Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: BelleEpoque
Are the eggs room temperature when you add them to the boiling water?

It would probably be better but we don't worry about that.
I think cooling off is a crucial step. I like to run them under cool water while I peel them.

Simplest boiled egg recipe you'll ever see.

I get my water to a hard boil, drop room temperature eggs into it, turn off the heat, cover the pot, leave them until the water is cool enough to remove the eggs with my fingers.

If you live at altitude, you may need to add some salt to the water to increase you boil point. I don't know about that for sure.

Good hard boil, hasn't failed me yet.
:

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Oh these, put in water boil and forget.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Ah ok hardboiled.

10 mins in boiling water simply, to peel them, roll them over the table that shatters the egg and lifts the egg skin so it can be easy peeled out

originally posted by: nugget1
This is my secret to perfect soft and hard boiled eggs.
www.amazon.com... den%2C349&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

I've been looking for something like this since forever, but I want one that is all stainless steel, including and especially the water boiler tray.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Room temperature eggs to ensure even cooking.

Place in pan, fill with cold water to thumb-width over top of eggs.

Turn on high. No lid. When eggs begin to boil, set timer for 3-4 mins. (x-large eggs @ 4 mins.)

Timer goes off, remove from heat, cover, let stand 10 mins.

Drain.

Fill pot with icy, cold water. Whack to crack each egg on both ends, drop back into cold water bath.

By the time you’ve whacked all the eggs on both ends, you can begin to peel. Easily peel. Easily peel fresh or older eggs.

Note: If whacked eggs sit in ice bath too long, whites absorb more water and will release the water, or ‘weep’ if peeled eggs are kept more than a few days. (And those egg-tears are odiferous by day four.)

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Like BelleEpoque said, I also do it the old fashion way. Put eggs in a pot, cover with cold water. Put on stove on high, as soon as the water start boiling, set timer for 15 min. When done, put in cold icy water to stop cooking, peel et voila! Perfect hard boiled eggs everytime, works for me.

I like the idea of those eat cookers.
But not keen on another appliance.
I sure am tempted though.



Short term, I think I'll try the old-fashioned method.

I'll try some of the stove top methods, and if I don't get bored eating eggs first, I'll report which work the best.

originally posted by: incoserv
Simplest boiled egg recipe you'll ever see.

And they peel easily?

a reply to: EightAhoy

What if you don't whack them all.
As you want to keep them a few days more.

Have those odiferous gone bad???



Experiment #1
It worked!!!
I only cracked the half for today.
We'll see how the rest peel later this week.




While the method used on the warm eggs, as mentioned above works wonderfully for those eggs, if you chill the eggs without cracking, they are still somewhat hard to shell. Not bad, but not nearly as good.
Best to boil fewer at a time, peel all of them and refrigerate what is not used.

I got given an electronic egg-boiler as a gift once, and it actually worked pretty well.
The problem is every time I touch it I'm reminded of a major fall-out with this couple, after they tried to triangulate me in their doo-doo show of a marriage.
But from a practical point of view it's pretty cheap and versatile to taste and consistency, and all you need is a plug and very little water.
You can change the consistency according to the amount of water added and the timer (very simple instructions).

I also knew somebody years ago who used to boil them in a kettle while working at the video store.
Well, if you want to save water you can make coffee and eggs at the same time.
Actually in some Asian countries eggs boiled in tea are popular.

And the dreaded microwave?
OK microwaves and raw eggs in the shell are explosive enemies, I'm sure we all know.
But we got these plastic containers (roughly shaped like eggs with a flat bottom) and you break the egg inside, poke the yolk with a fork, and give it 20 seconds.
Perhaps these are more accurately "steamed eggs"?
If too soft, add another 10 seconds until preferable.
I suppose you can do the same with any old cup and a covering with holes.
Better than "blue army eggs", but the desired texture never reaches the bottom, I find.
You'll still get your protein, but better options (both for boiled eggs, or rather scrambling eggs in the microwave).

