614137 Wed Apr 22 13:00:10 -0700 2009 90 31 Home Cooking 0 4618965 Is there a trick to getting the shell off? Sometimes mine comes off nicely. Other times it tears away a large part of the egg white. I am guilty of using different methods to boil eggs (i.e. boil then shock, bring to boil then let sit for a while, etc) but have not scientifically attempted to determine which of these methods results in an easy to peel egg. Please help! Wed Apr 22 13:00:10 -0700 2009 12912 sasha1 1 4619002 Use older eggs - the white shrinks with time away from the shell. Always start in cold water, bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat and let stand 12-15 depending on desired hardness. Immediately hit with cold water and begin to peel under the faucet. I've rarely had a problem. One further tip if making deviled eggs: lay the eggs on their sides for a bit - this will better center the yolks. Wed Apr 22 13:09:24 -0700 2009 4618965 155034 alwayscooking 2 4619132 To make eggs 'older', leave out on the counter overnight. Wed Apr 22 13:42:06 -0700 2009 4619002 155034 alwayscooking 3 4619228 Now that's a slick idea; never thought of. Wed Apr 22 14:01:22 -0700 2009 4619132 131001 c oliver 4 4622446 My favourite chowhound tip ever :) Grocery store eggs usually peel well after 12 hours on the counter, but farm-fresh eggs may need even more time out of the fridge. Works like a charm every time! Thu Apr 23 12:30:19 -0700 2009 4619228 12120 julesrules 4 4647511 Most of the world does not refrigerate their eggs. When we are on our boat the eggs are on the counter (unless is is hot) - but that is just me - most people leave them out. Some oil them. But think of it, that egg is mighty warm when you snatch it from beneath your hen. And yet still edible. Fri May 01 22:39:16 -0700 2009 4619228 137755 Sal Vanilla 1 4619003 I find it's easiest to peel under cool running water. I usually tap the egg on the counter then peel straight into the sink with the water running Wed Apr 22 13:09:35 -0700 2009 4618965 217807 cheesecake17 2 4619231 I run cold tap water into the pan til it's all cool, add ice cubes, crack the shells all over and let set for 5 minutes. Then peel. Wed Apr 22 14:02:12 -0700 2009 4619003 131001 c oliver 3 4619533 i remove the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon or pour off the water into the sink (keeping the eggs in by covering the pan nearly all the way with the lid), and drop them immediately into a waiting bowl filled with cold water & plenty of ice. i've found it uses less water than running the tap, and cools/shocks the eggs more quickly. plus, as i'm peeling them, if any shells stick, a quick dip/swirl in the ice bath helps with removal. Wed Apr 22 15:42:57 -0700 2009 4619231 103920 goodhealthgourmet 4 4620228 Good idea re saving water. I do the same with dipping back in the water if they get stubborn. Wed Apr 22 20:07:59 -0700 2009 4619533 131001 c oliver 1 4619006 Have you tried running cold water over the egg just before peeling? Seems to always help for me...others have said that the freshness of the egg is a factor, but for me, that has never mattered. Wed Apr 22 13:10:15 -0700 2009 4618965 11983 Val 2 4619040 i've done comparative experiments (at home and in grad school Food Science classes), and in my experience, age is indeed a factor. really fresh eggs are damn near impossible to peel cleanly no matter what you do - prick with a pin, run under cold water...doesn't matter. older eggs release the shell much more easily. this topic has been discussed *at length* here on CH... http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/344040 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/429631 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/314929 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/289177 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/542093 Wed Apr 22 13:19:11 -0700 2009 4619006 103920 goodhealthgourmet 3 4619097 Thanks for the comprehensive answer! If I had only suspected the egg thing was giving so many good cooks a run for their money, I would have searched for it before posting. Wed Apr 22 13:32:23 -0700 2009 4619040 12912 sasha1 4 4619119 There was a trick sent in from a reader to Cook's Illustrated that seems to work well if you are not in a hurry and have the time to prepare the eggs beforehand. After