Plenty of great cooks/chefs have their preferred way to make a hard boiled egg. This boiled egg recipe works for me nearly all the time, although there are the occasional outliers.
I use just water (no vinegar, no baking soda, and no holes poked in the egg). I have learned that the faster the egg cools (ice water bath) and how long you let it stay in the cold water in the fridge (at least 20 minutes) are the defining factors.
The best advice for the most consistency I can give you to get the egg out of the shell is to plunge the cooked eggs in ice water and let sit at least 20 minutes. This will pull the egg shell and membrane a little bit away from the egg and SHOULD make it easier to peel.
Lastly, gently crack the entire egg lovingly and seduce the peel off with your gentle touch and patience! This is easiest to do under a gentle flow from the water faucet.
Eggs aren’t peeling and playing nice? Bummer… Take a breathe and do the best you can.
Older eggs are generally easier to peel, so use your older eggs first, if you know that one carton is older than another.
Higher elevations may need to add a couple more minutes to the timer as it takes longer for water to boil.
Eggs are perfect for a snack or for deviled eggs or egg salad. Careful not to overcook them - they oxidize and leave a ring of green around the yolk which has a slight sulfuric taste, but almost every egg I ate for the first 15 years of my life had a green ring. Thanks mom. haha.
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If you like eggs, then check out these recipes with eggs prepared in various ways:
Things In My Kitchen:
- 12" Coiled Tongs - I love these no frills, unpretentious, heavy duty tongs for pulling out the eggs from hot water. They don't have a lock to close 'em up which I prefer. I just drape them over my utensil holder. The 9 " Tongs are also a standard in my kitchen.
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Perfect Boiled Eggs 101
EatSimpleFood.com
This boiled egg recipe works for me nearly all the time, although there are the occasional outliers.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 eggs
- Category: Snack
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: International
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- eggs
- ice water bath
Instructions
- Add eggs in a single layer to a pot, add cold water to cover by ~ 1 ½ inches and put on the stovetop. Start a timer for 17 minutes. Turn burner to high and bring to a boil, covered. Reduce heat to low, uncover, and simmer for the remainder of the time.
- Blanch them in an ice bath (preferred so they stop cooking and also makes it easier to peel) and place in the refrigerator until cool enough to peel. Peel under running water - this will make it less frustrating and the water will help get under the shell.
Notes
- Older eggs are generally easier to peel, so use your older eggs first.
- Higher elevations may need to add a couple more minutes to the timer as it takes longer for water to boil.
- Eggs aren’t peeling and playing nice? Bummer… Take a breathe and do the best you can.
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