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A few years ago, a friend called me, to ask what I thought might be the stupidest question I’d ever heard.
“Do you know how to boil an egg?”
I laughed at her, thinking how I had admired her so much for being such a great, put together first-time mom and halfway decent cook… but really? You don’t know how to boil an egg? 
As I started to explain to her the concept of getting a pot, filling it with water, putting the eggs in the pot, my smugness started to wear off. Wait a minute. How long did you boil the water for? Do you put them in with the water cold or hot?
OMG, did I know how to boil an egg?
I realized that while I had the basic mechanics of how to do it, the subtle nuances that create a gorgeous creamy hard boiled egg were eluding me. In fact, I was boiling eggs and getting anywhere from perfectly done, to overdone, with that yucky gray ring around the yolk.
Science Lesson – That gray ring around the yolk is actually the iron in the egg yolk reacting with the hydrogen sulfide from the white… and only happens when you over cook it.
So with a gazillion eggs from our backyard chickens in hand, I set out to boil the perfect egg.
And I was pretty surprised at what I learned.
1) It is actually as easy as you think it should be. Provided you pay attention… I tend to suck at paying attention to things so I had some pretty gross attempts.
2) We have the luxury of using really really fresh eggs… like, right from the chicken. But those aren’t really the eggs that you want. The fresher they are? The harder they are to peel once they are cooked. So if you want to get really easy to peel eggs? Use some that are a little bit older. This is probably not going to be a problem for the average consumer, since most of the eggs that you buy in the store have been there for a while. But, just in case you ever get chickens…
Now the directions -
1) Grab your eggs (I’m using large eggs), and a pot. Pretty easy start, right?
2) Put the eggs in the pot and cover them with cold water, only about an inch overhead.
3) Put them on the stove and turn it on medium high heat.
Now this is where you NEED to pay attention.
4) As SOON as that water starts to boil (and I mean boil, not just a few bubble here and there), turn the stove off and cover them.
5) Set the timer for 10 minutes.
6) When the timer goes off, remove the eggs from the pot and put them in cold water. (Sometimes I put them in an ice bath, but I haven’t found that it really matters either way)
7) Let them sit for about 5-10 minutes and then dig in.
Of course, if you don’t want them right away, just store them in the fridge, but try to use them within a few days as they go bad faster than uncooked eggs.
Now tell me that wasn’t the SIMPLEST, most STUPID PROOF way to boil an egg?
Give it a try and let me know if it works for you!!
*****
Now if you could tell me how to peel them in one piece! xo
Egg-cellent! This is one of those things that everyone should do, and most people do badly. I used to cheat and try to use hot water from the tap to make them boil faster. RESIST THE URGE. Cold water, boil, turn off, and let sit– 10 minutes (ok, I use 12, but whatever), no longer (!) and rinse.
Hot water actually boils at a slower rate than cold water, so by using hot water rather than cold you actually make it take longer to boil than it would if you used cold water.
I always peel them under running water. It seems to help.
It's so funny too, because an overcooked egg is pretty gross. Might be the reason why lots of people don't like hard boiled eggs. Another yummy thing? Medium cook it and put it on a salad, or toast. OMG DELISH!!
I actually ripped a page out of a cooking magazine ages ago with instructions for boiling an egg and I keep them with my recipes. But my eggs have still been coming out green so next time I'm doing it your way!
YAY!! It's funny, because until I figured out this way… they were ALL over the map. Now they are pretty consistent. Except for yesterday's eggs, when I COMPLETELY forgot about them and had no idea how long they had boiled. So I just took them right off the stove. They turned out soft boiled but still delicious!!
Never knew that about the gray ring. I knew that was an indication of being overcooked but didn't know what caused it. Now tell us what the difference is between a soft boiled egg and a hard boiled egg.
Hahaha, time. :-) I say 10-11 minutes for a hard boiled and about 8-9 for soft/medium boil. It happens pretty fast :-) Soft boiled are SO good.
Catalina Schneck…
Very good article post. Cool….
When I peel them I just slightly roll them on the counter until you hear it crunching or cracking. And then you'll see the split down the middle. And both ends usually just break apart evenly. But when you peel the two ends do it under running water.
Gaby, totally. I find that because our eggs are usually pretty fresh, if I don't peel them under running water they just fall apart :-) Or rather, take most of the white with them! The chickens would rather I do it that way though, since I give them the shells and they LOVE to eat scrambled eggs. Weirdo birds.
I never seem to wait long enough!
It's kind of like "how to make rice," – it sounds so easy, but it's also easy to fail! Pinned!
The interesting thing is, I LOVE a soft and medium boiled egg… especially over a salad with a vinaigrette… but when you're expecting hard boil? A little creepy :-)
Totally. And let's be honest. I SUCK at making rice. :-) This was a huge achievement for me to figure THIS one out :-)
Wa ha…I needed this.
It's funny how the simplest thing can get screwed up so easily :-)
I still have to consult a cookbook before i make mashed potatoes… The easiest things are hardest for me!
The funny thing is? Until I get REALLY comfortable doing something? I always look it up first. The simplest things ARE the hardest, because they don't have any other ingredients and are unfixable once ruined. :-) Boiling an egg took me a LONG time to figure out.
I've heard adding salt to the water can make them easier to peel. I do it, but am not totally sure it helps.
Wow – I'd never heard that. Thanks for the tip! Fresh eggs sadly are just always going to be a b**** to peel, just because they are fresh… but I'll just have to suffer ;-)
I tried all the different ways to get eggs to boil well and peel nicely. Nothing worked. Until I tried the method of poking a hole with a push pin into the end of each egg at room temperature. Then slide them one at a time with a spoon into boiling water, hole side up, I think, and let boil for however you like to do that part. I leave them there for 11 minutes. (we are at medium high elevation). Its the only thing that has made a difference in getting the peel off without a huge mess.
add a few drops of oil into the water before cooking the eggs.. peels right off!
OMG that's GENIUS! I can't wait to try it!!
add baking soda to the water, shells come right off
You answered my question: How long till you take it out for a soft-boiled egg? :-) This is pretty neat, and I'll have to remember it, thanks!
Cooking time for soft boiled eggs depends on how soft you want them. I like mine “rare” like my steak. I put eggs in a pot of cold water, totally covering eggs by at least an inch. I put on the stove on medium high heat, closer to high than medium. I don’t leave the vicinity of the stove until I see the water boiling. A solid boil. I then start to count to 75. Yes, that’s a minute and 15 second. No longer. Or I walk into the dining room where there is a clock with a second hand. Clock watching is more accurate (my egg timer doesn’t do less than 3 minutes accurately).
Once the time is up I either put the eggs into cold water, or I dump the hot water out of the pot and sit it under the cold water tap (water running of course :-)) I like my soft eggs warm, so I don’t allow the eggs to cool down too much.
Now comes the fun part. I break the eggs like I would raw eggs and with a teaspoon scrape out the contents into a pretty glass bowl. Warning, these are really soft with some of the whites still uncooked. I’d add another 30-45 seconds for well cooked whites.
By the way, as for hard cooked eggs I have used the same method as you state for years but I was told to leave the eggs in the hot water for 16 minutes. The results were always inconsistent. Sometimes green sometimes yellow. I have decrease the time to 12 minutes with somewhat better results, but not all the time. Thanks for the 10 minute tip, I hadn’t tried that yet.
Easy: use a rice cooker ;-)
This is exactly how my mom does her eggs … perfect every time. I've tried some other methods, with okay results. But I should just stick with the tried and true! And this is it. Thanks for the reminder!
I'm glad I could help!! I LOVE soft boiled eggs.
True. That involves buying one though :-) More effort.
Nice! Yeah, we should always listen to our mothers. :-)
Don't want to sound stupid, but…do you put a lid on the pan after it starts boiling and you turn off the burner?
I hope I never have to see a grey ring again! I had no idea there were options! lol Thank you!
I don't… I'm sure you could, but I just let it go. And not stupid at all… :-)
YAY! No yucky gray ring!! You'll be SHOCKED at how much better they taste.
We have a really cool egg timer i found at the grocery that you put in with the eggs to show you the done-ness. To peel the eggs, i cool them in water and then bounce them into each other till the shells crack, the most important part about peeling is to start at the hollow spot and be sure you get the shell AND the clear membrane started peeling, then it shoudl come off in a snap, for stubborn eggs, i dunk the partly peeled egg back under water which helps to loosen the shell..
