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perfect hard boiled eggs (easy peeling)

(6 ratings)
Recipe by
Marcia McCance
Stone Mountain, GA

I've always loved hard boiled eggs. You can do so many things with them. They are low carb, healthy and filling all by themselves with a little salt and pepper. I love deviled eggs, egg salad, and tuna with egg salad and now pimiento cheese spread with eggs, too! I've also started using the "cage free" eggs which have a more colorful yellow, stronger white, and more vitamins. My only problem: how to peel them without loosing pieces of the egg that get stuck to the shell. I found the answer!! It is baking soda!!

(6 ratings)
method Stove Top

Ingredients For perfect hard boiled eggs (easy peeling)

  • 10
    whole eggs
  • 1
    pot of water (just enough to cover the eggs)
  • 1 Tbsp
    baking soda

How To Make perfect hard boiled eggs (easy peeling)

  • 1
    Put about 3 fingers of water into the pan.
  • 2
    Measure 1 Tbls baking soda into the water and stir to dissolve
  • 3
    Gently place eggs in the water. As you place your eggs in the water the level of the water will get deeper. (You may need to reposition one or two so they are under water.) When you have placed your last egg in the water check the level to make sure the eggs are covered. If not, add more water. If there is more than 1/4 inch of water above the eggs, pour out a little. There is no need to spend time boiling water you don't need. This water level works with this cooking time.
  • 4
    Place the pan on the burner and turn the heat to high. Set the timer for 15 minutes. (15-18 minutes if the eggs are extra large.) Let it come to a rolling boil and turn down a little if it is too vigorous but keep it boiling until the timer goes off.
  • 5
    When the timer goes off, take the pan to the sink and turn on the cold water into the pan letting it overflow into the sink until you've exchanged the hot water for cold. Test with your finger: when the water is cold, turn off the tap.
  • 6
    The eggs will still be hot, so be careful.
  • 7
    Let them sit about five minutes in the cold water and then you can begin peeling your warm eggs.
  • 8
    If you follow these cooking and cooling methods you will never get "green eggs" again. They will always be perfectly cooked with perfect yellows. And the baking soda will allow them to peel perfectly, too.
  • 9
    One thing... The baking soda worked very well when I was peeling the warm eggs. It also worked well after the eggs has been stored in the fridge for a few hours. BUT... it did not work so well after the eggs had been stored in their shells for more than six hours. After that length of time they seem to be a little stuck to the eggs again, so peel them when they are warm and store them in zip lock bags or covered dish for later use. If you want them to keep their shape, put them in a bowl of cold water (enough so they float) and cover with saran wrap and place in the fridge. This way they float in the water and when you pull them out they will still be egg shaped.
  • 10
    One more thing: using the baking soda does add a tiny little bit of "saltiness" to the eggs so use less salt than usual when preparing your dishes.
  • 11
    Found this interesting note on the internet. I have not tried it, but am always fascinated by other people's methods: Joan V Whiteman · Melbourne Beach, Florida Gourmet restaurants cook eggs on the stove, pour in cold water, clamp on the lid and shake vigorously. The shells fall off. Saves power too as they only cook 10-15 mins, only 10 if you start with boiling water.
  • 12
    I am grateful for the information that was posted at this web site: http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/blogs/use-baking-soda-for-easy-to-peel-hard-boiled-eggs
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