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    Home » Recipes » Easter

    How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs (Easy Peel)

    Published: Jun 9, 2018 · Modified: Jan 30, 2023 by Sally Cameron · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    278 shares
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    Frustrated by hard boiled eggs that are hard to peel then look like a train wreck? Here is how to make perfect hard boiled eggs every time. Cooking hard boiled eggs with this method results in easy peel hard boiled eggs, smooth, with no ugly green ring around the yolk (which means they are over-cooked). It uses white vinegar and salt in the water. For white vinegar, be sure to buy organic distilled vinegar and not standard white vinegar which is often made with GMO corn.

    hard boiled eggs | Afoodcentriclife.com

    How to Make Perfect Hard boiled Eggs

    If I have hard boiled one egg in my life, I must have boiled a thousand. Seriously. Between family holidays, dinner parties, snacks, salads and catering gigs, I have done lots and lots of hard boiled eggs. Just about everyone loves them. Use them in salads for protein, pop out the yolk and make deviled eggs or egg salad, use them for a quick healthy snack when you need a boost. And hard boiled eggs (as in deviled eggs) are a staple for summer and holiday entertaining.

    hard boiled eggs | afoodcentriclife.com

    Hard Boiled Eggs: The Old Way

    I used to hard boil eggs the way my mom taught me. Place eggs in the bottom of a pan large enough to fit on one layer. Cover with cold water. Bring just to a boil. Turn off heat, cover the pan, remove from the heat and allow them to stand for 12-13 minutes. Drain, add ice and water to the pan, chill and peel. The problem is when you do it this way you never know whether the eggs will peel easily or not. Most of the time they do not, particularly when you really want pretty smooth eggs. Even if you use week old eggs.

    hard boiled eggs | afoodcentriclife.com

    The Best Way to Hard Boil Eggs

    First, choose a pan large enough for eggs to lay flat in a single layer. Next, fill the pan about half way, with enough water to cover the raw eggs by a few inches. Add the vinegar and salt. Bring the water just to a boil then turn it down part way. With a kitchen skimmer, lower the raw eggs gently into the barely boiling water.

    How long to cook hard boiled eggs? Set a timer for 15 minutes. You want the water to be simmering (small bubbles), not boiling (big fast bubbles). Boiling hard could break the raw eggs. You may have to adjust the heat depending on your stove.

    Get Your Ice Bath Ready

    While the eggs are cooking fill a medium bowl with ice and water. When the timer goes off, use the skimmer to lift the eggs into the ice bath to cool. Chill until very cold, about 15 minutes. Remove eggs from the ice bath and dry on a clean kitchen towel. Refrigerate until needed. Cooked eggs will last about 7 days in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

    hard boiled eggs | afoodcentriclife.com

    The Real Test

    The real test came when I needed to boil 6 dozen eggs for an emergency catered event. With a busy day (not to mention I was in another city when I got the call!), I did not start cooking until 11:00 PM. I used this method and within the hour had 6 dozen lovely smooth eggs chilling in the refrigerator. Hallelujah! I am not sure why this works; I just know it works for me (and it's kitchen chemistry). Try it and let me know how it works for you.

    hard boiled eggs | AFoodCentricLife.com

    What to Do With Hard Boiled Eggs

    They are versatile. Use them for:

    • Classic, creamy Deviled Eggs
    • Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs
    • Egg Salad
    • Salad Nicoise
    • Snacks, just peel and eat. Easily transportable too.
    • Add wedges to a green salad for extra protein
    • Make a Shrimp Louis salad
    • Pop out the yolks and fill the centers with Creamy Guacamole Dip
    • Egg salad lettuce wraps
    filling deviled eggs
    hard boiled eggs | Afoodcentriclife.com

    How to Make Perfect Hard boiled Eggs

    Sally Cameron
    For perfect hard-boiled eggs, follow this easy technique. Use the eggs for deviled eggs, snacks, appetizers, to add to green salads or make egg salad for a nice lunch. Use them same method with a smaller pan for less eggs. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 to 12
    Calories 145 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 12 L or XL raw eggs
    • ¼ cup white vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons salt

    Instructions
     

    • Using a large enough pan that your eggs will sit flat in one layer. Fill pot with enough cold water to cover eggs by a few inches. Bring the water to almost a full boil.Turn the heat down to a simmer and carefully lower eggs into the water. Using a tool called a mesh skimmer makes it easy. See note below.
    • When eggs are in the pan, add vinegar and salt. Set cooking time for 15 minutes. While eggs are cooking, prepare an ice bath. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. When eggs are done cooking, plunge cooked eggs into the ice bath. Chill until cold, 7-8 minutes. Peel right away or refrigerate them for a day or two until ready to use.
    • To peel, tap egg on side of sink or counter top, roll in your hands to loosen the shell and peel. The shell should come right off. Peeling them under cold running water is another good trick.

    Notes

    Cooked eggs will last about 7 days in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2eggsCalories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 13gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 372mgSodium: 917mgPotassium: 138mgSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 540IUCalcium: 57mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Naomi says

      April 08, 2014 at 11:31 am

      The salt & vinegar are not necessary. It is the ice bath that does the trick!

      Reply
      • Sally says

        April 08, 2014 at 1:51 pm

        The vinegar and salt really do help. That has been my experience, and I have done tons of eggs in my life and tried several different methods. The ice definitely is necessary but the salt and vinegar make a difference. If I did not think it truly helped I would not have bothered to write about it. When I used the old method, I always used an ice bath but did to get consistent, easy peeling eggs like this method. And I know the trick about "using older eggs". Since I have been doing it this way, no problem, even with fresh eggs. I am going to keep doing it. Do what is best for you, that's the best thing about cooking and sharing ideas. I would love to know the chemistry behind why this works, but for now, I don't care - it just works, better than just ice water.

        Reply

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    chef sally cameron | afoodcentriclifecom.bigscoots-staging.com

    Welcome! I'm Sally, a classically trained chef (but you don't have to be!). My passion is cooking fresh healthy food and sharing it with others.

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