What is the secret to

[risarenee]

making perfectly hard boiled eggs and getting them to peel easily? Everyone has a different way to make hard boiled eggs, how do you do it?

[Dieselbud]

Re: What is the secret to

making perfectly hard boiled eggs and getting them to peel easily? Everyone has a different way to make hard boiled eggs, how do you do it?

The only sure fire way I have found (I have tried dozens of methods, including dumping in ice water immediately after cooking) is to use not-so-fresh eggs.

I always buy 3-4 dozen eggs at a time (we go through a LOT) and I use the omega 3's that have a harder shell, and a tougher membrane. The tougher membrane (the thin skin between the egg and the shell) helps to peel the fresher eggs easier. I try to stash my eggs in the fridge so the newer ones stay at the front. Generally 7+ days works best after purchasing for me. The older ones usually peel off all in one piece. even my 2 year old can do it LOL.

[MotherOfGizmo]

I have an egg cooker similar to this

http://www.epinions.com/content_125413658244

[Isabeau]

I have the Cuisinart Egg Cooker, and love it. It's small, cooks seven eggs at a time from soft to hard boiled (you can even do poached eggs), and you can just start it and leave, no water boiling dry, shells cracking, etc.

[Origam]

Pour cold water in a pot, add in eggs. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and let boil for about 3-5 minutes, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Leave on the stove with the heat off and pot covered for about 25 minutes.

When you're ready to peel them, do it under running water. Crack the egg all the way around and peel the egg. I usually start at the bottom of the egg (the biggest part).. some reason it's easier (I've been told it's because there is a little air sac there?).

Diesel is right about the fresh eggs being harder to peel!

[risarenee]

ooh, I've seen thoes things! How do you like them? Is it easier to peel and cook then boiling? How long does it take to cook them?

[Dieselbud]

Diesel is right

My 3 favorite words, ask hubby

[MotherOfGizmo]

I have the Cuisinart Egg Cooker, and love it. It's small, cooks seven eggs at a time from soft to hard boiled (you can even do poached eggs), and you can just start it and leave, no water boiling dry, shells cracking, etc.

That's what I'm talkin about! :yes Mine is a very old model (about 10 years old!) it only cooks 4 eggs, but I like the fact that I can cook them however I want them to turn out and it does it all automatically--no guess work and perfect everytime! :joy

[Dieselbud]

I could use one of those LOL. I have this certain pot I use, I know exactly how much cold water to put in and I boil 12 at a time. I turn the burner on and set the timer for 23 minutes and they come out perfect every time. Except the 2 or 3 times I forgot to turn the timer on. Once I even went to bed and was almost asleep when I remembered......there was hardly any water lft and of course the eggs were ruined. :sadblinky

[NulloModo]

My boiling method is this:

Put the eggs in a pot of cold water, put the burner on high, make sure the pot is uncovered. As soon as the water comes to a full boil take it off of the heat and put on a lid, let the eggs rest in this water for 12 minutes, no longer. Pluge the eggs from this into ice water to stop the cooking, and then peel.

Well, the peeling is the hard part, I can boil them with no icky green stuff or rubbery texture, but I still can't peel them worth a darn, even when using eggs that have been in the fridge since Thanksgiving....

[Moochiecat]

I put eggs in cold water, boil them for about 4 minutes, turn the heat off and give them each a crack with a spoon, or I'll lift them up and drop them back in so the shell cracks. Let them sit till they are cooled down and pop them in the fridge. Cracking the shell when they are cooked will allow some water to seep under and loosen the shell. Works like a hot darn.

[JoanOH]

And I've got one more technique! LOL When I boil the eggs, I add either a tiny bit of butter (maybe 1/2 tsp) or a few drops of oil to the water. Once they're cooked and cooled, I peel them under running water and the shells slide off like a charm!

Joan J

[pammie]

here is my method...similiar to the others

1. use week old eggs, older eggs always work better
2. put the eggs in a pan with cold water, enough water to cover.
3. drop a tablespoon of vinegear in the water
4. bring to a rolling boil and let boil 1 minute.
5. cover the pan and let it sit until the water is cool enough to reach into and pull the eggs out. (I just let mine sit over night)
6. when ready to peel, tap the egg on a hard surface, than roll it around between your hands, peel under running cold water, and it should all come off easily.

[scott123]

My boiling method is this:

Put the eggs in a pot of cold water, put the burner on high, make sure the pot is uncovered. As soon as the water comes to a full boil take it off of the heat and put on a lid, let the eggs rest in this water for 12 minutes, no longer. Pluge the eggs from this into ice water to stop the cooking, and then peel.

Well, the peeling is the hard part, I can boil them with no icky green stuff or rubbery texture, but I still can't peel them worth a darn, even when using eggs that have been in the fridge since Thanksgiving....

There's two aspects of egg boiling science going on here.

Green Yolks

Yolks go green as a result of a chemical reaction due to high heat (rolling boil) or cooking too long. As long as you cook them at a slow simmer and pay close attention to the clock, you'll never get a green yolked egg. One very important aspect that a lot of people overlook when hard cooking eggs is the egg size. I large egg will cook in a fraction of the time a jumbo egg will.

Air Pocket Expansion

Eggs begin with very little air in them, as they age, an air pocket forms. Really old eggs (aka rotten) will float. The air pocket in eggs is the secret to their peelability. Aging helps, but what really makes a difference is understanding the nature of air's tendency to forcefully expand when exposed to heat. When you take an older egg, place it simmering water, the air in it immediately expands, surrounding the white, thus preventing the membrane from getting stuck to it. If you start off with cold water, this air expansion phenomenon does not occur with the same magnitude, the air doesn't force it's way around the egg and the membrane sticks. Sure, some eggs, due to the violent nature of the expanding air, if very old, will crack and leak nasty stringy egg white into the water. Nasty as it is, I'd much rather trade the chance for that occuring than the chance for hard to peel eggs. Life is just too darn short for dealing with an egg that doesn't peel easilly.

Sure, peeling them under running water, rolling them on a flat surface, these all help, but if you really want to never have issues peeling eggs ever again... use old eggs and do NOT begin with cold water.

[Dieselbud]

and do NOT begin with cold water.

Wow, I learned a LOT!!!

So, how hot should the water be? For how long??

Thanks Scott

I have tried them Nullo's way as well, I didn't get great results. The eggs were cooked nicely, but it works as well my way (although it was trial and error and I do use jumbo eggs)