Awesome, thanks for the help with peeling! It's always so gratifying when you find that hollow spot and they just POP right off. I love that part.
Add baking soda to the water before you boil it. Something about the soda causes the protein to not stick to the egg shell.
The important part is the ice bath/cold water. This is how I was taught to boil an egg while working in a coffeehouse. It also helps to peel the eggshell if a little moisture gets between the egg and shell so I crack an egg and run it under water and it usually slips right off. Like you said, the older eggs work better than fresher.
want an easy way to peel them? Try this….. once cooled, put in pan with about a half-inch to one inch of water, put the lid on, then shake like crazy. really make them crash into each other. after a bit of this, the shells will come off quite nicely. I assumed this would harm the egg, but they stayed beautifully smooth. Ifound this tip on pinterest and it works like a charm
If you put vinegar in the water while it's boiling, the eggs should be easier to peal (as well as using older eggs). I was also taught to put them immediately in to a cold water/ice bath to help minimize the gray ring around the yolk. Both hints have worked great for me.
Ok this has ALWAYS worked for me. For peeling eggs easy way, pick an egg and bump it against the bowl a couple of times, not really hard just hard enough that it cracks at a couple of places, then keeping the egg between both your palms rub them vigorously (kind of when you rub your hands together when you feel your hands are getting cold to warm them, only this time do it with the egg between your hands), the entire shell gets pretty loosened up and comes off very easily!
When my mom boiled eggs for deviled eggs, once they cooled off, she would cut them in half with the shell still on, then each half would scoop right out with a spoon. I saw it on pinterest recently, too. :)
I heard that if you don't crack the egg before you put it under running water the inner skin creates a vacuum because the reaction of cold water against the hot egg. By cracking the egg you break that suction effect which is what pulls off lumps of the white when you're feeling it. Usually I pour out the hot water, move the pot about vigorously until I hear a crack, this saves you burning your fingers, then run under cold water while peeling them.
They really cook long enough if you shut the stove right when it starts to boil??
I saw somewhere that adding baking soda to the water will change the ph level and make the eggs easier to peel.
I saw somewhere that adding baking soda to the water will change the ph level and make the eggs easier to peel.
Thanks for the tip Joy!
Sounds likes a great way to get out some frustration too!!
Great tip! Thanks!
Thats so cool! I'll try it this summer when I make deviled eggs!
Yup! The carryover cooking cooks them perfectly! I like them at ten minutes, but I know some people may leave them in a few minutes longer…
Cool, thanks for the tip!!
I just tried this and they came out beautifully! Thanks for the clarification!
Does this work at higher altitudes? Maybe I just need to keep them in longer than 10 minutes? I tried this and the yolks were not completely done and the whites were really, really soft. Not my thing. I couldn't eat it.
I have done them that way for years. they cook great just turn it off and start with cold water not hot
For those of you with really fresh eggs, I saw this pin on pinterest and thought that I would share. I, myself, have not used this because I don't have chickens…Hope it works for you, and she has an easy peel method with her recipe as well!! http://greetingsfromtheasylum.blogspot.com/2011/0…
I soak them in I've water for at least 5 minutes, drain the water, put the lid back on the pan and shake it like crazy. They practically peel themselves.
Similar to some other posts on here about peeling the eggs, I read this in "Hints from Heloise" about 30 years ago. After pouring the hot water off the eggs, smash the eggs in the pot against each other cracking the shells pretty well. Then turn the cold water on and let it run for a few minutes in the pan. The eggs are so easy to peel, sometimes coming out of the shell by theirselves. I've been doing this for more years than I can remember!
Add cream of tartar to the water before you start boiling it. This practically eliminates your problems peeling the eggs.
My kids eat TONS of hard boiled eggs. Honestly, mine turn out great, I've never had a grey color…..but once they start to boil I keep them boiling for 12 minutes…..then immediately run them under cold water. Perfect every time and very easy to peel.
Oh I'm so glad!!!
I've only ever done my eggs this way, ever since I was a child… I never thought there could be any other way. In so far as the ice water goes, as long as your tap water is ice cold, then you should be fine – but if you have a lot of eggs to cool down then you should throw a few ice cubes in. The idea is that the eggs have to cool very quickly. The more quickly they cool the less of a ring you'll have. If you have so many hot, hard boiled eggs that your ice cold water does not stay ice cold, then you could develop the ring.
Crack your egg on the counter, roll it in your hands, then use a spoon to get under the shell and guide around the egg. Comes off super easy!
My tried and true boiling eggs tip that came from my Gramma Goodman…..Place eggs in pan, cover with water, set timer to 20 minutes, turn on flame and take off stove when the timer goes off. Run cold water over them and let sit for about 5 minutes. You are timing during the heating to boil phase because you start timer and then turn on heat. Super easy:)
Tanya, higher altitudes make everything different. Thinner air means that you need to cook everything longer. Find out what works for you!
after you boil and you are ready to peel, if you kind of smash the end of the egg and peel a little of the shell take a tablespoon, slide it under the shell (between shell and egg) and pull out a little it will peel the shell right off. Does that make sense?
I've heard it's baking soda!
I second this… I got it from Tim Ferris' blog, and it does help ALOT.
Yes, keep lid on the pan. Another trick after the eggs are cooled, drain the water from the pan, put lid back on give it a shake a few times. This will crack up the eggs and they usually peel pretty easily.
I worked as a waitress years ago and had to help prepare the salad bar. I had an old waitress I was working with teach me to roll the egg a bit to crack up the shell, then take a teaspoon and work it up under a bit of the shell and membrane…as you slide the spoon in, the shell peels right off and the egg looks great!
This is a such a great tip for when you need them to look really nice!!
Ahha, nice trick!
Awesome! Thanks.
Awesome, thanks!!!
This is so great! I can't wait to go get some!
It's so funny, because now that I know how to do it correctly, I'll never do it another way. But before? Oh lord. I would just boil them away and the be like… oh, whoops. Wonder if they're done. ;-) I was also in college :-)
These instructions are the exact ones that were in my egg carton! I tried cooking them this way and had undercooked eggs. The yolk was bright yellow and mushy, and the white was kinda soft and wet. It nauseated me and I tossed them down the disposal. I was mad because I had tried it with an entire dozen.
I had the same experience… and I live in Texas so high altitudes weren't the problem for me!
yep- it's science. The protein molecules in the egg start to rearrange themselves into a solid at a temperature *just before* boiling, but too far into boiling causes that iron / sulfur reaction. So gradually bringing them up to that point and letting them sit in a hot water bath creates the perfect consistency.
The key to easy peeling = boil the water first before putting the eggs in. I then boil the eggs for about 12 minutes, take them off the heat and run under cold water. Never have a problem peeling or the gray ring thing.
Mama has told me adding salt to the water when you are boiling them helps with the shell not sticking and peeling easier. I have found this to be a trick, but I will keep in mind the oil and under hot water truck too!!!
Take the carton of raw eggs and sit them up resting on the side. This will make the yolks move to the center and make them easy to devil.
Crack the egg and then run it under the water for a second, then slip a teaspoon under the shell, and slide it around, works like a charm. The round of the spoon fits nicely between the egg and the shell.
LOVE the science behind cooking!
Yikes. I do find that I I only crack one to check it… and normally it turns out fine, but if not, I just throw the rest of them back in the water for a bit. Egg sizes can vary too.
Easier… just use your electric kettle. It comes to a boil and turns itself off. Works every time!
Don't forget to pour in SALT first! Cover the bottom of your pot with the stuff. It's cheap. THEN add the eggs and cold water. Putting salt in the pot makes it sooooo much easier to peel! Yes. I speak from DECADES of experience!
HA! Brilliant!
This is SO helpful. Now – maybe I'm over analyzing, but gas fire vs electric? I have an overkill gas stove with cast iron grates which retain heat after the flame is turned off… wondering if I should leave the pot on the grate for the full 10 minutes – guess I have some experimenting to do.