Let's just say the little white microwavable egg cups and their lids fell into disuse, and they're now used to refrigerate kitty's snacks.
So between that, and the actually rather effective egg-boiler I don't want to take out of the cupboard, "eggcellence" is pot-shaped.

The Jamie Oliver method:



Essentially what some people have said already.

Now for peeling some YouTubers suggest putting them under ice for 15 minutes first.
For 1 or 2 eggs that's really not worth it for me.
Waste of ice.

Unless you combine it with this Dr. Oz "Hollywood" anti-aging technique.
See 3:20 in the clip.



Eggs peeled, face refreshingly frozen, time for a Bloody Mary and a cigarette.
For that all-day Joan Crawford frostiness.

Why not make it a morning party game?
Get the eggs out of the ice bucket without using your hands.
(Just don't get too competitive about it OK, we don't want a Titanic situation for landlubbers).

On a more ominous note.
The sadistic warden of egg death-row:

"Now son, what do you prefer, the pot or the microwave oven"?

I'd hate to say so, but probably the microwave oven.
I'm sure eggsplosion is quicker than boiling.

No, confuse them all and demand they bring back the pan.
"According to the constitution of 1780, by the people for the people and ordinance 50 of that proclamation made by free and decent men and thus signed - I have the right to be fried"!

The Judge: "While you have the right to be fried, the reality is no such current pan exists ..."

The defendant egg: "Finally some mercy ...".

The Judge: "I therefore sentence you to be poached".

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: EightAhoy

What if you don't whack them all.
As you want to keep them a few days more.

Have those odiferous gone bad???

 

Experiment #1
It worked!!!
I only cracked the half for today.
We'll see how the rest peel later this week.



While the method used on the warm eggs, as mentioned above works wonderfully for those eggs, if you chill the eggs without cracking, they are still somewhat hard to shell. Not bad, but not nearly as good.
Best to boil fewer at a time, peel all of them and refrigerate what is not used.

Good point re unpeeled eggs not peeling easily in future with my recipe. And you don't want to keep peeled eggs more than 2 days because of the weeping. Don't know how to best hard-boil eggs for "future" easy peeling. Back in the day, we never had trouble peeling eggs days after the bunny left them in our basket. Eggs shells do seem thinner and more fragile than decades ago.

Let me know if you i.d. the perfect recipe for easy-peeling of eggs a few days after made.

I've always wondered about the UK expression "soldiers and egg", which refers to strips of toast with a spread, and a soft-boiled egg.

Usually served for breakfast, but I've even seen it served in other contexts, like Come Dine With Me.

OK, I get the bit about the toast being "soldiers", in that it should be cut into fairly uniform slices.
And these "troops" should be firm and taught.
Brave enough to be dunked into anything from a watery, to a harder boiled egg.
It sounds so ancient, perhaps it was something that came from Roman colonial times in Britain?

But nope, it seems the term was only coined and popularized during the 1960's:

The specific term "eggs with soldiers" appears to date only from the 1960s. The modern phrase first appeared in print in 1966 in Nicolas Freeling's novel The Dresden Green (where it is used to eat soup). It is possible that it was either popularised or invented in 1965 in a series of TV commercials for eggs starring Tony Hancock and Patricia Hayes.

en.wikipedia.org...(food)

Here's Gordon Ramsey with a more avant-garde take on this old favorite:

a reply to: EightAhoy

I will.
But I may just use your method with fewer eggs, and I also fancy some fried eggs which gets removes totally the shell issue.

a reply to: halfoldman
I'll not be tryng that dunking things any time soon....


Make that never. LOL

I can’t believe this is still a topic.

Guau

Trust me or not.

I went and graduated from the French Culinary Institute and I am working chef. (Mom is sick, taking a hiatus.)

Cover eggs with cold water. Bring to boil and cook for five minutes.

Either Ice bath eggs

Or

Dump out boiling water and run cold water into pot making sure you cool entire pot so it is cool while covering eggs with water.

Running cold water over eggs will help you peel the eggs without damaging the whites.

Use the force. I know you got this

a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman

Will that method also work if you need to refrigerate some of the eggs?
That seems to be the "sticky" point.