How to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs Perfectly Every Time

As a server at a ramen restaurant, I envisioned myself serving out delicious bowls of ramen, answering questions about broths, and giving newbies tutorials on how to use chopsticks. I never could have imagined that so much of my time would be spent standing over a bowl of cold water, peeling hard boiled egg after hard boiled egg. As tedious as this could be, I became a pro at peeling hard boiled eggs, a lifelong skill that I'll never forget. Here's everything I learned about how to peel hard boiled eggs effortlessly and efficiently.

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How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs

Before we go into how to peel hard boiled eggs, it's important to know how to make them in the first place. Choose older eggs that have been in the fridge for a few days rather than fresh eggs if possible, since this will make them easier to peel.

Start by putting your eggs in a pot of water, filling the pot about a quarter of the way with cold water. Place the eggs in a single layer at the bottom, and make sure that the eggs are covered by at least an inch of water. The more eggs in the pot, the more water you should have covering them. So 6 eggs need about an inch of water on top, while 7 to a dozen eggs should have about 2 inches of water covering them.

Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a rolling boil. Once it's boiling, turn the heat off and let the eggs sit uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes. Depending on a number of factors, it can take longer or shorter to get your eggs perfectly cooked, and it can take a bit of trial and error to find the amount of cook time that works for you and the level of doneness you prefer. It's best not to leave the eggs in for much longer than 20 minutes, since this can cause overcooking, giving the eggs a green ring and a sulfuric taste.

When the eggs are done, pour the hot water out of the pan and run cold water over them until they feel cool to the touch. Alternatively, take the eggs out with a slotted spoon and place them in a large bowl of ice water until cool, about 15 minutes. This ice bath stops the cooking process, giving the eggs a perfectly cooked yolk and making them easier to peel. Store your eggs unpeeled in the fridge in a covered container and eat within 7 days.

How Do You Peel a Hard Boiled Egg?

Once you have your cooked eggs, it's time to peel them. There are a number of different methods to make it easier to peel them, like using salt or vinegar in the water when you're boiling, or using a thumbtack to make a little hole on the bigger end of the egg before boiling.

However, I haven't found that any of these methods make the process much easier, so I stick to the basics for my easy peel hard boiled eggs.

1. The first step in how to make perfect hard boiled eggs is to make sure that they're cool to the touch.
2. Once they are, crack the egg all over by tapping it lightly on the counter. You can also use the back of a spoon for this part.
3. Roll the egg gently between your hands or on the counter to make the egg shell looser, making sure not to press on the egg too hard.
4. Then, peel the egg, starting at the larger end. It's easiest if you hold the egg under cold running water or dip it in a bowl of cold water as you peel. Take the egg shell off, making sure to get all the pieces, and then you're done!

Peeled hard boiled eggs should be eaten within about two days, and are perfect as a low-carb, gluten-free, and calcium-packed snack or appetizer. Some tasty egg recipes to use your hard boiled eggs are deviled eggs, egg salad sandwiches, and Cobb salad.

Here's a list of recipes at Family Fresh Meals.

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