Soft boiled is usually one min. after boils, turn off heat and let it sit for another minute, remove from water and break open to eat for breakfast with a still liquid center for dipping your toast . Soft boiled is a way to cook a breakfast egg w/o fat, w/o poaching…etc. It is the consistency of a poached egg without the fuss and muss. Break through the egg shell and pointy top of the egg, scoop out with a teaspoon.
I learned recently about adding baking soda to the water just before you finish cooking. It really does make the shells come off so easily.
Yum Yum yum Yum Yum. I LOVE soft boiled eggs ;-)
Doesn't matter, boiling is boiling :-) Mine is gas as well… AND a powerburner, so it's incredibly aggressive. But experiment a little bit with the time… I find the some people's "Large Eggs" are larger than mine so it takes a little bit longer. I don't really have a reference since I'm getting them straight from the chicken.
Thanks!!
This is great~ Thanks!!
I've had luck with doing almost what you do except, i start to boil turn off heat and then cover. 10-15 minutes it depends on the size of the egg, perfect every time!!
I just did it boiling them for 15 minutes Instead of 10 they came out perfect!!!!
So glad to find out about the fresh egg tip! My husband had boiled some that peeled flawlessly, a few days later I boiled some straight from the coop nd they were impossible to peel. He gave me such a hard time,lol.
I've been having really good success with rice lately… even with a rice cooker you can screw this seemingly easy task up. My recipe for success is as follows:
1) Use a rice cooker:)
2) Rinse your rice! I just take the bowl from the cooker and add my desired amount of rice, then run cold water over it, tilting and draining the cloudy water until it runs clear.
3) Once rinsed, you should drain the water as much as you can, then proceed to add water to cover the rice. How much water? A friendly Thai woman told me her secret for the perfect amount of water that I ALWAYS use- simply use your middle finger and just barely touch the top of the rice, then fill to the first knuckle on said finger. Since all fingers are different sizes, you may eventually find that you prefer filling to the bottom, middle or top of that knuckle, but I have fairly big hands and always fill approximately to the top.
4) Press the cook button and let it do it's thing.
I've heard white vinegar… about a tablespoon. I've heard the salt thing too. My biggest problem seems to be the peeling thing though… I guess I need to buy some older eggs!
I actually have better luck peeling them if I do it in a little different way: I bring a pot of water to boil, then put my eggs in, let them boil for 10 minutes, then immediately run them under cold water. The shells come off like a dream, they are perfectly cooked, and no gray ring. I was always under the assumption that the yolks turned gray/green because they were boiled too long.
Me too!
Ryan, this is great! Thanks!!!
Yeah, half of the damn egg comes away with the peel when they are fresh. Annoying drawback to deliciously fresh eggs. :-)
Nice! Egg size really does vary and once you get your time set that works for you? Perfect!
Your eggs didn't crack going from the cold refrigerator to hot, hot water?
I made these last night and they were AH-MAZING! Thank you so much, I just got a gas stove and I haven't figured out how to use it yet and have thus made many gray icky eggs! Now I need to figure out soft boiled, I like them with firm whites and soft yolks. Any tips on that one!?
Is this for a gas or electric stove? Do you remove them from the heat completely or let them sit on the hot coils of an electric stove for 10 minutes. I would think it would really change the outcome
Is this using a gas stove or electric stove? It seems to me that it would make a difference because the heat is right there with gas, and takes a while with electric.
No salt in the water!!! It actually weakens the shell. (which MAY make it easier to peel) But it actually is more likely to break while boiling and leak egg into the water! AND, most important to me, it makes the egg whites rubbery. Yuck.
you should try baking them in the oven!!! easy peasy and smooth and creamy eggs.
I saw that post online! I'm totally going to try that as well.
I have done it with both. But am currently using Gas.
Well, my eggs go into the water when it's cold, not when it's boiling. And my eggs are generally room temp, since I get them from the chicken.
Yay! I'm so glad you liked them! Hrm, I think that's a tricky one, because you need to make sure the whites are set, but the yolks still soft. Maybe just fool around with the time a little bit? Like one minute less and see how it goes?
I normally just let them sit where they are. Residual heat is kind of the point, since you've boiled them and are letting the carryover heat cook them.
I use a spoon to peel. Once you get the spoon under the thin membrane, you can just slide it along egg white.
I find that if I run them under cool water for a minute then do a crunch roll on the counter and peel under water immediately they usually peel easily but I I let them sit and cool slowly then I end up taking half the egg off, running water or not. :-)
This just changed my life. http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/07/02/h…
Crack a hole on both ends. Blow through small tip and the peeled egg just pops out
after they have cooked cool them for about two to three minutes in cold water. in the water, roll them around to crack the shells up. leave them in the pot of water to cool longer. when it is time to peel them, the shells will slip off……been doing this for years and have NEVER had trouble peeling…..
When my water boils I remove the pot from heat, cover and let sit for 20 minutes. Perfect every time!
A little different from your recipe but the same concept. I got this recipe when I googled last year "boiling the perfect egg"!! lol
The vinegar trick is also good if your shell cracks at all while boiling, it keeps the egg white from seeping out of the crack!
So does it matter when you fill the pot with water if it is hot vs. cold water???
Wow… all that to peel an egg ! Love it.
Have always done the teaspoon trick like a few people mentioned, and it worked like a charm… the whole peel comes off in one go !!
Actually, it also works best if you use a pin to puncture that air sack inside so that I don't have that dent. You have to have more bravery than caution. the shell is pretty hard and you just want to create a small vent. This also helps remove any excess sulfur flavor that can develop if you're storing them for more than a few hours.
I also use that cream of tartar trick. I love it.
My boiled eggs don't turn out grey…I boil water, add the eggs, boil for 10-12 min, put the eggs in cold water then peel after they cool…perfect!
I tried this the other night and it works! I did 350 degrees for 30 minutes, I had grey/green yolks, less time next time
I have also been using this boil tip for a while it's amazing. I even taught my mother something ;)
BEST WAY to peel them- put them into an ice bath- really cold for afew minutes then- keep them in the pot- drain out the water and shake them around like mad- back and forth and around. All theshells will come off and then just take the eggs out and give them a quick run under water and you are good to go- the shells will be left in the pot to throw out- NO PEELING!!!
Here's an even easier way and you still won't have the grey/green ring: cover your eggs with cold water, set them on the stove, set your timer for 20 minutes, and do something else. When the timer goes off, they are done; submerge them in cold water and eat or store in fridge. Then you don't have to watch for the water to begin to boil!
Someone asked about soft-cooked eggs – I use the same method as for hard-cooked eggs, but cook for only 3 – 4 minutes after boiling. Old-fashioned hourglass-shaped egg timers were made to time 3 minute eggs. http://www.billericaycookshop.com/kitchen-craft-e…
As for the hard-cooked, as long as you remove the covered pot from the hot burner (as opposed to simply turning the electric burner off and not moving the pot), you shouldn’t have any gray ring even if you go a bit over 10 minutes. Remember, the water is gradually cooling. It’s when you BOIL (cook them at a constant 212) that they overcook and get gray rings. I also make sure to shock them with cold water or ice bath to stop the cooking.
Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda to the water when boiling the eggs will help it peel faster as well. This "ages" the egg by changing it's PH.
i add salt to the water to make the eggs easier to boil
I have been doing it like that for awhile, Thanks to Rachel Ray, before then I was like most not having the best luck with the little eggies!!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!!!
Wow, so I had the first part right but would let them sit in the boiling water for 10 to 15 min. And really would always get grey eggs. Once in a blue moon the yellow ones. Thank you. I wish I had read this before I just boiled 5 eggs the wrong way.
Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water when boiling. The peels will side right off.
10 -12minutes??? Really???
I never ever ever ever cook eggs for more than 8 minutes.
3 minutes, runny yolk, eggwhite slightly transparent closest to the yolk
4 minutes, runny yolk
6 minutes, creamy yolk – perfect for me :-D
8 minutes, hard yolk
This is about sealevel + 10 meters
We are almost at sea level… It also depends on the eggs though as well. Smaller eggs are going to cook faster. I find that for us, any shorter than 10 minutes and my whites are runny.
Going to have to try this!!
Yeah, and there is NOTHING worse than losing half the egg to the shell. My chickens love it, because they get all the shells as snacks, but for me? Total bummer.
Wow, thanks for sharing! That's awesome.
