Can You Boil an Egg? Then Tell Me! page 3

[amberlee]

After boiling add cold water and bicarb before peeling.

[kevin42]

Steaming works every time. I never boil eggs anymore. We buy very fresh eggs and they never peel well when boiled. They peel perfectly when steamed though.

My method: I add water to the pot and put the eggs in the steamer pot above the water and cover with the lid. I turn the heat on high and then as soon as the water starts to boil I set my timer for 14 minutes. Once the timer goes off, I put the eggs in cold water to cool down.

[namelesswonder]

Cooking methods aside, you want older eggs for easiest peeling. I always make sure they've been in the fridge for at least a week before I try hard-boiling.

[SAdams]

I use a spoon while peeling eggs. Just crack egg, slide spoon under shell and pull it away from egg. very easy and my eggs almost alway turn out pretty.

[Crabbcakes]

The spoon thing will be attempted as well. I always have sore thumbs from peeling. We tend to do 2 dozen at a time...

Thanks!!

[jkr]

All the people on this thread recommending anything but steaming don't know what they are talking about. ;-) Seriously, it's the best method. It's doesn't matter how fresh the eggs are, if your pinch of something is just right, if they're cracked at just the right angle.

For well-done, easy to peel eggs, place in steamer basket over half a pot of water. Turn to med-high and set the timer for 16 minutes. Once done, rinse in cold water and peel when you need to. :-) I PROMISE you will have success.

[Crabbcakes]

Yesterday, I tried the egg steaming method... WOW! What a difference! That was the easiest peeling time I have ever had!

I used conventional eggs (ugh, but hubby bought them, thinking to help with the shopping). After peeling some of them with the fingers, I also tried getting under the shell with a spoon, and that was an added help.

So, THANK YOU to all of you. I will still try all other suggestions, just for the sake of a complete scientific study of the correct peeling of an egg - I will keep you posted.

[Fressca]

I tried the steaming method yesterday, and wow! It worked great. Not only did the eggs peel easily, but there was no black ring (I hate that). I'm going to miss my teaspoon method though; I was so happy to find a method that worked to get those pesky shells off

[magnolia1973]

Use older eggs, not fresh eggs.

[Martha Eve]

Well, after 50 years of cooking eggs, I'll tell you the only way that I have ever found that works each and every time. You roast them. No pre-boiling as in with many Jewish recipes for Beitzah. Pre-heat your oven to 325. Put a pan on the lower rack that will protect the oven if an egg breaks (I've never had it happen -- I just hate the thought of cleaning an oven and don't want to take the chance). Put as many eggs on the middle rack as you want. Roast 'em (actually I guess it's bake) for 20 minutes. Be sure to set up a large bowl with ice water and when the time is up quickly remove them and put them into the ice water. They will probably have little dark freckles on them coming out...it's only moisture seeping through the shell and disappears as they cool. They will peel easily and are no different than boiled eggs in looks or taste. If your oven runs hot or the heat is uneven inside and produces eggs with the grey-green ring around the yolk, you'll have to experiment with either shorter cooking time or lower oven temp.
When you think about it, early man, when he started using fire, very probably buried eggs in hot embers. There's a traditional North African roasted egg ...only it roasts for quite a few hours. It's a beautiful carmel color due to the long roast.