water and heat them up till it just boils for about 2 minutes than i take it off immedietly and they usually come out perfect!!! dunk them in ice water right after taking them off the burner it makes the shells easy to peel!!

dannybotz suggestion is a good one. I do as he does, up to a point. When the water comes to a boil I take the pan off the heat and cover it, leaving it for ten minutes before the cold water thing.

I've found that eggs that have spent a few extra days in the fridge seem to peel more easily than really fresh ones. Pierce the shell at the blunt end and place in a large pot filled with cold water. Bring to a boil for a minute or two. Turn off the heat and cover for 15-20 minutes. Ice 'em down til cool and peel. The yolks remain yellow.

Usually works for me.

I learned how from Emeril, not in person. Bring eggs to boil, boil for 3 minutes. Move pan off of heat and cover, let sit for 11 minutes. Put eggs in ice water. I just put the pan in the sink run a bunch of cold water in the pan and throw in some ice. These should peel just fine.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

dannybotz suggestion is a good one. I do as he does, up to a point. When the water comes to a boil I take the pan off the heat and cover it, leaving it for ten minutes before the cold water thing.

I do exactly the same thing. But sometimes, really fresh eggs are still tough to peel.

Edit to note: Cooked this way, there is never that dark layer between the yolk and the white.

quote:

Originally posted by Foodbme

I've tried for years to figure out how to peel hard boiled eggs without tearing up the skin of the egg. Does anyone have a tip or tricks to de-shelling hard boiled eggs without damaging the surface of the egg????

The fresher the egg the harder it is to peel. I usually let the eggs sit in the refrigerator for a week or two after I buy them before I boil them.

I do the same as Michael Hoffman suggested too. What hasn't been discussed is how to peel them. I slap them on the counter to break the shell and then roll it with the palm of my hand to continue cracking it until he whole surface is cracked all around. The shell seems to come off easier that way.

I have tried 2 methods over the years-boiling water and then cooking 15 minutes;2nd being boiling water, put the eggs in and let them stand for 15 minutes.2nd method is the best-after the cold water they peel beautifully!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

I do the same as Michael Hoffman suggested too. What hasn't been discussed is how to peel them. I slap them on the counter to break the shell and then roll it with the palm of my hand to continue cracking it until he whole surface is cracked all around. The shell seems to come off easier that way.

That's how I peel them, too.

I cover mine with cold water and salt them boil a few minutes let stand 10-15 depending on the size then I peel them like Davydd and Michael....
About 20 years or so the salad prep girl called off at the last minute so I'm prepping salad stuff and I was peeling eggs .... the chef/owner came over and gave me a blast of you know what and showed me that way he explained to me that it creates a vacume or something I can't remember been doing that way ever since...it doesn't work all the time sometimes you split the egg in half(egg salad time) but it's fast & easy. I remember when I first started working eagles club and we had to peel 2 cases of eggs...the 2 women were peeling eggs I figured since I was new I'd jump in and help them knock it out (wanted to let them know & feel that just cause I was the new guy in charge I wasn't above doing anything in the kitchen)
and it blowed them away they just looked at me like wtf hows he peeling them that quick...
thanks for the post brought back some fond memories.

I boil them for about 4 - 7 minutes depending on size, and not too fierce a boil at that - then they go straight into cold running water ( stops that grey ring round the yolk too ). Sit a few mins in the cold water then I do the cracking thing - I tap mine gently on the counter or sink surface all over until finely cracked all over, then the shell peels off easily :)

I bring eggs to a boil, usually takes 10 minutes for the size pan I use. Then I remove from the burner and cover for another 20 minutes. The eggs are then run under cold water for a minute.

I usually have success with this process, but there are times when I do have difficulty with an egg or 2 but the rest in the bunch are fine. The age of the egg must play a part in the process.

Sometimes during my catering events, people want devilled eggs.

My wife saw this and ordered it for me to try



Being from an infomercial I was a little skeptical, but it actually works.
Saves me a lot of time when doing 10 doz eggs for devilled eggs.

To make hardbopiled eggs I start with cold water and a bit of salt, bring the water and eggs to a boil, remove from heat and let sit at least 10minutes but longer doesnt hurt..

To PEEL the eggs easily, I crack the shell from the large end then hold under running water, it takes very little persuasion for the shell to come off and it leaves the egg nice and smooth

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

What hasn't been discussed is how to peel them. I slap them on the counter to break the shell and then roll it with the palm of my hand to continue cracking it until he whole surface is cracked all around. The shell seems to come off easier that way.

Exactly. I can't remember what TV chef taught me that trick, but it works every single time.

THANX FOR ALL THE TIPS Y'ALL!!! Boiled Eggs are on the Saturday "To Do" list. Then I think I'll pickle them. I know there's a thread on here somewhere on that subject.

Unabashed, so do you salt the water?

Oh, nice tips all! I'm like Foodb, gotta do some eggs now.
Joe

Please mark your Calender for these important events!
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quote:

Originally posted by PapaJoe8

Unabashed, so do you salt the water?

Oh, nice tips all! I'm like Foodb, gotta do some eggs now.
Joe

Yes always
1) I was told water boils quicker when salted (my daughter learned this in science class)
2) it makes the shell more brittle or something (the a hole Greek Chef told me that)
Hey I can't argue with a Science teacher and don't even want to argue with a Greek Chef in the kitchen.
nuff said

quote:

Originally posted by unabashed

quote:

Originally posted by PapaJoe8

Unabashed, so do you salt the water?

