OK, how do I make hard boiled eggs? page

[Dharma_Punk]

I have been trying and trying to make perfect hard boiled eggs with firm whites and runny yolks but keep failing. If I do get the egg part right the shell is impossible to get off without picking it off in a million pieces. So, anyone got some tricks that I am missing. Someone told me I should add some salt to the water, does this really help with shell removal? Something so simple shouldn't be this difficult...

[tanyayogi]

I did this accidentally yesterday!! Wai t- who cares about peeling the shell off in a million pieces? If the egg part is good, then it doesn't really matter.
I add 1 tsp of salt always. I filled it to cover the eggs, let it boil, once it boiled I let it sit there for like 30 seconds (accidentally) then took it off. I left it for like 3-5 minutes sitting in the hot water but OFF the stove. Then I got rid of the hot water and replaced it with room temperature/cool water.

[yodiewan]

The trick is cooking them just long enough to set the whites so they can peel easily while leaving the yolk semi-runny (if you want full on runny, you'll have to keep the whites pretty soft and risk them being fragile). For me, boiling around 7 minutes does the trick. Also, putting them into cold water after cooking keeps them from cooking further (takes heat out and prevents it from traveling in toward to yolk) and I think It also makes them easier to peel. Peeling under running water seems to help also.

[tanyayogi]

The trick is cooking them just long enough to set the whites so they can peel easily while leaving the yolk semi-runny (if you want full on runny, you'll have to keep the whites pretty soft and risk them being fragile). For me, boiling around 7 minutes does the trick. Also, putting them into cold water after cooking keeps them from cooking further (takes heat out and prevents it from traveling in toward to yolk) and I think It also makes them easier to peel. Peeling under running water seems to help also.

Boiling for 7 minutes??? Really? I set my stove on high and once it started bubbling intensely I took it off the stove and they came out PERFECT.

[d2mini]

I put the eggs in a pot. Fill pot with water just enough so the eggs are completely covered.
Put covered pot on stove, turn on burner and bring to a boil. Once it becomes a nice rolling boil, remove the pot from the heat and let sit for 20 minutes covered. Then pour out water and either fill the pot with ice water or transfer the eggs to a container with ice water, just for a few minutes. The hot to cold should help the membrane separate from the egg.

[ToniWA]

I just read an article that the shell doesn't peel well off of FRESH eggs. A couple days old is best. I'll try that out tonight ~ I know you'll be waiting breathlessly

[calluses]

FWIW, I do the same as d2mini and it works quite well.

[Primal Toad]

I put the eggs in a pot. Fill pot with water just enough so the eggs are completely covered.
Put covered pot on stove, turn on burner and bring to a boil. Once it becomes a nice rolling boil, remove the pot from the heat and let sit for 20 minutes covered. Then pour out water and either fill the pot with ice water or transfer the eggs to a container with ice water, just for a few minutes. The hot to cold should help the membrane separate from the egg.

I am going to try this exact method soon. When I do I will report back here with my results.

I just read an article that the shell doesn't peel well off of FRESH eggs. A couple days old is best. I'll try that out tonight ~ I know you'll be waiting breathlessly

This is good to know too! I just bought 4 dozen eggs at the farmers market so I guess I will have to wait a bit

[belinda]

The OP has described a soft-boiled egg ... which I always used to eat in an egg cup. That avoids the need to peel

Put the boiled egg in the egg cup, knock the top 1/4 off the egg with a knife, lightly salt the egg, then scoop out of the shell with a spoon! mmmmm...

[d2mini]

The OP has described a soft-boiled egg ... which I always used to eat in an egg cup. That avoids the need to peel

Ah yes, i missed the "runny yolk" part. That's not "hard" boiled. My instructions above were for hard boiled. But the hot to cold thing might still help.