removing the eggs from the heat source, draining the hot water and cooling them.....roll them on the counter to crack the shells and return them to a pot or bowl of water. Let them sit in the water for an hour or so in the refrigerator.....the egg shell practically peel themselves. Wed Apr 22 13:38:56 -0700 2009 4619097 123497 fourunder 5 4619156 I was just about to suggest the roll and crack method. The exception is, however, that I don't soak them in water. If you do a sufficient job of rolling and cracking until you see fine lines all over the egg, the shell slips off quite easily. Wed Apr 22 13:45:39 -0700 2009 4619119 101799 LTL 6 4621335 I just roll my eggs while pressing down, and the shell comes right off Thu Apr 23 08:15:51 -0700 2009 4619156 264146 kubasd 4 4619133 happy to help :) Wed Apr 22 13:42:11 -0700 2009 4619097 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 4619418 The longer you wait after making hard boiled eggs the easier it can be to peel. It's usually most difficult right after they've cooled. I usually make them a day ahead of time or in the morning etc. I'm too impatient to wait...so it's easier if I do it and then forget about them. Anyway...good luck. Wed Apr 22 15:05:07 -0700 2009 4618965 232382 A2hungry 2 4619620 Many authorities say that a boiled egg does not last as long in the fridge because boiling removes a protective layer. I have not noticed this, personally. I keep a few boiled eggs in the egg box (marked with felt-tip and turned upside down) And I guess everyone knows how to tell if an egg has been hard-boiled? Wed Apr 22 16:09:31 -0700 2009 4619418 154622 Paulustrious 3 4620983 "And I guess everyone knows how to tell if an egg has been hard-boiled?" I assume you mean by spinning it? A hard boiled egg spins and a raw one wobbles around. Thu Apr 23 06:43:19 -0700 2009 4619620 139219 Sooeygun 4 4621891 yup Thu Apr 23 10:16:38 -0700 2009 4620983 154622 Paulustrious 3 4646605 Crack it over a bowl. If it is hard-boiled, nothing will fall into the bowl. Fri May 01 14:34:10 -0700 2009 4619620 76480 ozhead 4 4646698 too clever . . .. Fri May 01 15:09:30 -0700 2009 4646605 220674 Cebca 1 4619679 Peel away a dime sized portion of the shell at the pointed end of the egg. Peel away a quarter sized portion of the shell at the wider end. Hold the pointy end up to your lips, while cupping the egg loosely in your other hand. Blow into the pointy end. The egg will shed its shell & come out into your hand. Wed Apr 22 16:29:25 -0700 2009 4618965 32941 Rmis32 2 4619737 I am SO trying this tomorrow with my daily hard-boileds. I eat them mid-morning at my desk, so whether it works or not it should be an entertaining show for my officemates. Wed Apr 22 16:46:11 -0700 2009 4619679 220674 Cebca 3 4621658 Cebca, did it work? LOL I've never heard of this method of peeling eggs, and I'm dying to know if it did (or if you just entertained your officemates!) Thu Apr 23 09:26:08 -0700 2009 4619737 10532 LindaWhit 4 4622427 Well, I was all set to stun and impress everyone with my grand feats of egg-deshelling, but sadly, this did not work. So instead, I sat at my desk with my cheeks all puffed out, blowing uneventfully into a mostly-shelled egg. The instructions seem pretty basic so I can't imagine what I could have been doing wrong. Too bad, this could have been a cool party trick - the breakfast equivalent of tying a knot in a cherry stem with my tongue. Thu Apr 23 12:25:42 -0700 2009 4621658 220674 Cebca 5 4622454 I tried and failed with 3 HB eggs I made to test this method. If the egg hadn't already cracked down the side before I blew, it did as the air pressure hit it, and I could hear the air coming out. Thu Apr 23 12:32:40 -0700 2009 4622427 159317 greygarious 6 4622575 well im glad to hear im not the only egg blowing failure. or the only one who got really excited to check it out. Thu Apr 23 13:01:29 -0700 2009 4622454 220674 Cebca 5 4622600 Sorry you had no luck with this method. Works for me 80% of the time. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iILabIu_sSE Thu Apr 23 13:04:53 -0700 2009 4622427 32941 Rmis32 6 4647069 It also works better if you add a tsp of baking soda to the water when boiling. Fri May 01 17:48:08 -0700 2009 4622600 10844 berkleybabe 2 4619752 Could you possibly imagine the outrage if all food establishments used this method for their hard boiled egg application? :o) Wed Apr 22 16:50:08 -0700 2009 4619679 123497 fourunder 1 4619772 Agree with posters - egg age has a lot to do with it as does immediate cold shock after cooking. If you have a lot of eggs to peel.....place a layer of them back in the pot, with a bit of empty space...and swirl the pot around and around..back and forth..this will crack the shell off - sometimes all the way with older eggs - or with fresher eggs it will still be necessary to peel. I then rinse them to enure all the egg shell bits are off. Wed Apr 22 16:56:31 -0700 2009 4618965 78681 coastie 2 4619791 This method is closely what I actually the reader's tip to CI to be.....but instead of the word "swirl". for some reason I recall....shake back and forth, to crack the shells and store in water. Wed Apr 22 17:04:07 -0700 2009 4619772 123497 fourunder 3 4620517 I do the boil, shock in cold water - then i use a spoon to get under the cracked shell, and easily peel away. the spoon helps a lot. Wed Apr 22 22:38:39 -0700 2009 4619791 13092 jayseeca 1 4621428 I have always added salt to my water, is that usual? Always drain and put in ice cubes, never had a problem (well, two or three times with really fresh eggs). I also learned the trick, like alwayscooking said, about laying them on the counter first if I'm going to do stuffed eggs - works like a charm. Thu Apr 23 08:32:27 -0700 2009 4618965 253735 bayoucook 2 4621732 So I don't get this, do you lay them on their side before boiling them and then place them in the pot on their side as well? or do you do this after boiling (but I assume the yoke can't move at that point)? How does this work? Thu Apr 23 09:43:16 -0700 2009 4621428 220674 Cebca 3 4621750 It takes awhile for the yolks to move so when they go in the pot, they cook before they move back. Another way to do this is to store the eggs narrow end down. Thu Apr 23 09:46:11 -0700 2009 4621732 155034 alwayscooking 3 4621754 I guess the yolks center themselves and stay that way when you put them in the water. I don't know how it works, but it does. Thu Apr 23 09:46:50 -0700 2009 4621732 253735 bayoucook 4 4622458 I've also read the suggestion of laying the raw egg on its side, then spinning it to center the yolk right before it goes into the water. Thu Apr 23 12:34:18 -0700 2009 4621754 159317 greygarious 1 4621548 Another key aspect of easy peeling is to NOT boil the eggs. Keep the water just under a boil, the water should be simmering instead. This makes a much better finished egg, and it's easier to peel as well. The yolk & whites come out perfect. Thu Apr 23 08:59:38 -0700 2009 4618965 243273 pacheeseguy 2 4621788 How long do you simmer? Does anyone but me dislike running or dipping a cracked egg under/in water. I think it makes the texture of the white a little watery even after drying them off. Even worse is when an egg cracks when cooking and all that water gets in the egg. Ick. I with the slotted spoon directly from water to ice water bath and then drying and refrigerating once cooled. Thu Apr 23 09:53:04 -0700 2009 4621548 10264 rworange 3 4621914 My notes are at home, but I'm pretty sure it's 12 minutes at simmering. Using this method, I no longer have to do the running water method of peeling. Thu Apr 23 10:22:21 -0700 2009 4621788 243273 pacheeseguy 2 4621926 You don't need to simmer the eggs - just cover and pull from the heat. The eggs are less rubbery IMHO. Thu Apr 23 10:24:25 -0700 2009 4621548 155034 alwayscooking 3 4621968 Don't quite understand your comment. You do need to cook the eggs. I'm suggesting simmering instead of boiling. Thu Apr 23 10:36:40 -0700 2009 4621926 243273 pacheeseguy 4 4621975 The do cook - bring to a boil from cold water and then immediately cover and pull from the heat. Thu Apr 23 10:38:39 -0700 2009 4621968 155034 alwayscooking 2 4647868 I found my recipe on this, and again, the secret is the simmering, they don't get overcooked. Here’s how to make perfect hard boiled eggs every time Place your eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Place the saucepan on the stove on medium to high heat and bring the water to a boil. Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer the eggs for 7-8 minutes. Then remove the eggs and quickly place them in iced water. If the hard boiled eggs are left too long in the hot water, a green film forms around the yolk. Cooling them quickly in iced water prevents this film from forming. Cooling them quickly will also cause the hard boiled eggs to shrink slightly in the shell, making for easier peeling later. If you’ll be eating the eggs right away and you want them warm, only leave them in the iced water for 10-15 seconds before peeling. Sat May 02 07:28:48 -0700 2009 4621548 243273 pacheeseguy 1 4622046 Get the Eggstractor! http://www.eggstractor.net/ (The infomercials for this always used to crack me up, especially the "before" shots with people tearing their hair out and cursing over their boiled eggs.) Thu Apr 23 10:59:01 -0700 2009 4618965 12233 Pia 1 4645181 Lesson from Jacques Pepin re H/Boiled eggs that works very well for large numbers of eggs (i.e. deviled eggs, church social egg salad) 1) to prevent dimpled ends (for deviled egg presentation) due to air bubbles in older eggs, pierce end w/map pin/paper clip. Air will escape in tiny bubbles as egg heats up. 2) when cooked, drain pot & rattle eggs vigorously in bottom to crack shell into small bits then cover w/ice water. Rapid cooling prevents that nasty green look & the sulfur smell & cold water will seep into space between shell & contracting white making peeling easier. 3)Peel around the 'equator' of the egg, then pull off the 'poles', using water to remove any stray bits. 4)as long as the whites are intact (no cracks) they can be stored under cold water in fridge for a few days by changing water daily. (soft poached eggs can also be cooled & stored in the same way, overnight, to avoid the rush for a brunch crowd. after just a few seconds in just below boiling water to heat, you're good to go.) CD NYC Fri May 01 08:16:21 -0700 2009 4618965 174658 seedyone 2 4645232 I used to hard-cook a dozen eggs every week, and since I take Jacques Pepin's advice as gospel, I would puncture the large end with a thumbtack beforehand. Although he and many other experts say this prevents cracked shells, I was getting 4-6 cracked ones per dozen. Eventually I read somewhere else that doing this can create a hairline crack which expands as the egg heats - so I stopped, and my percentage of cracking dropped at least by half. It also seems like the local poultry farm eggs, which have very hard shells, crack more often if punctured than do the thinner-shelled supermarket eggs. Fri May 01 08:32:31 -0700 2009 4645181 159317 greygarious 2 4645283 As I mentioned earlier, this gives the white an ugly watery texture. Water touching egg white = ick. Out of all of these tips, the one that just works the best is rolling the egg on the counter. After reading that in this thread I tried it out on some eggs I bought at a farm that had been laid the day before according to the farmer. I just boiled the way I normally do. When ready, I just poured off the hot water and filled the pot with cold water to stop cooking. I placed the eggs in the fridge to continue the cooling. When ready to eat, I rolled the egg. Spanking fresh eggs ... no problems. No more frenzied ice baths or changing the water a number of times. Thank you to the people who mentioned that. Works for me. Fri May 01 08:46:19 -0700 2009 4645181 10264 rworange 1 4645524 1. Put eggs in cold water in pan. 2. Bring to a hard rolling boil. Cover. 3. Turn off the heat. 4. 20 minutes later place eggs in fresh COLD water. 5. Crack the shell as much as you can by tapping then rolling the egg on a hard surface, and WHILE THE EGG IS UNDER WATER start to rub the crackled shell bits sideways. You'll get a rip in that under skin, and the shell will come off easily. Works every time. I do hundreds of HB eggs a week. Fri May 01 09:42:23 -0700 2009 4618965 225234 KiltedCook 2 4646036 20 minutes after a hard, rolling boil is a long time - those eggs would be much too well done for my liking. Fri May 01 11:48:17 -0700 2009 4645524 103920 goodhealthgourmet 3 4646158 Agreed, when I've forgotten the timer and they sit that long, they are rubbery. Fri May 01 12:20:13 -0700 2009 4646036 159317 greygarious 3 4646182 They also get the sulpher ring around the yolk and it changes the flavor as well as the texture. Fri May 01 12:28:38 -0700 2009 4646036 155034 alwayscooking 3 4646641 jfood does 12 with this method. He thinks it's Bittman's method from How to