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21 Comments
Peggy
June 1, 2019
I boiled atwo dozen eggs, all but three had such a thin layer of egg white that the yolk was exposed after peeling . Ideas??
Ann H.
June 2, 2019
These thin walls of egg white means the eggs were left in one position too long, and the egg yolk "floated" towards the top. (Well, the egg yolk should be more dense than albumin, but I think this is because of those little stringy connectors you see when you break open an egg.)
The easy way to deal with this is to take the time and position the eggs one way (pointy end down) for a day then flip 180 degrees. Do this a few times with the last one being just 4-5 hours or so. Steam your eggs which is the best way to peel them without problems (NOT kidding! I've spent a lifetime figuring this out!). You would get the yolks to be almost floating in the middle.
The Japanese constantly stir eggs with cooking chopsticks while boiling to prevent this, too. I hate steaming the pores on my face, so I do it the other way.
The easy way to deal with this is to take the time and position the eggs one way (pointy end down) for a day then flip 180 degrees. Do this a few times with the last one being just 4-5 hours or so. Steam your eggs which is the best way to peel them without problems (NOT kidding! I've spent a lifetime figuring this out!). You would get the yolks to be almost floating in the middle.
The Japanese constantly stir eggs with cooking chopsticks while boiling to prevent this, too. I hate steaming the pores on my face, so I do it the other way.
Laura
March 30, 2019
I work in a nursing home and some of my patients get hard boiled eggs for breakfast. When I crack n peel them a lot of times I notice that they don’t have a flat side and that look fake. Is that normal???
Colleen
February 12, 2018
Here's a problem I've not seen anywhere. I've been making hard cooked eggs my whole life (I'm 52!) with no problems, and I am not picky. I don't care about rubbery whites or a green ring, all I care about is a solidly cooked egg, and I routinely leave that thing on to boil for a good 20 minutes just to be sure. Recently, even that does not guarantee a fully cooked yolk, and I can't figure out what is going on. I can only imagine it has something to do with the eggs I'm buying from Trader Joe's. They're free range but I have purchased free range from other places and not had this issue. How is it even possible to boil an egg for that long and not get a cooked yolk?
kschurms
July 17, 2017
There are obviously many ways to get a "perfect" egg per the comments below. I did find that the 10 mins + ice bath yielded perfect eggs for me, and even though they were fresh, were relatively easy to peel. That'll be my go to method from now on!
Daniel B.
June 1, 2017
If you cant hard boil an egg, you weird teenagers shoud return those stolen credit cards to their owners and walk in to the sea, never to purchase kitchen products again.
Edward K.
May 31, 2017
You will never have trouble peeling a cooled hardboiled egg again if you ordered The Negg. I ordered mine from a site called The Grommet. Works every time like a charm. Just did 12 deviled eggs and all perfect. Check it out.
karen
May 31, 2017
Peelable eggs are at least 2, amd preferably3 weeks out from under the hen. Anything fresher is a nightmare to peel.
btglenn
May 31, 2017
The recipe doesn't mentions egg size. large eggs take less time than extra large or Jumbo.
Ann H.
May 31, 2017
If you want perfectly peeled hard-boiled eggs but with the minimum of fuss (the above ritual is way too complicated), STEAM YOUR EGGS! I've used the Cuisinart egg steamer, even a rice cooker with a steamer basket. Not only do I get PERFECTLY peeled eggs right after steaming, I can even peel them perfectly after them being in the refrigerator for a few days.
AntoniaJames
May 24, 2017
It might be interesting to see how these tests fare starting from the premise that the eggs are to be "hard cooked", not "hard boiled." I seem to remember learning years ago -- from one of my mother's early 20th century French resources, if I'm not mistaken -- that keeping the water temperature below the boil yields better results. I could not confirm that original source, but did see that this authority concurs: http://www.marthastewart.com/338760/foolproof-hard-cooked-eggs
On another note - this recipe offers a nice way to use a hard cooked egg with an overcooked yolk: https://food52.com/recipes/4765-haricots-verts-a-la-dijonnaise In fact, that yolk, pushed through a fine mesh strainer, can be used to thicken up (give more body to) and add a touch of flavor to any vinaigrette. ;o)
On another note - this recipe offers a nice way to use a hard cooked egg with an overcooked yolk: https://food52.com/recipes/4765-haricots-verts-a-la-dijonnaise In fact, that yolk, pushed through a fine mesh strainer, can be used to thicken up (give more body to) and add a touch of flavor to any vinaigrette. ;o)
Barb
May 31, 2017
I bring the water to a rolling boil, add slightly warmed eggs and take the pot off the heat and slap a lid on it. Wait exactly 14 mins for large eggs, then pour off the water and ice bath them. I never actually boil the. Perfect eggs.
Kate
May 22, 2017
I've been steaming my eggs in a pot with an inch of boiling water and placing the eggs in a strainer. Cover the pot. 8 minutes and tou have a deliciously runny center. 11 munutes for a perfect hard boiled. I like this method because the small amount of water is boiling in no time and I have complete control over the timing.
Korena V.
May 22, 2017
I also steam my eggs for the same reasons you mention here, only I put them straight in the water once it has boiled (no strainer), cover, and turn down the heat to the barest simmer. The shells ALWAYS (like, 100% of the time) come off cleanly and easily for me with this method, no matter how fresh the eggs. Highly recommend!
SandyToes
June 4, 2017
I used to steam mine, too (thanks, Kenji), and they were always perfect, and a bit easier to peel. Then I bought a pressure cooker. Now they're perfectly pressure-steamed every single time and peel like nobody's business.
Ginny S.
May 22, 2017
I routinely make my hard boiled eggs in a pressure cooker. 6 minutes under pressure, release and place in an ice bath. I like my yolks cooked through, so this timing is perfect. The added benefit is that eggs cooked in a PC are *ALWAYS* easy to peel. Truth.
BerryBaby
May 22, 2017
I start mine in cold water, bring to a boil, turn off heat and move pan off hot surface, after two minutes drain off water, let eggs sit in pan another minute, cover eggs with cold water, peel, perfect.
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