I always do cool water, only because my mom always taught me to always boil water that way. It shouldn't make too much of a difference because again, it's just getting it to boiling that's important.
Awesome information! Can't wait to do some soft boiled eggs. I LOVE them.
Cool!! This is awesome info!
That's the way I learned, growing up, exactly. Perfect eggs, every time. You can actually forget all about the eggs after you remove them from the heat (I have) and they still turn out almost perfect.
Yes!!! It works!!
Fresh from the hen eggs can be hard-boiled and peeled successfully…I learned how from my dear friend in Slovakia. You peel them while they are hot under warm water….magic! Also, I just bring my hen-fresh eggs to a boil and turn off the heat and let them sit in the hot water for about 12 – 15 minutes. Then I slosh the eggs in the hot water to crack them all thoroughly before peeling.
this also depends upon how many eggs you have, how big the pot is, etc. don't be fooled — there is a lot more to it than this article reportws
I learned a few years ago from an old Betty Crocker cook book, to boil your water first , than puncture the fattest part of the egg with a pin . Add the punctured egg to the boiled water for about 10 min. I have yet to have a problem pealing the shell from the egg.
Wonder if my family is the only one that peels eggs in this manner? Rather than shake them around in a pan so the eggs crash into one another cracking the shells, we use the bowl of a spoon. Just tap the spoon gently but firmly, all over the egg, until the shell is nicely cracked. Usually they peel pretty easily then!
Ok. Here's a question. I live at 5200 feet, so water boils at a lower temp. Everything takes longer to cook. Does this work at altitude?
It will take longer… I have to be honest, I HATE cooking up at altitude. Totally screws me up. But I would just add some time and see how it goes!
Alright! Glad to hear it worked for you :-)
Katie, I have totally done this too. It's remembering to take them off the heat that I'm terrible at ;-)
I eat a lot of eggs. I find that if you pull the egg out of the water with a spoon and it dries right away, its done. Put under cold water right away and peel. I don't wait. Perfect every time! Typically 12-15 minutes. I start with warm water too.
My grandmother showed me to lift an egg from the pot once it's boiling (I use a tablespoon for this) and if the water evaporates from the egg right away it's a perfect soft-boiled egg. Works for me!
Oh WOW! I'm going to have to try this!
I saw on Rachael Ray how to peel a hard boiled egg. After boiling, crack the eggs & sit in ice cold water for 5 mins. The cold water gets between egg & shell fit a much easier peel.
I hopped over here from pinterest. I tried your technique and was pleased to enjoy the most perfectly cooked eggs for lunch today. Thanks so much for sharing. :)
I run them under cold
Water at the kitchen sink…shell
Comes
Right off
Fabulous!!! So glad it worked for you!
So is it a fallacy that you need to add salt to the water, or vinegar? Seems like all of the women in our family do that.. and I am not sure why now.
I just made these and they were perfect!!!
Yes older eggs & salt are the best!
Yay! I'm excited to hear that!!
I cool them. Then change the water to cold again & crack & let them sit. The water works its way under the shell & then they peel with out breaking up.
My grandmother taught me this boil and 10 minute lesson on cooking eggs, but we move them from the burner and cover them for 10 minutes. I like the image you used for this blog post (how someone took the time to show the egg yolks) … did you do this?
Candle the eggs by holding them up to a light bulb and cracks will show as bright lines. Don't boil cracked eggs – they will burst open. Fresh uncooked eggs will keep for many weeks if kept refrigerated. Expired eggs in stores just go back to the plant to be rewashed, graded, packed and resold. Fresh eggs are more likely to crack when boiling and are harder to peel, so boil older eggs first. An ice bath will help if peeling soon after boiling. To peel, rap the side of the egg on a countertop, then roll it like a piece of dough across the counter with your open palm. Don't press too hard or the white wll split open. The peel will then usually come off in one piece, held together by the thin membrane between the shell and the white. Very fresh eggs… not so much, so let them age a couple of weeks first.
Salt in the water work great too….lots of salt!
I must be the only one BUT I actually LIKE my hardboiled eggs with the gray-green ring, lol. I like the yolk cooked longer and not as soft. Weird, I know…..
Teresa – however YOU like them is what's important :-) Not weird at all.
I've found the best way to peel them is after they've cooled in the cold water for a bit, crack them all the way around (on the counter or cutting board), and place them back in the cold water for awhile. The water seeps through the cracks and the shells should come off easily starting with the bottom where there's air space–and definitely use older eggs as Ashley recommends!
OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!! WHERE HAS THAT GUY BEEN ALL MY LIFE!?!?!?
Brilliant. I've been running them under cold water, but usually just to hurry and get them ready for the kids to eat. Thanks for the great tips.
Susan, thanks for stopping by!!! Hope to see you around here more often :-) I can rustle up some pretty good tips (mostly from my mother) *grin*
I work at a restaurant as a Prep Cook and what I always do is just get a spoon and crack the shell all the way around until it's into a bunch of small pieces. They usually stick to the membrane and then the cracks give it flexibility, so it peels right off. It's the same basic principle as rolling the egg on the counter, except I just find this easier for some reason.
What I do it crack the eggs, put them back in the ice water so that the water goes between the hard boiled egg and shell. This way the shells come off without tearing the eggs.
This is the best way to peel them…works like a charm!!!
Great tip!! Thanks!
Thanks for the pointers!! I'm going to be AWESOME at peeling an egg. :-)
I used to make eggs like this is when I lived in San Diego but here in Fort Collins, Co they take about 20 min. Run them under cold water, drain, place ice cubes on top till chilled and they peel beautifully.
Worked perfectly! Thanks!!
I have found that Steaming eggs makes them peel SOOO easily! (Even fresh from the chicken). I put them on a steamer basket, put a lid on the pot and set the timer for 16 minutes with the burner on high and walk away. When the timer dings, I run them in cold water and they are perfect. I like mine just a tad undercooked, so 18 minutes for completely "hard cooked" would probably do. Maybe even just 17.
TIPS!
Put COLD water in the pot. Sometimes a larger batch takes upwards of 18 minutes…
AND To peel them, Are you ready for this? Crack the egg in the middle all the way around by tapping on edge of counter. Once it's cracked all around it's equator, start twisting it in your hands. Grab one side in each hand and give little twists, twist it all around. You'll feel the shell start to come off. It should come off in just 2 pieces for you! NICE and easy!!!
Traci I'm so glad!!! Thanks for stopping by!
Yeah, cooking at altitude just about kills me. We come up to the Sierra a lot and when I try to make something up here? Mind boggling-ly hard. :-)
I like to add vinegar to my water before boiling. This seems to help the egg shells come of nicely!
This was my grandmas secret on getting eggs to peel easily and it works great. You boil the water FIRST then add the eggs slowly and let them cook. After pouring the hot water out of the pot swirl the pot hard enough for the eggs to crack each other open. Peel under cold water and the shells pretty much slide right off.
A friend recently shared with me: eggs are easier to peel if you drain the hot water after you are finished cooking them, put the lid on the pan containing the eggs, shake the pan a few times to crack the cooked eggs, THEN add the cold water. Once they are cooled, they are easier to peel.
Thanks Sandy! Great tip!!!
Use older eggs, follow the cooking directions for ten minutes then immerse them in a large bowl of ICED water. shocking them like that helps to peel them. Peel them after about five minutes in the cold water and constantly dunk them into the water, it helps separate the shell from the white. You can keep the cold peeled hard cooked (hard boiled is really a misnomer as the just sit in the boiling water) eggs covered with cold water in a container with a lid. they will last four or five days in the fridge if you change the water daily.
Not stupid at all. the answer is YES. you have to keep the heat in the pot so use a lid and leave it on the burner.
Here's what I recently learned after many years of cooking:
Cover the eggs with lots more water than you need.
Put about 1/4 cup of salt in the water, even more if you're doing a lot of eggs.
Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer, cook for exactly 10 minutes.
Immediately pour off hot water and cover with cold water and let them cool.
They will look beautiful and peel perfectly.
Adding.viniger to the water and when done cold shock the eggs in ice water and the shells almost fall off
we also have backyard chickens….found the best way to make fresh eggs is to steam them. add them to your steamer basket once the water begins to boil and steam for 10 minutes. dump in to cold water until cooled. the shells practically fall off!
