How do you make the perfect hard boiled egg?
I know it seems like an easy question but I've heard so many different ways to hard boil eggs. Is there a good rule of thumb for how long to cook eggs? What are your tips and tricks for achieving the perfect hard boiled egg?
I don't think it's a silly question! I used to struggle with boiling eggs. The mistakes I used to make were dropping the eggs into boiling water and boiling them at a heat that was too high. When I dropped the eggs into the boiling water, I'd often crack them because I dropped them from too high (I didn't want to put my fingers near the boiling water). And if the eggs weren't cracked after I dropped them, they'd often crack because the heat was too high and the bubbling water would crack the eggs. Now, I put the eggs in before bringing the water to a boil and I use a soft boil so that the eggs don't get tossed around.
I find success in boiling eggs in general, whether they're soft-boiled or hard-boiled. And number one, the fresher the eggs are, the better. Number two, you need to make sure your water is heavily salted. And you want to put the eggs in room-temperature water, and then bring them up to a boil. That's going to make your eggs much easier to peel. When you remove them, you want to cool them down as quickly as possible by running cool water over them. I continue to allow the cool water to run while I peel them.
I never knew about starting eggs in room-temp water before bringing them to a boil, but this is such a helpful tip! Definitely trying this next time.
When the eggs finish boiling, I fill up a bowl with ice water and dunk the eggs in to stop them from getting overcooked. I leave them in the water for like 10 minutes until they're completely cooled down so I'm able to peel them easily.
When the eggs finish boiling, I fill up a bowl with ice water and dunk the eggs in to stop them from getting overcooked. I leave them in the water for like 10 minutes until they're completely cooled down so I'm able to peel them easily.
One downside of boiling fresher eggs is they're harder to peel, I've discovered. But they do taste better so!
For hard-boiled eggs, I always bring the eggs to a boil and then immediately shut off the stove and let the eggs sit in the water for ~15 minutes. (I usually set a timer because I've definitely let my eggs sit too long, ha.) Then immediately put them under cold/iced water as others have already said.
For hard-boiled eggs, I always bring the eggs to a boil and then immediately shut off the stove and let the eggs sit in the water for ~15 minutes. (I usually set a timer because I've definitely let my eggs sit too long, ha.) Then immediately put them under cold/iced water as others have already said.
Instead of completely submersing the eggs in water, you can try boiling them in an inch of water and steaming them the rest of the way! This has worked well for me.
You can get an egg timer on Amazon for less than 10 bucks and using one of those will help you get perfect boiled eggs every time.
I actual boil my eggs in a pressure cooker! So if you have one of those or maybe other kitchen appliances like that, try taking advantage of all its features by boiling eggs in it.
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Reader Tips from 2 Foolproof Ways to Hard Boil an Egg
Let eggs come to room temperature before boiling to prevent cracking. Eggs straight from the fridge can crack more easily when exposed to heat.
Try steaming fresh eggs first if they are difficult to peel. Steaming helps separate the membranes for easier shell removal.
Use a slotted spoon when lowering eggs into boiling water to prevent cracking them on the bottom of the pan.
If the yolks turn gray-green, it means the eggs were overcooked. Reduce the cooking time next batch.
Reader Tips from The Best Way to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs So They Don’t Crack
Try making your eggs in an Instant Pot if you want them done quickly. Place a metal strainer in the pot with a small amount of water, and load in your eggs. Set the pressure cook to 4 minutes, and let the pot sit and depressurize for about 10 minutes after.
Try adding hard boiled eggs to fried rice or stir fry to add a little extra flavor and protein.
Reader Tips from Easy Ways to Test If Eggs Are Boiled or Raw
Don't keep boiled eggs next to raw ones. It's unsanitary and not doing so avoids the need to write on or color code them.
To prevent the egg from leaking while boiling, add a little vinegar to the water. It wont effect the taste of the egg.