Cook Everything, but he could be wrong. Fri May 01 14:46:30 -0700 2009 4646036 11290 jfood 4 4647509 12 minutes is perfect for a medium egg. Boil, pop the lid on, let it sit in the hot water with no heat under it. Fri May 01 22:36:35 -0700 2009 4646641 137755 Sal Vanilla 3 4646892 I do 17 minutes (I think it was JC's technique) and no problems including the greenish tinge. Fri May 01 16:31:14 -0700 2009 4646036 131001 c oliver 4 4647105 i do 12 minutes with large eggs, and they're perfect every time. they come out *just* cooked, with creamy whites and moist, slightly crumbly yolks. mmmm.... Fri May 01 18:03:35 -0700 2009 4646892 103920 goodhealthgourmet 5 4647449 Another vote fo.r 12 minutes. I started off doing 20 mintues ... from an old Betty Crocker cookbook. However, 12 gives some error time so the eggs don't overcook. Fri May 01 21:56:50 -0700 2009 4647105 10264 rworange 3 4647703 I'm a member of the "Seven Minute Club", but then, I'm a softie. I try for a yolk that is just set to yellow on the perimeter, grading to orange in the soft center. The whites are also less rubbery. For deviled eggs, of course, let them sit longer in the hot water. My peeling tips: Old. Centered via laying box on side. Shocked in ice water. Then crack by rolling. Then start your thumbnail entry at the fat pole, where there is an air pocket. Most important: Look for the way the underskin comes off. Roll the underskin with your finger. Do under icewater bath or a small stream of tap water. The underskin is paramount. Sat May 02 05:15:10 -0700 2009 4646036 17562 FoodFuser 4 4697101 I have an electric stove, so when the eggs come to the boil, I turn off the burner, but leave the pot on the burner. Then it is 8-9 minutes depending on how long it was before I noticed that they were boiling. Tue May 19 08:56:19 -0700 2009 4647703 139219 Sooeygun 1 4647504 Yup. Old eggs, put the eggs in the same temp water that they are (sitting out - room temp or fridge - cold) - it keeps them from cracking. Salt the water - keeps the egg white from oozing out of cracks. Bring the eggs to a boil then slap a lid on the pot and turn the heat off. Let the eggs lie in that hot water for 15 minutes (large). Then empty the hot water and fill the pot with cold water and ice - that makes that annoying membrane stick to the shell instead of the egg so you can peel it easier. Fri May 01 22:34:36 -0700 2009 4618965 137755 Sal Vanilla 1 4695420 Peeling the egg has nothing to do with any type of technique or special boiling tactics. If you want to shell an egg perfectly every single time hot or cold, old or fresh, then boil it in distilled water. The shell is porous and there is a chemical reaction with the minerals in water...the harder the water, the more difficult to peel. Don't believe me...go pick up a gallon of distilled water and boil some eggs tonight. They shells fall off like buttaaaa.... Mon May 18 16:35:39 -0700 2009 4618965 293933 smtate 1 4696941 I found a way to avoid all this. I just made egg salad, great recipe by the way, for sandwiches and never peeled a single egg. How is that possible you might ask? I simply opened up two cans of hard cooked quail eggs bought from my local Asain market, drained, and started mashing! Talk about simple. Stirred in the other ingredients after mashing. Wala! Egg salad! Yeah, yeah. It's a little more expensive making it this way. But you can avoid all the processes it takes to make hard cooked chicken eggs. Especially if your making egg salad for sandwiches. Oh and here's the recipe for "Egg Salad Sandwich (the only one I'll eat)" http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001575.html Tue May 19 08:15:35 -0700 2009 4618965 141261 crt 2 4697410 If jfood could offer one suggestion to your recipe since it is one of the few that actually uses the word texture. And to jfood this was a bugaboo for years. After you de-sheel the eggs and before you mix in the mayo try the following: - Cut the eggs in half and place the yolks to the left and whites to the right - Add the mayo to the yolk bowl and mix to the correct consistency and flavor. jfood likes it very smooth - Take the whites and dice them to your desired size, whether small, medium or large - Add your other ingredients. The reasoning and why jfood developed this method was to have the smooth texture and the piece texture together. As he added the mayo in his old one bowl approach the whites seemed to suffer from over mixing the mayo. In the two bowl approach, jfood addresses the correct level of mayo inclusion without the collateral damage to the whites. Jfood would be interested in your opinion if you give it a whirl. TIA Tue May 19 10:17:21 -0700 2009 4696941 11290 jfood 3 4697472 jfood, i like this method. it definitely makes for a creamy, well-blended "dressing" to coat the whites. just one question...what happens if you place the yolks to the right & the whites to the left? ;) Tue May 19 10:36:44 -0700 2009 4697410 103920 goodhealthgourmet 4 4697517 jfood has never tried that but he would have to be real careful not to blend the mayo into the whites and triy to dice the yolks. :-)) Tue May 19 10:51:16 -0700 2009 4697472 11290 jfood 4 4697542 It only matters if the chicken was left-handed (footed). Tue May 19 10:58:03 -0700 2009 4697472 53946 puzzler 3 4697961 Wow - that makes so much sense (a comment on me not you!) I try it for lunch tomorrow. Tue May 19 13:02:24 -0700 2009 4697410 155034 alwayscooking 3 4698051 I've always done it this way - minus the rt and lft...as Jfood says the texture just can't be properly attained if all done at once. Tue May 19 13:28:04 -0700 2009 4697410 78681 coastie 3 4698373 As we continue to perfect the perfect egg salad, please consider this: I'm a member of the "multi-texture" club. A pastry cutter is my preferred tool for chopping whites, as it yields a ragged product that grips the binders. http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1436/1128001225_f5e843dae1.jpg Half of the yolks are homogenized with mayo, microdiced celery, ground celery seed and ground dill seed ( the secret weapon), fish sauce, scant onion powder, and cracked white peppercorns. Whites, and half the yolks, are vigorously and joyfully attacked with the pasty cutter to yield a variety of textures. Fold to incorporate, adding dried or fresh dillweed. As to mise en place, I have found that a north to south arrangement of yolks and whites is equally successful to the east to west/left to right. I would however caution readers to consider the Coriolis effect when making their individual decisions. Tue May 19 15:10:49 -0700 2009 4697410 17562 FoodFuser 4 4699949 That's interesting. I was thinking about using a pastry cutter when using hard cooked chicken eggs to make the egg salad. I don't know about this 'separating' idea with the quail eggs though. As far as adding dill seed, fish sauce, celery seed, you suggest, like the author of the recipe who was going to add fried shallots but thought better of it because it was overpowering the eggs and chives, for me those too just sound to overpowering. I kept mine simple just like the author, adding only finely chopped celery and the chives seasoned along with some sea salt and fresh milled pepper, the fist time I made it with hard cooked chicken eggs. However when I used the quail eggs I seasoned with a light sprinkling of garlic salt, along with a sprinkling of adobo seasoning and the milled pepper. Wow! That combo really seemed to bring out the essence of the eggs while letting subtle taste of the chives still come through. Wed May 20 07:01:02 -0700 2009 4698373 141261 crt 5 4700319 Why not just use an egg slicer? Slice the egg one way, turn it around and slice it the other way and then into the bowl. Egg whites then stay in small pieces, and the yolks don't get all mashed. I lightly "fold" the mayo into the egg white/yolk mixture, and it doesn't smoosh up the cooked yolks as much as mashing with a fork. Wed May 20 08:38:58 -0700 2009 4699949 10532 LindaWhit 3 4702584 Once someone on this board mentioned they made egg salad by separating yolk from white. They smashed up the yolk and then mushed the white on the small part of a hand grater. I tried it and liked it a lot; just had a problem scraping my knuckles. Now I have a "cut resistant glove" and I'll try it with that next time. Give it a try! Wed May 20 22:13:11 -0700 2009 4697410 12520 walker 1 4698259 A few notes ... Fresh eggs are hard to peel. To test freshness Put egg in bowl of water. If it lays on its side. too fresh, floats to the top ... too old. Stand up right, perfect. Second, eggs should be not cold when boiling. You don't need to let them sit out all night, but not cold. I just give them 15 minutes or so. Put eggs in a pot with cold water and bring to a boil, make sure the eggs and are covered by at least an inch or so of water. Once it boils cook 3 minutes longer. Turn off and remove from heat and cover. 