I work at a restaurant and we boil up to a dozen at a time. I really notice the difference in peeling them when we forget to add the salt. It really does make it easier!
My husband said that he learned in cooking class that putting the eggs in after the water boils is what makes them easy to peel and I started doing it that way and maybe it is a unrelated but I have not had any peeling problems since. But, putting cold eggs into hot water occasionally causes them to crack so if that matters you will want to warm them somewhat first. Either by running warm tap water over them or leaving them out of the fridge for a bit.
Happy Cooking!
Icould not beleive what I was reading because that is exactly how I bpiol my eggs all though I do not time them!!!
Sandy this is so cool! Thanks for the tips!
Don't let the eggs cool too much. Warm, just boiled eggs peel easier. The colder they get the harder they are to peel.
Here's our trick for peeling (though I can't wait to try the "smash 'em in the pan" method!)…BEFORE putting the raw eggs into the pan/water to cook, gently tap them on the counter to JUST BARELY crack them. You can hear it when it happens. This lets the water seep inside the shell while they cook, and the shells practically fall off. My daughter discovered/invented this one Easter as she noticed the cracked shells (which showed up as soon as we dyed them) were way easier to peel. If the crack is too big, some white might leak through the crack into the water, making a gnarly bit of cooked white, but it will trim off easily. Not a good method for eggs meant to be dyed, though!
PEELING – so easy. Simply roll the eggs on the counter with enough pressure to totally crack the eggshell. Under cold, running water, start to peel. Done in no time at all! They slip right off :)
best way to take the shell off- my mom taught me this…
first hit the top of the egg of the counter, then turn it upside down and hit the bottom the same way. (i do a solid knock on the counter with both sides) then put the egg straight up between your hands, so it looks like you are going to clap with the egg placed in the middle. roll the egg back and forth by moving your hands back and forth. The shell will practically fall off when you start to peel it.
this is how the egg marketing board here in canada says to do it in their cook book. It makes the eggs nice and tender too, not rubbery. Once you do it this way, you can never go back to the hard boil method!
Oh wow! I'm excited that Canada agrees with me :-) Super cool!
To help in peeling, add vinager
Kathleen, I can tell you how. It was one of the best wastes-of-money I ever made. LOL I found an "egg peeler" at a yard sale one time and since the lady only wanted $1 I had to buy it just to prove there was no way it could actually peel an egg clean in one swoop. I was proven wrong. It is a plastic gadget that sits on 3 legs with a ring around the top, and then there is a plastic thing that sits on top of that and you shove down on it. It peels my eggs perfectly every single time. :) You can find them at Wal Mart I believe.
Yes, you put the lid on the pot after it starts to boil.
Also THE WATER MUST COVER OVER THE TOP OF THE EGGS or it doesn't work.
My Mom taught me how to do it……and it works perfectly…..as long as I set a timer!
I [seriously!] set the timer for 10 minutes when I turn the burner off and put the lid on the pot.
:)
How about if you want the soft boiled?
I just do less time, but if you scroll through the comments I think people have mentioned how to do it?
U forgot one minor, but important, detail: After water comes to a rolling boil, Cover & remove from heat source. Works like a Charm evert time!
I have another way to boil the perfect egg. Start the same way except when they start to boil, boil for 1 minute. Then cover with lid and turn off burner. Let stand for 12 minutes. DO NOT UNCOVER BEFORE 12 MINUTES. Rinse in cold water and peel.
Just boiled eggs to color for Easter and they came out perfect! Thank you for sharing :)
Awesome! Glad to hear it! I've got a million and one eggs to color and boil before Easter… I'm letting them age a bit before we boil them so they peel better.
Also to test if an egg is hard boiled or raw spin it. A fully cooked egg will spin, but a raw egg wobbles and will not spin.
Its best to use cold water to start. And when they have been sitting in cold water-after the boil AND the 10 min covered wait period…its best to roll them individually, on a hard surface, so the whole shell is cracked all over. Then under a trickle of cool water, you can peel them quite fast. The shell should practically slide off. (Don't forget to put the shells in your mulch pile. They are filled with goodness for your soil!)
Also, you need to slice them when they are completely cooled. Makes for prettier slices. :)
Yes you need to keep the lid on and don't lift until they are done. You need the water to stay this temperature because without a lid the water cools to quickly. I normally use x-large and jumbo eggs so I leave my eggs in the water longer. Just practice with the size eggs you use. Time doesn't vary much from one size to the next but it does from large to jumbo. Good luck
use older eggs…..not fresh bought ones…
OMG…. i am gonna go try this right now!!! no wait… i am gonna wait til the kids are home and hubby is home to show them this new trick!!!
salt the heck out of the water if you want them to peel easy!
I love this trick. My mom taught me this one.
Thanks for the tip! And some of our shells make it to the mulch pile, but most go back to the chickens, because they LOVE to eat them. Weirdo chickens.
Hhahaha, YAY! Talk about great tips for peeling them too! My readers are AWESOME!
Honestly – this is the BIGGEST thing. And the reason why I've had a dozen white eggs sitting in my fridge for a few weeks, in order to boil them for Easter :-)
I live in Salt Lake and Elko, NV, an extra 5 min or so does wonders!
Yeah, altitude always screws me up!! :-)
I can boil eggs that came from the chicken yesterday. Keep them IN THE FRIDGE while you get the water boiling. I usually fill the pot 3/4 full. Once the water is boiling, carefully slide the eggs into the water (Using a strainer/spoon helps). Boil for 10-12 minutes and rinse. So easy to peel – the shock from fridge to hot water separates the membrane.
Just used your technique and the eggs turned out perfect!!!
This is GREAT Michelle. Thanks for the awesome advice!
Kaci, I'm so glad! I just used to to boil all of our Easter Eggs and since I crowded the pan, I allowed for a little extra time… but other than that? PERFECT!
the eggs that peel the easiest ( without getting all the white stuck and the shell coming off in little pieces) are the eggs that are like 1 week old ( been in your fridge for about a week) before you boil them. I know it sounds weird but it is so true. Fresh fresh eggs are WAY harder to peel. Try it.
Tezra, TOTALLY! I've had eggs sitting in my fridge for a while, simply so I can hard boil and color them for easter. :-)
This is how I cook my eggs and I'm told I don't cook them long enough! Haters! LOL!
Hahaha, seriously Addie, any longer and they are EW.
I do something similar to boil my eggs, except I use my electric kettle. Put in the water, pop in the eggs and turn it on. Most electric kettles will automatically turn off at a full boil, so all I have to do is listen for that *click* and then turn on the timer for 10 minutes.
I wouldn't recommend using the heated water for your tea or coffee though. It kinda tastes like eggs.
This is really great for the dorm room too :D.
My best tip so far is remove water, put in ice bath for a few minutes then peel immediately. I'm eager to try some of the other tips!
If you put a pinch of baking soda in your H2O they peel amazingly easy too.
does it matter electric or gas?
When you let it set for 10 min does it matter if you keep it on the burner or take it off?
-i don't know alot about cooking and i have less experience.
nope! boiling is boiling :-)
No problem. I always leave mine on the burner. Technically, it shouldn't matter, because the residual heat from the boiling water is what is cooking the eggs :-)
Hi…. yes salt does work, but not just a dash. It takes like an eighth of a cup or so.
The salt helps the white stay in the egg if it has a little crack in it, that way you never look like you are making egg drop soup while making hard boiled eggs.
Add some salt to the water while they boil. Crack egg from the bottom (big end) there is a small pocket of air there. Peel from the bottom away under running water.
I put mine in cold water, sprinkle salt on them, set the timer for 23 minutes. Turn on high, once water is boiling I turn down to simmer and in 23 minutes they are done perfectly. Never had green eggs. This was my grandma's trick and I've always had perfect eggs.
I was told by another person to add cream of tarter to the water while boiling the eggs. I did try it on Monday when u boiled my eggs and wow! Really made a big difference and was very easy to peel the eggs. Always will use this way to boil and peel my eggs. Nice job.
This sounds excellent. I have never heard this before but it makes sense.
Crack the shell on each end to break the "sack" inside the shell. Once that's done, your shell should peel off like nothing. No need to soak the egg or let it cool, or peel it boiling hot for that matter.
