Making hard-boiled eggs can be frustrating but doesn’t have to be. I’ve tried different tricks and tips over the years and what works best for me gives me eggs that peel perfectly 99% of the time. I won’t lie and say every time, but the vast majority of the time my eggs peel perfectly and have no imperfections. They’re also cooked to our liking, but you may enjoy yours with a yolk that’s slightly more under cooked or overcooked, so experiment with a timer and how long you allow them to sit after boiling. There are other methods such as baking them in the oven or using an air fryer or other kitchen gadget, but it’s really not necessary to buy something specific just to cook eggs, or to keep the oven on that long. Keep it simple.
To Cook
- Add eggs from the fridge to a pot.
- Add enough water to cover the eggs entirely.
- Turn burner to high heat and when the water is at a rapid boil, turn the heat off and put a lid on the pot.
- The amount of time they sit to finish cooking will vary based on your taste, but 10 minutes will typically yield fully-cooked yellow yolks void of that ugly green/gray edge that can make them dry.
To Peel
- You can do two things here: add the eggs to a bowl of ice water or put the pot in the sink and fill it with cold water to cool the eggs. If you choose to use the pot, fill with cold water and dump, then fill with cold water again. Let sit a few minutes until they’re cool to the touch.
- Crack the eggs entirely before peeling. Just crack them all the way around and add them back to the pot. Maybe this isn’t necessary, but I swear it helps make the membrane stick to the shell instead of the egg – who knows.
- When you’re ready to peel, pinch the shell on the bottom of the egg to remove the first bit of shell. Many times, I can peel the shell off in one giant piece by doing this! It’s a fun little game I like to play because I don’t have much excitement around here.
That’s it! It sure seems like a lot of steps for a boiled egg, doesn’t it? But you can have eggs that will be the envy of the neighborhood, and who doesn’t want that? Here they are ready for a final rinse:
