What is the secret to hard boiled eggs??

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hesn92
hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
What is the secret to peeling a hard boiled egg?? I suck at it. The egg white always wants to come apart with the shell. Is the secret in how you cook it? Do you put the eggs in already boiling water or cold water? So many different opinions on google!
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  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I think they peel better when they are not brand new. Once they are a week or so old there has been more time for air to get between the egg and membrane so it makes it easier to peel.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
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    I wait until the water is boiling then add the eggs. I boil them for 10-12 minutes and then when I remove the eggs from the pot I put them in ice cold water for 5 minutes. I usually don't have an issue peeling the egg.
  • redpandora56
    redpandora56 Posts: 289 Member
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    i've heard it's to do with the freshness of the eggs too - the fresher they are, the more they stick, so the ones you've had for a week before you hard boil them tend to peel more easily. I don't know how true that is, but the last few times I've had some that were really hard to peel, I'd just bought them. So it seems true in my experience anyway!
  • anachronicles
    anachronicles Posts: 109 Member
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    I put them in already boiling water and let them boil for exactly 10 minutes (with the lid partially on the pot). I've never had an issue peeling mine, usually I just roll them over the counter to crack the whole shell and then the peel just flakes off when I add pressure.
  • bermudamel
    bermudamel Posts: 212
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    peel a section off the top and bottom of the egg, then hold it in your hand and blow it thru the shell. I don't eat eggs myself but have seen it done that way
  • BillRicks1
    BillRicks1 Posts: 473 Member
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    I normally do mine a dozen at a time.....add eggs to a pot of tap water. Bring water and eggs to a boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Rinse in cold water for a minute or 2 and refrigerate.
  • aubreyjordan
    aubreyjordan Posts: 276 Member
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    Adding salt to the water while they cook has helped me.
  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
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    Use eggs that are not fresh. Here is how I do it
    Cover eggs with at least an inch of cold water.
    Cover and bring to a boil
    As soon as they boil turn off or remove from heat
    Cover and let sit for 10 minutes
    Pour off hot water and rinse in cold water so you can handle them to peel them
    Peel while warm. Start at the large end of the egg where there is a little pocket of air
    This cooking time prevents the yolk from being green.
  • GalgoMomAnita
    GalgoMomAnita Posts: 84 Member
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    I saw a great video on youtube last week that I think may be the answer, although I've not tried it yet. Take a small glass (looked like four ounces appx), put the egg in, and fill most of the way leaving some room for air. Holding this over the sink, cover the glass with your hand and shake viogorously for about 10 seonds. Reach in and the whole shell came off in one piece with the egg sliding out.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
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    Yeah, the fresher the eggs the easier they will peel. I've tried everything I can find on the internet about making it easier to peel them and nothing has worked. I guess it is just up to the freshness of the egg.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,521 Member
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    As previous posters said, it read that happens when they are fresh. I buy mine, let them sit in the fridge for a couple of days, then boil.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    Hmm. My eggs were at least a week old, probably more like 2 or 3. I tried the water in a cup trick, I tried rolling one on the counter. I think it comes down to how you cook it. I always put them in cold water, bring to a boil, cover, take off the heat. I think next time I will try starting them in already boiling water.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    Snip8241 wrote: »
    Use eggs that are not fresh. Here is how I do it
    Cover eggs with at least an inch of cold water.
    Cover and bring to a boil
    As soon as they boil turn off or remove from heat
    Cover and let sit for 10 minutes
    Pour off hot water and rinse in cold water so you can handle them to peel them
    Peel while warm. Start at the large end of the egg where there is a little pocket of air
    This cooking time prevents the yolk from being green.

    That's how I do it. The yolk is not too hard or dried out and is moist and tender.
  • knardozza
    knardozza Posts: 1 Member
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    I used to have the same problem, and found an article online by a chef who advised putting the eggs in already boiling water, then when finished cooking, immediately put into an ice/water bath until cool. It has worked for me. Eggs peel easier.
  • jesiann2014
    jesiann2014 Posts: 521 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Just a warning...
    A guy I work with dropped a cold egg in boiling water and it exploded leaving him with 3rd degree burns on his face. Very lucky his eyes were not hit. Since this accident, I always begin with my eggs in tepid water and bring to a boil.
  • ChicagOH
    ChicagOH Posts: 75 Member
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    Once boiled, change water to cold in pot right away. The eggs shrink away from the shell with the cold water. Put in fridge ASAP.
  • AngryViking1970
    AngryViking1970 Posts: 2,847 Member
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    Snip8241 wrote: »
    Use eggs that are not fresh. Here is how I do it
    Cover eggs with at least an inch of cold water.
    Cover and bring to a boil
    As soon as they boil turn off or remove from heat
    Cover and let sit for 10 minutes
    Pour off hot water and rinse in cold water so you can handle them to peel them
    Peel while warm. Start at the large end of the egg where there is a little pocket of air
    This cooking time prevents the yolk from being green.

    Exactly this.
  • abuck_13
    abuck_13 Posts: 382 Member
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    I've always done this and it seems to work pretty well - eggs in pot, cover with water, add a pinch or two of baking soda...bring to a boil for one minute, then turn off heat and cover for 10, spoon out of pot and into a bowl of ice water for a few minutes.

    This is definitely one of those situations where there are probably 50 different ways that will all be just as good.
  • alasin1derland
    alasin1derland Posts: 575 Member
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    poke a hole in the fat end of the egg with a straight pin. place in boiling water. eggs won't crack or seep. when done cooking do the cold water bath to handle them. crack and peel.
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I use an egg cooker I got off of Amazon for $15. Takes 10 minutes and it's always super easy to peel. I just bang the egg off the counter, and start tearing away.