8 minutes later, done! Rinse under cold water and peel. It works every time, no gray eggs, no peels that stick. And yes, turning the eggs on their sides or upside down help to make perfectly centered deviled or even hard boiled eggs. Put eggs in room temp or tap water bring to a boil and turn off. Leave 8 minutes then peel. Never a sticky egg or whites that won't come off. It honestly works! Tue May 19 14:32:13 -0700 2009 4618965 232829 kchurchill5 2 4698335 Your 2 different sets of instructions are contradictory. If starting in cold water, why should it matter if the eggs are still chilled? First you want to start in cold water, which will take longer to come to a boil than in your second set of recommendations. Then you want them to continue boiling for 3 minutes, followed by 8 minutes off heat. That's a considerable difference in overall heating time and temperature than starting in tepid water and an 8-minute bath with heat turned off as soon as water boils. Also, it makes a difference if you leave the pot on a turned-off electric burner or a turned-off gas one. There are SO many methods aimed at preventing the sticking problem that it's clear nothing works 100% of the time. If it did, there wouldn't be dozens of posts every time someone asks. But I am intrigued by the distilled water idea - got to try that one. Tue May 19 14:56:09 -0700 2009 4698259 159317 greygarious 3 4698372 GG The distilled water idea had me referencing books and the web to understand if it would work and why. Distilled water doesn't have minerals so smtate's statement that the eggs react with them is invalid. Although, I do wonder if the hardness of water somehow makes it more difficult to boil egg - so the distilled water would help. Still searching and hope to hear from anyone with a deeper knowledge of food chemistry. Tue May 19 15:10:10 -0700 2009 4698335 155034 alwayscooking 4 4698407 In smtate's defense, since I have not yet tried this (and to give it a good test it should be done with fresh eggs), I interpreted the claim to refer to an interaction with the minerals in tap water, implying that without them, there's no sticking problem. Tue May 19 15:20:29 -0700 2009 4698372 159317 greygarious 5 4698432 Yep - I read it incorrectly. Tue May 19 15:28:03 -0700 2009 4698407 155034 alwayscooking 3 4698374 Not icy water just chilled cold. Don't ask me why. It just works The water doesn't have ice in it to me cold is cooler than room temp chilled. cold. I can't tell the reasoning or any explanation. It just works. I never make then differently. I take eggs out 10 or a few minute longer I put the eggs in cool is you want to call it that bring to a boil, cook 3 minutes, remove from heat, cover and 8 minutes later done. Maybe just some crazy recipe but it works. I have never had a gray yolk of egg shell that stuck. And look at google this post or a similar one appears over and over and over. The times may vary but pretty close. Just try it, it works. I really care less about the reasoning or the scientific end of it no offense. I just know it works. And if all I want is a good egg. That is what I get. No salt, nothing fancy, just a good egg. I had to make 500, yes 500 deviled eggs for a party once. Not one egg shell that stuck. I cooked them all that same way and not in one pot trust me. It just works, use it if you want. Tue May 19 15:10:58 -0700 2009 4698335 232829 kchurchill5 2 4698474 K Although jfood is not disputing this process, he took a fresh (OK they were store bought but the same day) and kept them in the fridge. Took them directly into a pot, filled with cool tap water, brought to a boil, turned off heat and let sit for 12 minutes, dumped water, filled with cool tap water. Whew that was tiring. And he peeled 12 perfectly smooth eggs from this batch. Who knows why but jfood has never bought into the old and room temperature process. Tue May 19 15:41:34 -0700 2009 4698259 11290 jfood 3 4698510 I do agree with you and have done the same thing many times. I have also done it and it didn't work. It is like anything. Now and