This really does work….. and when she says use older eggs… she means it (for easier peeling). i buy mine two weeks ahead of boiling. but what i do at the end of the cooking is set the whole pan in the sink and run cold water over the hot water till the water turns cold. but this works everytime. i have been doing it for years this way. it is perfect.
I use an egg cooker. They are timed perfectly and the best part is that they peel easily even if they are fresh. The secret is that they are steamed instead of put in boiling water. So if you don't have an egg cooker you can use a double boiler. Put the eggs in the top and time them 10 minutes after the water comes to a boil. To keep them from getting the green edge you need to cool them right away. If you let them sit while hot they keep cooking and then will still turn green.
I have found that cold eggs peel easier. Knock them softly on the counter or side of the sink until the egg shell is cracked all over. Then start peeling where the air bubble was. May not be in one piece but but a few pieces. Hope it helps. :)
I discovered peeling the egg with a teaspoon. Start with a ooled hard boiled egg. Crack the shell somewhat around the middle, then use the teaspoon to start at the shell, pretty soon you will get to peel that egg in no time at all! Do not use plasticware to do this.
I do this without even waiting for them to cool. Doesn't take much shaking and the shells come off like little jackets! :)
I tried this and had egg salad :(
Thanks Jeanette! Always glad to hear that it works for other people too :-)
adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the water when you boil them helps to loosen the membrane, too.
A great way to easily peel the shell off of the egg is to add salt to the water before you cook them and then stick them into ice water immediately after boiling! The salt will not get into the egg and it peels off SO easily!!!
I boil my eggs for 45 minutes. Can't stand the yellow yokes and the whites don't seem done.
I have to tell you that I live in Denver Colorado at an elevation of 5,280 feet. I have tried your method but the eggs are not cooked, the yolk is raw in the center. I have tried letting them stand 15 minutes but the water has cooled too much to complete the cooking as well. Water boils at a lower temperature as you go higher in elevation. I bet your method works well for other though, and thanks for sharing.
Christoph, you are DEFINITELY going to have a harder time up at altitude. I would try to add time boiling and see how it works for you…
Amazing that boiling eggs can get so many comments!! I read on pinterest that baking soda in the water is chapter one in 'peeling eggs for dummies'. Chapter 2 must be 'how to get rid of that grey yolk ring' and now I need chapter 3… 'How to do the perfect gooey egg for topping a salad'??? Any tips please?
Well Debbie, if you want a perfect gooey egg, you're probably going to want to poach it. Definitely VERY different instructions… Fill a pot halfway up with water, put in 2 TB of Vinegar. Heat it up until just below a simmer and then using a spoon, start to stir the water, creating a whirlpool. In the center of your whirlpool (the hole if you will), crack your egg. Gently continue to swirl the water (just on the top of the water really), so that the white begins to wrap around itself. If you want to do more eggs, add each one into the center… I would say up to 4. Leave the eggs to cook about 2 minutes and you should have the PERFECT poached eggs to put on top of your salad. It's one of my favorite ways too!!!
are you supposed to cover the pot? or leave the lid off?
Covering the pot will make it boil faster. I've been able to do it both ways, but I would cover the pot just to keep in a residual heat.
I am so glad this post became popular on Pinterest. Thanks for teaching me how to boil an egg properly. This has worked every time!
I'm so glad that you found it!! Stop on by again and maybe I'll have some other fun tips that you might find useful… :-)
Throw in a handfull of salt for fresh egs…makes them easier to peel
You are absolutely right! I loved your post! Found you on Pinterest, and I have been telling people that if they are grey they are overcooked and not as good…. your egg on the left looks delish!!
Thankyou for an awesome article.
Amanda I'm so glad you found it!!! Thanks for stopping by and commenting :-)
I tried this after reading a pin a few weeks ago. My eggs did not stay intact. The shells were cracked but still firmly attached to egg pieces. It was a disgusting mess and I ended up throwing the enitre batch away because I couldn't get the shell pieces out of the egg pieces.
Were your eggs fresh? Mine can be that way if they are too fresh. I find that I need to let them sit a while in the fridge before I can make hard boiled eggs out of them.
I tried this and my eggs were not cooked. I tried peeling and the egg white split in half and I could see the gummy yolk inside. I'll go back to boiling for 10 minutes and then turning off the heat. Eggs are never grey and cooked!
just crack the egg once and roll the entire egg. When you start peeling it just comes off
I've heard the salt thing too
I just bake them in the oven for EXACTLY 30 mins at 325. Put them in an ice bath, let them cool completely and they're always perfect. No green ring at all and it's easier to clean up b/c you just clean out the ice bath bowl. I bake them straight on the oven rack. I've converted all my friends and have been doing it this way for years now. Enjoy!
I use the same method listed- however, I cover the pan when I turn the heat off and I let mine cook for 18 minutes. Covering is what keeps the heat up where it needs to be!
I've also heard adding a tbsp of white vinegar to the water helps them peel easier!
to make your eggs easy to peel, put a half teaspoon of baking soda in your water. it really helps.
Also; when trying to boil water using cold water is better because the molecules in the water move faster when they are shocked. As in if you have cold water and you turn burner on HIGH, they flip out and race everywhere. Rather than trying to heat your water from the tap and put it on the burner, it takes longer because the hot water is moving, but its not shocked. It may sound stupid, but I promise you it is true.
I totally agree! My mom has ALWAYS said to use cold water but I never really thought of why. Thanks for the info!
I tried the "bring to a boil, then wait 10 minutes, then the eggs are done" method". It didn't work because the egg yolks were dark and not completely done in the middle. I went back to my old foolproof method of waiting 15 minutes, instead of 10. The old standard magazine "Cooks Illustrated" says to do the 10 minute method, which is how I tried it — it doesn't work, believe me — maybe if you're boiling very small eggs. After 15 minutes, the eggs are perfect with none of the green diameter color we see so frequently.
Add baking soda to water !
Very easy peasy…. as soon as you take them off the boil, drain and fill with cold water. I also put in a few ice cubes. Tap the egg to crack all over the egg and peel. Tada :)
This is the way I learned to do it from my Mom, except I never have to time how long they sit in the water. Once they are off the burner, the water cools down pretty quickly anyway. :). I also put vinegar in the water…it helps them not to crack while boiling!! :)
I have cooked white eggs this way for a very long time, but have recently found this is not the case for brown eggs. No matter what I do the shell ALWAYS sticks…YUCK! Suggestions?
How strange! I would look down the comments and see what other people suggest. I've noticed that people use salt, or baking soda… I've never had a problem as long as the eggs are too fresh.
i
take a bit off and then i use a small spoon ..
to cover the pot or not to? sit on off burner or take off burner?
Angelina – I cover the pot and leave it on the burner… taking it off the burner doesn't really matter once it's off. Thanks for stopping by!
If you put some baking soda in with the water tehy are super easy to peel :-)
If you put salt in the water, they are much easier to peel.
If you add a little salt to your water peeling is a breeze
I also use fresh eggs…put a tsp of white vinegar in the water before boiling and they will peel easily!
Got it! Thanks! Never knew about the grey ring!
My goodness… all this to boil an egg? Fill the pot, bring to a boil, drop eggs in and set the timer for 12 minutes. Remove and run cold water into the pot until the water is cold and let sit for 5 minutes.
It's really that simple and I get perfect eggs every time.
this is so funny, my daughter just told me this is how she boils eggs. I had never heard of doing it this way before?! I will be from now on. Thanks for the post
Thanks for stopping by Robin!
The key is let them cool and shell them under very cold running water. No need to add anything to the boiling water.
That works for me too.
What makes the egg white leak out is starting the process with hot water. If you place your cold or room temp eggs in cold water and then boil, it won't shock and crack the shell. You can use vinegar in the water if your eggs do crack. Vinegar is what you should use when you poach eggs to gelatinise your egg whites so the water isn't silky.
Crack the 2 ends, making a hole in both sides, Roll them on the counter, or side of the sink, where ever you are peeling them.. Simply blow the egg right out of the shell, in one shot, by blowing the egg from the smaller end to pop out of the bigger end.. works wonders !!!
Oooh Krystal – this is so cool! I'm going to HAVE to try this!
