Hard Boiled Eggs

Tags: eggs

A Little Personal History:

Making hard boiled eggs isn’t difficult. Yet, I’m asked so often how best to do it (eggs end up under-cooked, over-cooked, yolks are green, shells stick while peeling and take whites with them to the disposal, etc. etc). So, without further adieu,  here’s my tried and true way to boil eggs, perfect every time.

Description:

Categories:	Eggs, Cooking Techniques
Servings:	6 eggs
Time:	– Preparation:     5 minutes – Cooking:         15 minutes
Equipment:	1 Large cooking pot, 1 large bowl, measuring spoons, ice, slotted spoon or tongs
Difficulty:	Easy

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs (older eggs are preferable)
• Water
• 1-2 teaspoon baking soda
• 12 ice cubes (1 ice-cube tray)

Procedure:

1. Put the eggs in a pot.
2. Fill pot with cold water. Make sure tops of the eggs are covered by at least 1 inch of water (25 – 50 mm).
3. Sprinkle in baking soda.
4. On high heat, bring to a rapid, rolling boil.  5-10 minutes.
5. Turn off heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
6. Add water and ice to a large bowl
7. With tongs, lightly crack egg shells on countertop or cutting board and transfer into ice water bowl for 15 minutes.
8. Under running water, as necessary, peel shell of each egg, starting at the large end (air pocket), removing the largest pieces first.
9. Use immediately or transfer peeled eggs to container, cover and refrigerate till needed. Eggs should be used within a couple days as they can get “rubbery” and give off an odor over time.

Advanced Preparation:

• If you don’t intend to use immediately, after Step 6, refrigerating boiled eggs for a couple hours or overnight to make peeling shells easier.
• As hard boiled eggs are often used in preparation of other dishes, they can be peeled and refrigerated a few days in advance.

Tips, Notes, and Variations:

• Some like to “reverse” the start of the process by waiting for the water to boil and then gently add eggs and cook for 15-20 minutes. I’ve found too many of the eggs crack during cooking do to the shock of being placed in boiling water. Also, perhaps because I live in the Mile High City of Denver, this method made peeling the eggs very difficult, with the whites sticking to the shell! Very frustrating if I intended to make deviled eggs  👿
• Some like adding salt in the water to helps keep egg whites from seeping out of any eggs that crack and make the eggs easier to peel. I”ve never found it makes peeling easier while making whites “rubbery” by raising the boiling point of water. Therefore I don’t add salt. Some suggest adding vinegar, but I pass on this option as this too can make the whites “rubbery” and too much salt will effect the taste; however …
• Adding a few teaspoons of baking soda to the water raises the pH level of the water and makes them much easier to peel by reducing the apoundumen’s ability to stick to the shell.
• Multiple layers of eggs in the pot are more likely to crack. Use only a single layer and do additional batches.
• Older eggs will be easier to peel, as the air space is larger. If buying fresh eggs, refrigerate for 5-7 days before boiling.
  • And how can you test if eggs are fresh, old or spoiled? In a large cup of water, if the egg floats, it’s fresh. If it doesn’t float yet doesn’t sink to bottom, it’s old. If it sinks to the bottom you probably want to throw it out.
• Adding ice water to the bowl of boiled eggs lowers the egg’s temperature to keep the shells from sticking and prevents the greenish tinge sometimes seen on hard-boiled eggs (the greenish tinge doesn’t affect taste or safety but not the great if you intent is to make egg salad).
• The eggs  should be done perfectly afterresting in hot water for 15 minutes (Step 5). However, depending on the shape of the pan, the size of the eggs, the number of eggs compared to the amount of water, it can take a few minutes more. I’ve found it’s very hard to over cook eggs using this method. Even leaving eggs rest for 20 minutes, the eggs  won’t be overcooked.
  • If you are doing a large batch of eggs and want to make sure eggs are done, after resting in hot water for 15 minutes (Step 5), check for doneness by checking one egg. Remove it with a slotted spoon or tongs, run it under cold water, and cutting it open. If it isn’t done, let remaining eggs rest in hot water another couple minutes longer.
• If you’ll be using the eggs immediately, you may want to lightly cracking eggs, prior to submerging in iced water. This allows water to seep in to help with peeling shells more easily. If the peeling becomes tragic (e.g. sticking to shell), use a spoon to help scrape out what you can and make egg sandwiches with what’s salvaged!
• If you can boil the eggs a couple hours or a day in advance, before peeling, storing eggs in refrigerator for a couple hours or overnight will help peel the shells easily from the egg.
• Here are some recipes using hard boiled eggs you may want to try: Thousand Island Dressing, Egg Salad and Bacon Sandwiches, BELT Sandwich, Deviled Eggs and New England Potato Salad

Warnings:

• Unwashed eggs will keep 4-5 weeks in the coldest part of the refrigerator (not in the door shelves!)
• Boiled or washed eggs will only keep about a week – the protective cover over the shell is gone so best to eat within 5 days.
• Look at your eggs before you put them in your grocery cart! Never buy cracked or even dirty eggs.
• Eggs gone bad don’t always have to end up in the garbage. Use them for Easter eggs (as long as you don”t let the children eat them!) 😉