then something may not work. I just let them set a bit. But I totally agree, I have put them right in the pot and no problem. I'm sure I have had room temp egg stick too. I still remember the pot roast that I cooked the same as always, never tough. But I swear nothing would of made this tender. Sometimes they just stick, don't work, not tender, or just don't work. Who knows. Tue May 19 15:59:17 -0700 2009 4698474 232829 kchurchill5 3 4701066 I did 4 this way this morning. I'd always done 17 minutes (per Julia Child, I believe) but 12 was perfect. The rest of the technique is what I've always done, except after cracking them all over I let them sit in the ice water for 5 minutes. If they become recalcitrant, I peel them under the water but usually not necessary. We're moving out of this house tomorrow morning so I'm fixing egg salad sandwiches for breakfast so we don't have to do any cooking. Wed May 20 12:00:32 -0700 2009 4698474 131001 c oliver 1 4700011 All this talk about flash cooling hard cooked eggs. It's not going to make the egg any eaiser to peel. That process is solely to stop the cooking process in it's tracks prevent the outside of the yolk turning green/grey. If you're looking for an easier peel the process is to bring a carton of eggs home from the market and let them sit in the frig a week even two. Why does this work? Two things happen when an egg reaches this age: 1.) The egg becomes more alkaline and 2.) the air pocket at the end of the egg gets bigger as air is absorbed through the porous shell. The combination of these factors magically makes the egg shell easier to remove. Also first crack the egg on the larger round end and then either roll it over the counter or in between your hands to crack the rest of the way before starting the acutal peeling process under a faucet of running water. Will every egg peel perfectly using these tips? Of course not, but just about. Nothing is 100% all the time. Wed May 20 07:17:59 -0700 2009 4618965 141261 crt 2 4700851 " Also first crack the egg on the larger round end and then either roll it over the counter or in between your hands to crack the rest of the way before starting the acutal peeling process under a faucet of running water" This is exactly how jfood does it with same day eggs from the market. And never a problem, at least within your nothing is 100% criteria. Wed May 20 11:03:05 -0700 2009 4700011 11290 jfood 3 4701100 Seriously. Rolling on the counter is enough. . The best tip in this thread was just to roll the egg on the counter first. Since I've been doing that no problems. There is no need to stand on one foot while emitting a piercing scream while standing under a shower in a tub of ice cubes peeling an egg laid during the last full moon ... or whatever detailed proceedures to get the egg to peel. Roll it. Old, just laid, anyway you cook it ... it works. Thank you to the people who suggested that. Wed May 20 12:07:03 -0700 2009 4700851 10264 rworange 1 4700059 I read on this thread where someone had a tip about piercing the egg with a paper clip for easier peeling. At least, according to the American Egg Board, "Piercing shells before cooking is not recommended. If not sterile, the piercer or needle can introduce bacteria into the egg. Also, piercing creates hairline cracks in the shell, through which bacteria can enter after cooking." I had read that a long time ago at their website, and remembering it, thought I'd share. Wed May 20 07:32:27 -0700 2009 4618965 141261 crt 1 4701294 THis thread reminds me of parenting an infant: once you find a ritual that gets the rugrat to sleep through the night, it becomes sacrosanct and you do deviate an inch to the left! I never consistently succeed in perfect eggs, which is why egg salad is so much more sanity saving than stuffed eggs in my house. Wed May 20 12:58:14 -0700 2009 4618965 293982 aforkcalledspoon 1 4728497 To be or not to be. Boiled or hard boiled egg(s). Neither. The correct term is 'hard cooked egg(s)'. Just a little cooking terminology triva. Sat May 30 15:49:37 -0700 2009 4618965 141261 crt 2 4732424 Alas, for many hard-boiled is the correct term. The correct METHOD is hard-cooked, so people should use the right words. So that leaves the question -- are detectives still hard-boiled? Mon Jun 01 09:29:24 -0700 2009 4728497 53946 puzzler