Put a bit (about 1/2 tsp) of baking soda in the water about a minute before they're done and the egg shells will come off easily. (Another pinterest idea – which I tried, and it worked fabulously!)
It's easy! My jr high home ex teacher taught us this trick. When the egg is cool, use the back of a spoon to "shatter"the shell – don't break the membrane , then take the spoon and wedge it in one of the cracks, the spoon will slip under the shell and pop the shell off
If you bake them 350 for 30 minutes they are perfect every time!!
THE BEST WAY TO HARD BOIL AN EGG THAT I HAVE FOUND IS SUPER EASY AND IT NEVER HAS THE GREY/ GREEN RING, EVER!
PUT EGGS INTO POT, COVER WITH 1 INCH WATER.
ONCE WATER BOILS, LIKE REALLY BOILS, REMOVE POT FROM THE HEAT.
-TO ANOTHER COOL BURNER OR COUNTER TOP-
ONCE WATER HAS COOLED YOUR EGG WILL BE PERFECTLY COOKED!
ALSO, IF YOU COOL THE EGGS BEFORE YOU PEEL THEM ITS MUCH EASIER TO PEEL.
-PUT EGGS IN A BOWL AND COVER WITH ICE. LET ICE MELT, EGGS WILL BE PERFECTLY COOL-
Here is the way I learned to make the perfect, fluffy rice with just a bit of stickiness:
2 1/2 cups of rice
3 cups of water
a pinch of salt
Rinse rice 3-4 times in cold water, and allow to sit in 3 cups of water for 15-20 minutes
*try to use a pot the same diameter as your stove burner*
Bring the rice and a pinch of salt to a boil, uncovered.
When rice boils, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the water seems to be gone.
Reduce heat to low, and cook another 5-7 minutes.
Turn off the burner and let the rice sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
The salt in the water trick is to stop the eggs from coming out of a shell that might have been cracked.
Baking soda works to, for easy peeling.
My mom taught me…..after cooking is done, drain hot water and run cold water over the eggs. Drain the cold water. Then shake the pan vigorously til the eggs are cracked all over. Fill your pan with cold water and let eggs sit for a bit and the shell comes off perfect everytime. I am 70 yrs. old and have been doing this all my life seems like. Works for me, hope it does for you as well.
Yes it works, I have recently tried it for the first time and it was awesome all eggs pealed in just minutes. Absolutely loved it.
So glad it worked for you!!! It's the only way I ever do it now :-)
Yes it works, I have recently tried it for the first time and it was awesome all eggs pealed in just minutes. Absolutely loved it.
So glad it worked for you!!! It's the only way I ever do it now :-)
I just learned from Pinterest that you can bake eggs as well. Put them in a muffin tin at 375 for 25-30 minutes and they come out perfect. Let em cool and they peel easily, too.
I saw that! I'm gonna have to try it :-)
I just learned from Pinterest that you can bake eggs as well. Put them in a muffin tin at 375 for 25-30 minutes and they come out perfect. Let em cool and they peel easily, too.
I saw that! I'm gonna have to try it :-)
adding 2 tbsp of white vinegar to the water
will make it easier to peel
adding 2 tbsp of white vinegar to the water
will make it easier to peel
Add about a teaspoon of oil to the water before boiling. Shell comes off easy.
Add about a teaspoon of oil to the water before boiling. Shell comes off easy.
Also, if you lay the carton of eggs on its side overnight the yellow will be in the center of the egg. Looks much more attractive and no torn white if you're making deviled (or as our family says….angel) eggs.
Also, if you lay the carton of eggs on its side overnight the yellow will be in the center of the egg. Looks much more attractive and no torn white if you're making deviled (or as our family says….angel) eggs.
I learned a trick when I lived on the coast for easy to peel eggs. Salt water. Just put in a few teaspoons in the water.
I learned a trick when I lived on the coast for easy to peel eggs. Salt water. Just put in a few teaspoons in the water.
Great tips! I didn't think that it was all that complicated, just luck how my eggs turned out. Now I know!
Awesome! I've always just popped them on the stove and let em boil for 10-15 minutes!!! I am so trying it this way!!
Happy Sits Day!! =)
Would you believe that I have to google 'how to boil an egg' every time I make them? And the instructions I get are similar to yours and yes, super simple! Yet I can never remember :)
Great post! Happy SITS day!!
Thanks Tricia for stopping by! Yeah, it took me a while to get it right… but at least now I never get it wrong! (well, that's when I pay attention and set a timer :-) )
Would you believe that I have to google 'how to boil an egg' every time I make them? And the instructions I get are similar to yours and yes, super simple! Yet I can never remember :)
Great post! Happy SITS day!!
Thank you!!! I thought you had to boil them for awhile! We have chickens and some of mine love hard boiled eggs. Know they will appreciate this! Happy SITS day! Love your blog and a new subscriber.
Hahaha, mine love eggs in general. Always seems a little weird when I give it to them. Even weirder? When I give then leftover chicken… I just try not to think about it.
Thank you!!! I thought you had to boil them for awhile! We have chickens and some of mine love hard boiled eggs. Know they will appreciate this! Happy SITS day! Love your blog and a new subscriber.
Two questions on your directions: Do you cover the pot after you turn off the stove? Do you remove the pot from the heat or leave it on the cooling burner?
For me I find it doesn't matter if I leave it on the burner or not… and I do cover it. Thanks for stopping by!!
Two questions on your directions: Do you cover the pot after you turn off the stove? Do you remove the pot from the heat or leave it on the cooling burner?
We went through this same process ourselves not long ago (if only I'd thought to blog about it, shoot!) and after much fumbling and internet searching and book reading we ended up where you got. Of course, we didn't have fresh eggs from chickens, our eggs (though local and from pastured hens) are still not entirely "fresh" since it takes them some time to get from the birds to the co-op. I'm so glad you wrote about this… it's amazing how many of us have always just assumed we knew how to do this!
We went through this same process ourselves not long ago (if only I'd thought to blog about it, shoot!) and after much fumbling and internet searching and book reading we ended up where you got. Of course, we didn't have fresh eggs from chickens, our eggs (though local and from pastured hens) are still not entirely "fresh" since it takes them some time to get from the birds to the co-op. I'm so glad you wrote about this… it's amazing how many of us have always just assumed we knew how to do this!
Very well written. I like that you admitted you didn't really know how to boil and egg but spent the time learning. Currently, I use one of those put in the pan devices that react to heat. I love it. I can get my egg with just a bit of liquid for my breakfast and more cooked for deviled eggs. Happy SITS day.
Oooh that device sounds nifty! I like kitchen gadgets a LOT. :-) Thanks for stopping by!
Very well written. I like that you admitted you didn't really know how to boil and egg but spent the time learning. Currently, I use one of those put in the pan devices that react to heat. I love it. I can get my egg with just a bit of liquid for my breakfast and more cooked for deviled eggs. Happy SITS day.
I will try this next time. I can sometimes get perfect boiled eggs, but the thought of even trying usually stresses me out. But I love deviled eggs too much to give up.
Honestly Nessa, this is SO easy. Try it and let me know! And also remember that I'm at sea level, so if you are a little bit higher, give 'em an extra minute or two…
I will try this next time. I can sometimes get perfect boiled eggs, but the thought of even trying usually stresses me out. But I love deviled eggs too much to give up.
Honestly Nessa, this is SO easy. Try it and let me know! And also remember that I'm at sea level, so if you are a little bit higher, give 'em an extra minute or two…
Happy SITS Day!
I loved this entry! I've actually struggled with boiling eggs!
http://www.dreamsandcolour.blogspot.com
I'm so glad you stopped by then!! Hope to see you around more Melissa!
Happy SITS Day!
I loved this entry! I've actually struggled with boiling eggs!
<a href="http://www.dreamsandcolour.blogspot.com” target=”_blank”> <a href="http://www.dreamsandcolour.blogspot.com” target=”_blank”>www.dreamsandcolour.blogspot.com
Thanks for stopping by! Sorry the reply is so late, my comments moderation went wonky on me. Boiling eggs took me FOREVER to nail down. Now that I have? I’m never looking back!
HA! I thought the grey was when they were fully cooked! OOPS!
Well, kind of?? ;-)
Well, technically they ARE fully cooked when grey ;-)
HA! I thought the grey was when they were fully cooked! OOPS!
