The secret to boiling eggs... what is it?

[Jen841]

I want to make deviled eggs, but always end up with shells sticking to the eggs. What is the trick?

[jgriffin]

Use older eggs. As the eggs age, the "skin" (amniotic sac? I can't remember the name, it's too early in the morning) will separate from the shell more and more. I think it's because a little bit of liquid is evaporating from the egg, so the volume is less.

You can use eggs for a long time after you buy them. I typically don't hard boil mine until the date on the carton, or later.

eta: I looked it up; the "skin" is called the egg shell membrane.

Jen

[Jen841]

Darn... I bought 2 dozen yesterday!

[boolady]

I don't know the reason behind this, but my mom always told me to make sure and let the eggs cool a lot before you try to shell them, and to shell them under running cold water. It works really well.

[trentsmom]

I've started steaming my eggs. The shell comes off so easily, even when I'm using "new" eggs. Put an inch of water in the bottom of a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Put the eggs in a vegetable steamer basket - usually 6 fit. (I have a steamer insert that fits on the top of my pot.) Reduce the heat to medium-high, cover, and cook for 12 minutes. Dump the eggs into an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Peel when they are cool enough to handle. I use extra large eggs, so I cook mine for 13 to 14 minutes. I learned this cooking trick from Alton Brown. If I'm cooking lots of eggs, I bake them in the oven, but the shells are harder to get off.

ETC: cooking temps

[jgriffin]

Oooh, I will have to try steaming them next time. I love AB, he is so awesome!

How do you bake eggs in the oven? (Not that I would at this time of year....)

[trentsmom]

Here's how you bake eggs. It's a good way to cook dozens of eggs at a time. Make sure the oven rack is in the center. Put eggs directly on the rack. Put a baking sheet on the rack under the eggs just in case one of them breaks open. Turn the oven on to 325 and let bake for 30 minutes. Put the eggs in ice water to stop the cooking. Start shelling once the eggs are cool enough to handle.

And I agree with you: AB is awesome! Sometimes I feel like I even have a little crush on him. :)

[mudder17]

Easy peasy. Boil the eggs (starting with the water being cold), then when they are done (I usually do about 10 minutes), drain the eggs and dump them into ice water. Seriously. The ice water causes the eggs to contract and pull away from the shell. It really makes them MUCH easier to peel. Older eggs definitely help, but I've done this with newer eggs as well.


Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 28 months...
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev317pp___.png
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33732.gif for Leah

[kcimato]

I've heard that you need to get the water boiling befor you put the eggs in.

[Babywhite]

I had a terrible time during the holidays this year, so I did some research on this problem -- for next Thanksgiving. :)

I haven't tried this method yet.

Easy-to Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs:

Bring enough water to cover the eggs by one inch to a boil in a medium saucepan. Using a ladle, gently lower the desired number of eggs into the boiling water. Cook for 9 minutes for a slightly soft center or 10 minutes for a firmer center. (These times are accurate for up to 20 eggs in one pot.)

Immediately remove the eggs from the boiling water (keep the water boiling) and place in a bath of very cold water under a running faucet for 2 minutes.

Gently lower the eggs back into the boiling water for 10 seconds. Return the eggs to the cold water bath, gently cracking them, for at least 2 minutes. Keeping the eggs in the cold water bath longer is fine, but will cool the inside of the egg.

The first chilling makes the whites shrink from the shells, while plunging the eggs into the boiling water a second time expands the shell and allows it to pull away from the egg.

Peel the eggs under a stream of cold running water or in the cold water bath.

If anyone tries this, let me know how it goes. :)

R.W.

[mudder17]

If you put the eggs into boiling water, they're much more likely to crack.


Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 29 months...
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev317pp___.png
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33732.gif for Leah

[writermama]

From a Good Eats fangirl (I swear, I don't have a crush on him, I just want him to cook for me), going from memory so I may make mistakes.

Start with older eggs -- date on carton or later. (Local farmer swears you can leave fresh eggs on counter for a week to get same effect, but I'm not brave enough to try that.)

Put rubber bands around the carton and store it on its side in the fridge for at least a few hours before boiling. This will help make sure the yolks are centered.

Place eggs in cold, salted water (salt seals cracks) and bring to boil. When water comes to a true boil (bubbles breaking surface, not just a simmer), turn off the heat, tightly cover the pot, and set a timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, put eggs in ice water bath and peel when cold.

[mudder17]

Not sure about the sideways storage, but my grandmother recently told me about boiling it and then setting the timer for 10-15 minutes depending on how well cooked you wanted it. I may have to try it!


Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 30 months...

http://www.tickercentral.com/view/6wrn/1.png

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev317pp___.png

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33732.gif for Leah