Oh, nice tips all! I'm like Foodb, gotta do some eggs now.
Joe

Yes always
1) I was told water boils quicker when salted (my daughter learned this in science class)
2) it makes the shell more brittle or something (the a hole Greek Chef told me that)
Hey I can't argue with a Science teacher and don't even want to argue with a Greek Chef in the kitchen.
nuff said

Salted water actually boils slower than plain water. This is because the boiling point of salted water is higher. This also means that food cooked in boiling salted water will cook faster than food cooked in plain boiling water. At least in theory - I don't know how much salt one would have to add to see a noticeable difference.

quote:

Originally posted by Bruce Bilmes & Sue Boyle

quote:

Originally posted by unabashed

quote:

Originally posted by PapaJoe8

Unabashed, so do you salt the water?

Oh, nice tips all! I'm like Foodb, gotta do some eggs now.
Joe

Yes always
1) I was told water boils quicker when salted (my daughter learned this in science class)
2) it makes the shell more brittle or something (the a hole Greek Chef told me that)
Hey I can't argue with a Science teacher and don't even want to argue with a Greek Chef in the kitchen.
nuff said

Salted water actually boils slower than plain water. This is because the boiling point of salted water is higher. This also means that food cooked in boiling salted water will cook faster than food cooked in plain boiling water. At least in theory - I don't know how much salt one would have to add to see a noticeable difference.

yea I never really noticed much of a difference but thats what my daughter told me she learned in science class but the taste would deffinatly be better I never seen anyone eat a hard boiled egg with out a salt shaker in hand I never walk in my garden without one

O.K here is the definitive recipe for hard boiled eggs. This recipe is credited to Julia Child (R.I.P.)

1 four quart sauce pot
3 Qts. fresh cold water
12 fresh chicken eggs
2 TBS salt

Place eggs in pot gently. Add salt and enough water to cover by 2-3 inches. On medium low heat bring to a soft boil. Turn off heat and let stand for 12-15 minutes. Place one at a time in ice bath to help with peeling. Peel one at a time. There will be no green outer layer and the yolk will be bright yellow orange.

David O.

Yes, most of this advice seems to be available on many pages. I had read some time ago about methods to avoid that odd green color in the yolk, but I think that's just an aesthetic thing. Who cares. But more recently, I have read that you are better off using eggs that have been aging in the fridge for a week or two, if you are having problems with peeling them. Again, I'm usually just chopping them up, so I could not care less how perfect they look. Now, I have read something about adding a little vinegar, which I know is very important in poached eggs, but is supposed to be helpful in hard boiled units as well. I don't know about adding salt.
Personally, my worry is overcooking, and I can put up with a yolk that is slightly soft boiled. I think the right idea is to start with cold water, put the eggs in, bring the water to a gentle boil, then reduce the water to a simmer for ten minutes, then just run cold water into the pan for about 3 or 4 minutes, crack the shells, they usually pop right off pretty cleanly for me. I think you are better off sort of cracking the shell all over, rather than in just a couple of spots.
A couple of other questions come up here: In Europe, I guess, folks have eggs sitting around at room temperature in baskets. I happen to keep mine in the fridge. Now we are talking about a huge difference in the start temperature, see? So, in my mind, that will cause adjustments, depending on how you are storing the things.
I did have a lot of trouble recently with quail eggs. I had them sitting in the fridge for 8 or 10 days, then thought I would just hard boil them for a salad, and they were very difficult to peel. They just broke up. Have not tried bigger stuff like duck or goose eggs.
-Scott Lindgren

I steam them. They peel perfectly every time. Before learning this I could not get consistency with any other method.

quote:

Originally posted by BR

I steam them. They peel perfectly every time. Before learning this I could not get consistency with any other method.

HOW do you do that??

Yes how?

And, who was it that had a war over what end of the egg to crack first?
Joe

quote:

Originally posted by boyardee65

O.K here is the definitive recipe for hard boiled eggs. This recipe is credited to Julia Child (R.I.P.)

1 four quart sauce pot
3 Qts. fresh cold water
12 fresh chicken eggs
2 TBS salt

Place eggs in pot gently. Add salt and enough water to cover by 2-3 inches. On medium low heat bring to a soft boil. Turn off heat and let stand for 12-15 minutes. Place one at a time in ice bath to help with peeling. Peel one at a time. There will be no green outer layer and the yolk will be bright yellow orange.

David O.

I also use Julia's recipe, however the recipe I use is a bit different. Mine comes from Julia's book, 'The Way to Cook'.

The amount of water depends on the amount of eggs you are cooking.

1 Dozen Eggs= 4qts water

Prick the large end of the egg with an egg pricker or thumb tack, don't be afraid to go into the egg a good 1/4 inch.

Place eggs in large pot, carefully cover with the water.

Bring the eggs just to the boil, remove from heat and cover the pot.

Leave the eggs sit for exactly 17 minutes.

While the eggs sit prepare a large bowl of heavily iced water.

Remove the eggs after exactly 17 minutes, and place them in the ice water for two minutes.

While the eggs sit in the ice bath, bring the pot of water back to the boil. Place the eggs six at a time back into the boiling water for 10 seconds. Then crack then all over and place back into the ice bath. Repeat with the other eggs.

Let them cool completely in the ice bath.

Here's the concept per Julia, pricking the egg allows the gas in the egg to escape, this gas is what causes discolored yolks. The first ice bath shrinks the egg from the shell, the 10 second boil expand the shell a bit making the peeling much easier.

In this recipe she does not salt the water at all. I have to say even though the recipe seems a bit complex, they will be the most beautiful HB'd eggs you'll ever see.

This is the way I've done it ever since I was given my copy of 'The Way to Cook', and I can't imagine ever doing Hard Boiled Eggs any other way.

I use this...works like a charm...





but I also have a bag of egglands best hard boiled eggs in my fridge and just grab a couple when I need some...like an egg salad sandwich I had for breakfast.

Rebeltruce,

That reads like more work than it's worth to me. But if it works, it works I guess. I've had no problems with simpler methods discussed here.