How to make perfect hard boiled eggs

Don't fight those eggs to get those peels off. Just follow my easy directions and tips to perfectly hard-boiled eggs that practically peel themselves.

Course breaktast/snack

Cuisine American

Keyword how long to hard boil eggs, how to cook hard boiled eggs, how to hard boil eggs, how to make hard boiled eggs, how to steam eggs

Cook Time 15

Servings -12

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

Eggs
Salt
Water

Instructions

To Steam

Fill a large saucepan with enough water to reach just below the bottom of a steamer basket. Bring it to a boil and carefully add the eggs to the steamer basket using a long-handled spoon or tongs.
Cover the pot and steam for 12-15 minutes. A single layer of medium eggs will require less time, while a double layer of large eggs will require the most time.
Remove eggs to icy cold water to stop the cooking process, or let the cold water run directly into the pan for several minutes to cool them down.

To Boil

Add the eggs to a large pot without overcrowding. Fill the pot with cold water to an inch over the eggs, Add a couple of teaspoons of salt.
Bring the eggs to a gentle boil. Put the lid on the pan and remove it from the heat. Allow it to sit for 12-15 minutes. I use 12 minutes for medium eggs and 15 minutes for jumbo eggs.
Remove the pan from the stove and place it under very cold running water. Let the water run for several minutes. The eggs should feel very cold before you shut the water off. Let them sit in the cold water for an additional 15-20 minutes. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

Steam them - they may not technically be hard-boiled eggs, but the end result is still the same and easier to peel. They practically peel themselves.
Purchase older eggs - try to think ahead and purchase eggs that you know you will hard boil well in advance. Farm-fresh eggs are great for a ham and cheese quiche or a Denver omelet but not so much for this purpose.
Don't crowd them - whether you are steaming them or boiling them, give them a little space, and don't crowd the pan.
Be gentle -handle the eggs gently when adding them to the pot or steam basket. If boiling, bring the water to a rolling boil over medium heat, not high heat. You don't want them moving in the pot and cracking.
Cold water - after steaming or boiling, plunge those eggs into ice cold water. Peel eggs under cold running water letting the water get between the egg white and the shell membrane.
Storage - Store fully cooled and dried hard-boiled eggs with their shells intact in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.