# ISO help for shelling eggs for egg salad



## legend_018 (May 28, 2007)

I boiled some eggs and let them cool in some cold water. I thought they were cold enuf and they were cool to the touch. I sort of cracked the egg to get it going and the shell sort of split into a million pieces and it was almost impossible to take the shells off. I also notice there was a layer of egg with the bigger shells I did get taking off. I mean all and all I got most of the egg off the shells for the egg salad I'm making for lunches. Wow what a frustrating experience "lol". Does anyone have any hints on taking the shells off of hard boiled eggs?


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## Barb L. (May 28, 2007)

Yes ! don't use real fresh eggs, when I know I have to make deviled eggs, - I will buy them two weeks before I need them.  Son wanted me to make some today,and  I told him I didn't have any older eggs.  Fresh eggs just won't peel for me!


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## Katie H (May 28, 2007)

legend, one of the keys to having the shell come easily off hard-cooked eggs is that it helps if the eggs are at least a week old before they are cooked.

However, I cook eggs even fresher than that by poking a small hole in the large end of the egg with a thumbtack or push pin before I cook them.  The tiny hole helps the shells to come off much more readily after cooking.

Another thing you might want to try is, after the eggs are cooked, roll them gently on a damp towel until the shells are quite uniformly cracked and put them in back in the pan with some cold water for a few minutes.  Then, peel them under the water.


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## legend_018 (May 28, 2007)

hmm interesting. I'll have to give it one of these ideas a try sometime. I do believe these eggs are a week old. Perhaps I will try the hole in the egg method first. Thanks


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## larry_stewart (May 28, 2007)

I guess that explains why my wife cant peel the eggs that we get from our chickens every morning    She would use our own chickens eggs for scrambled eggs, and buy older ones from the store for hard boiling.  Never quite put the thought into its freshness and peeling.  But now i know


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## amber (May 28, 2007)

Dont crack it all over the egg, just try cracking it on one or two areas, then peel. Any remaining bits of shell can easily be washed off.


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## Caine (May 29, 2007)

Peel the egg(s) under running water. The water will work itself under the membrane holding the shell to the egg and make it easier to peel off. In fact, it will come off in big sections, along with the membrane.


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## CharlieD (May 29, 2007)

I also crack the eggs very slightly on the biger end. Just kind of hit on the corner of the kitchen cabinet. Works wonders every time.


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## sparrowgrass (May 29, 2007)

Larry, I have chickens, and I have discovered a few things about boiling "real" eggs.

First, wash them.  Even if they aren't dirty, wash them, because fresh eggs have a coating on them from the hen that keeps the contents from evaporating.  (Store bought eggs are already washed.)

Second, keep them at least a week--two is better.

My mom says she leaves hers out on the counter overnight before boiling as well.  (And, no, you won't die of food poisoning if you leave your eggs on the counter.  In Europe, eggs are not refrigerated, and the Europeans are not dropping like flies from food poisoning.)


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## PytnPlace (May 29, 2007)

O.K.  YOu're gonna think I'm nuts, but someone told me to salt the water the eggs are boiling in.  Now I put a nice dose of kosher salt into the water.  The only time the shells have stuck is when I have forgotten the salt!


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## callie (May 29, 2007)

Pytn, I do the same. I was told that adding salt to the water helps to get the shell off easily and adding vinegar to the water keeps the eggs "together" in case they crack while boiling.


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## CharlieD (May 30, 2007)

Actually the salt thing has nothing to do with shelling. It does the same thing vinegar would. keeps eg "together", nothing else.


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## PytnPlace (May 30, 2007)

All that I know is that my egg shells come off easily when I salt the H20 and when I forget to salt the water the shell stick in an annoying way.


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## larry_stewart (May 30, 2007)

Sparrow,
Thanks for the info.  I always wash the eggs anyway after I collect them ( considering where they came from :p ).  Also, sometimes I dont collect them everyday, so they do sit outside, and were not dying here in New York either.   I will try the letting sit for a week or 2 so they are not as ' fresh' to see if it works.  I have nothing to lose, and plenty of eggs to experiment with.  What is strange, is that we have 2 varieties of chickens.  One has brown eggs, the other blue.  And it seems the browns are easier to peel than the blue.  Anyway, thanks again,

larry


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## legend_018 (Jun 1, 2007)

I just accidently came across this site when I was looking at some julia child stories.

RecipeSource: The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg


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## Andy M. (Jun 1, 2007)

Julia had more than one method.  I have a version from a magaxzine article where she tells you to fill the pan with hot tap water, bring to a boil for 10 minutes.


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