Eggstra Embarassing Question

[DesertRain]

So, I'm approaching my 2 month anniversary and I am so ashamed to admit that I don't know how to cook a hard boiled egg. Every time I peel one, I peel off half the egg. If I don't cook it that long, then I can peel it nicely but the yolk is all mush inside. Can somebody tell me how to cook and peel an egg properly? LOL

[Sherri]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

Hi,
Place however eggs you want to boil in bottom of pot. Cover with cold tap water. Put a Tbls or two of salt in water. (this helps with the peeling of the eggs). Place burner on high untill water reaches boil then turn down to med or med high (keep water at boiling point). Boil for ten minutes for hard boiled. Drain and soak the eggs in cold water. After cooled then peel carefully.
Sherri

[theredhead]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

You'll probably get a million different replies, and they all probably work well. It was still hit or miss for me, so my DD's bought me an egg cooker for Mother's Day a couple of years ago and I LOVE it. The eggs are always perfect and always easy to peel. It's a no-brainer. Mine is called "Henrietta Egg Cooker" and you can google it for more info. Worth every dime!

[Laurenfra]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

Fresh eggs are harder to peel them ones that are a little bit older.

[momtomany1]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

I bring mine to a boil, let boil for a couple of minutes, then turn them off. I wait 15 minutes, then drain. And yes, I try to never boil my freshest eggs. They do much better if I have had them close to a week!

[sallyseachange]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

Fresh eggs are harder to peel them ones that are a little bit older.

Yes indeed... hard boild eggs is one case where fresher is not better.

[susan423]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

Yes, I highly rercommend an egg cooker. Most are under 20 bucks.

[Kathi22]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

It definitely has to do with the freshness. Unfortunaly, making deviled eggs on a whim has failed me everytime. So I now buy my eggs in bulk and I write the date pruchased on the carton. I use at least week old eggs:

Place in cold water with some salt
Bring to a rapid boil
Take off of burner
Cover and let sit in hot water for 10 minutes
Dump hot water and cover in cold
Peel

They will peel so easy - if eggs are a week old!

[Creek]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

I hard boil my eggs exactly like Sherri, except that I put a teaspooon of apple cider vinegar in the water instead of using salt. Even fresh eggs are easier to peel this way.

[vek]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

Another little secret. When you knock the egg to break it, knock it at the rounded end, not at the pointed end. At the rounded end it always has some air and it will give you a good start in peeling it off.

[zoewmu]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

I bring mine to a rolling boil, then turn off the heat, cover the pot, and leave them sitting for 20 minutes. They are always done.

[sadie147]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

I too have heard the fresher eggs are harder to peel, but another I have found is Omega 3 enhanced eggs are impossible to perfectly peel fresh or older. I now buy regular eggs for boiling and save my omega 3's for everything else.

having half the egg go with the shell is so frustrating!!!

[Greeneggs&ham]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

No worries, DesertRain! I too was hard boiled egg challenged. Friends at the beach let me in on the freshness (or lack thereof) secret and it has made ALL the difference for me! I keep a dozen aside for at least a week just for boiling. The cooking strategies are a dime a dozen, but I appreciate all the responses as well!

[diamonds]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

I cover my eggs with water turn them on to boil. Once the water starts to boil I time them for 20 minutes and let them boil the full 20 minutes.

[tink11302]

Re: Eggstra Embarassing Question

Hubs and I bought a egg timer at williams and sonoma. It's a little red egg, flat on one side, that you put in the water with the real eggs. It turns clear around the edges so you'll always know at what point the eggs are soft, medium or hard. I let my egg timer go until just a tiny bit of red is in the center and the real eggs come out perfect. I think the egg timer was like $8.
Truth be told, I wouldn't know what I was doing without the timer either.