I just boiled some a few days ago and I didn't put them in cold water after. I sort of forgot about them and then just stuck them in the frig. Yup, makes a difference when you try to peel them. Simple steps but important ones. Stopping by from SITS today, enjoy your blog day!
I'm big on forgetting the little steps that make a huge difference. Especially since I get going doing one thing and get sidetracked by something else… all.the.time. :-) Thanks for stopping by!!
I just boiled some a few days ago and I didn't put them in cold water after. I sort of forgot about them and then just stuck them in the frig. Yup, makes a difference when you try to peel them. Simple steps but important ones. Stopping by from SITS today, enjoy your blog day!
Visiting from SITS. This post is awesome! I'm going to have to share this. Mine doesn't usually turn out grey… but I never knew why! Thanks for sharing!
Visiting from SITS. This post is awesome! I'm going to have to share this. Mine doesn't usually turn out grey… but I never knew why! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome! I'm so trying this. I've never gotten it right and it always had that greenish grey ring which I now know is iron. Let's just say I've pinned this post and will be keeping it handy especially for easter. {Visiting from SITS}
Thanks for stopping by Brook!! And yeah, it's pretty amazing how different they taste/look when they aren't grey!!
Awesome! I'm so trying this. I've never gotten it right and it always had that greenish grey ring which I now know is iron. Let's just say I've pinned this post and will be keeping it handy especially for easter. {Visiting from SITS}
Thanks for stopping by Brook!! And yeah, it's pretty amazing how different they taste/look when they aren't grey!!
I'm big on forgetting the little steps that make a huge difference. Especially since I get going doing one thing and get sidetracked by something else… all.the.time. :-) Thanks for stopping by!!
Well, kind of?? ;-)
I'm so glad you stopped by then!! Hope to see you around more Melissa!
Oooh that device sounds nifty! I like kitchen gadgets a LOT. :-) Thanks for stopping by!
For me I find it doesn't matter if I leave it on the burner or not… and I do cover it. Thanks for stopping by!!
Hahaha, mine love eggs in general. Always seems a little weird when I give it to them. Even weirder? When I give then leftover chicken… I just try not to think about it.
Thanks Tricia for stopping by! Yeah, it took me a while to get it right… but at least now I never get it wrong! (well, that's when I pay attention and set a timer :-) )
Oh my! Now I know! Thanks a bunch!
Happy SITS Day! :)
Thanks for stopping by Cham!!!
Oh my! Now I know! Thanks a bunch!
Happy SITS Day! :)
Thanks for stopping by Cham!!!
[...] It's FittingDo You Know How to Boil an Egg? Friday’s for junk food and Sunday’s for extensive breakfast at our house. My son <i>loves </i> long-lasting breakfasts! Dinner? [...]
Hum~ l just let them reach a Rolling boil. Time them for 2 mins. Cover pot with lid & remove from stove. Time them for 20 mins. Drain the water, add cold water & some ice cubes. Wait afew minutes, then under running water, start peeling away. Perfect Boiled Eggs; )
The above method can be used for rice too.
Eggs are rubbery when boiled in rapid bubbling water. The best method, and perectly foolproof is the classic method from Cordon Bleu.
In a pot, cover eggs with water, add good pinch of salt.
Bring to boil
The moment it starts boiling turn the heat down to its lowest to bring it to a bare simmer for 5 mins for soft boiled.
Elizabeth Davis calls it water just”quivering” not boiling or even simmering
Leave it for six if you want the yoke set,Seven if you want it hard boiled.
Place in ice water and leave for 2 minutes.
To peel, simply roll the egg on the hard kitchen counter using the palm of your hand., untill the shell has lots of fine cracks. Now peel.
To warm the eggs again simply place them in very warm but not boiling water for a few minutes.
Perfection every time.
I ALWAYS add salt to the water in case eggs crack during boiling the salt will keep the egg white from running out in the water t. :)
If you want an even easier way to cooked hard “boiled” eggs. Heat the oven to 325, once preheated place as many eggs as you want directly on rack. Cook for 35 mins. Done. No watching water boil, no worrying about cracked eggs, just let the oven do the work for you.
I just wanted to say that for easy peeling, before putting water/eggs on the stove, add a tsp of baking soda to the water. It changes the pH of the water and the egg shell/membrane will not stick. There is a video on youtube.com that actually shows the benefits of using baking soda, by Tim Ferriss called “How to peel hard-boiled eggs without peeling”.
Also, instead of going through all the boiling and time management, it is SUPER easy to BAKE them (courtesy of Alton Brown and the Food Network). Put the eggs in the wells of a standard muffin tin. Bake at 325 degrees F for approx 20 min for hard “boil”. Cool under cold running water for a few minutes and then peel. Once again, SUPER EASY!!!!
This is how I learned to do it also – tho always start the cold eggs in cold water to prevent cracking.
Will this work if you have a gas stove or just an electric stove?
It will work with either!
I just tried this and completely failed… they were WAY underdone. Followed the instructions exactly.. Maybe I’ll bake them next time..
I use an egg timer I bought at Crate and Barrel about 12-15 years ago. Works like a charm! I set eggs to boil and don’t have to stand over and watch the pot. Also, I add vegetable oil to water while boiling for easy removal of shell.
[...] be weird texture-wise for some, but I’m not one of those people. I found a great method to hard boil eggs without grey yolks . The only thing I would add is 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the water–the shell comes off [...]
I was always told to put salt in the water to help them peel, not sure if it helps, i’ve had very stubborn eggs. Then I follow Martha Stewart’s advice using a teaspoon to separate it from the shell.
The longer you let them sit after they’re boiled, the harder it is to peel them, so if you can let them cool just enough that you can hold them then it’s easy peasy to peel. THEN, I soak them in cool water for a few minutes.
My hubby always does the eggs this way and they are perfect. He pays attention when he is doing it unlike me when I am trying to multi-task!
Tip: put a tsp of baking soda in the water and the shells also come off perfectly.
Steaming eggs is even easier than boiling with more room for forgiveness than boiling and doesn’t take as long either.
Yep! That’s the way to do it…and I’ve found the if you’re just doing, say 6 for salad or hubby’s craving some, then 10min. is fine, but if you’re doing a full dozen or more I’d go 15min. That’s what I do and I’ve NEVER had the yucky greenish-grey rings. Putting them immediately into cold water makes peeling them a dream…a good tap and most eggs literally are peeled in 2-3 pieces of shell.
Hi there! I just want to post in regard to anyone that says to put the eggs in the oven to hard boil them. I did exactly that, 325 degrees for 30 minutes then submerged in ice water for 10 minutes and guess what? They are still practically raw.
I even referred to this website.
http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2012/11/how-to-make-perfect-hard-boiled-eggs-in-the-oven.html
Don’t try this. It doesn’t work and its not like I did anything wrong as there are only 2 steps.
[...] 4 Eggs (hard-boiled) I found a great site on pinterest for “the perfect hard-boiled egg” [...]
An even simpler perfectly boiled egg, is, let water boil, then add eggs. Turn off the heat and set timer for 15 minutes. Run under cold water and peel. If eggs are over cooked, they are difficult to peel.
[...] We have been dying eggs for a few days now, that will happen when you have a toddler LOL. Tonight my high-school daughter even joined in the fun, her creations are number 8, Anything Goes. Let’s begin with a round up of some of the most creative ways we discovered to decorate eggs this year from the super easy to super talented. All of these creations started out with a hard-boiled egg, excellent tutorial HERE. [...]
[...] over this article for you to find out if you really know how to boil [...]
when you take the pot off the heat are you supposed to put the lid on or leave it off ?
Leave it on. Helps to keep the heat in to cook all the way thru.
I always would just boil eggs for like 15 minutes lol. Found this on Pinterest! I tried it this morning and it worked PERFECTLY! Thank you SO much for posting this! Definitely sharing it, and I followed you on twitter! I feel like a top chef now ;)
Much love,
Megan!
Oh my gosh you are so sweet! Glad it worked for you and keep on cooking like a pro!!
I use a teaspoon to get under the shell and then the whole shell comes right off. Just crack the egg a little the peel a little off, put the teaspoon under the shell. You’ll figure it out. It’s way easier! Hope this helps