# Peeling hard boiled eggs without peeling



## Phil (Nov 20, 2008)

Hi folks. I'ts been too long since I've posted but it's never too late. I hard boiled eggs this past summer for an outdoor party and killed eight guests via food poisioning. I'm kidding, of course. Anyway, I stood for what seemed like hours peeling the suckers. I don't remember this being so difficult. My better half said that it is the age of the egg that determines the ease in peeling. The older the egg, the easier it peels. A few weeks ago I used some older eggs, same process of cooking, and they did peel easier. However, no restaurant does this and I was wondering what you folks do to make peeling easier. Then I found this...How to “Peel” Hard-Boiled Eggs Without Peeling
Do you believe this? I haven't tried it but it's amazing. Just don't tell your guests what you did.


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## mcnerd (Nov 20, 2008)

I think that is where the nickname "Blow Hard" came from. 

Sorry but that method was supposed to be the deepest of dark secrets, so now we must ........

Actually with mine since I already had a pin hole made on the end before cooking, is just crack the other side and then blow from the pin hole.


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## sparrowgrass (Nov 20, 2008)

I hope restaurants don't do it that way--I think the health department might fuss.


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## Chef_Jacob (Nov 20, 2008)

Phil said:


> My better half said that it is the age of the egg that determines the ease in peeling. The older the egg, the easier it peels. A few weeks ago I used some older eggs, same process of cooking, and they did peel easier.



Your wife was right. A fresh egg has a lower albumen PH than an older egg, which causes the albumen to adhere more to the shell than to itself. However, after the eggs haves been allowed to age for at least a couple of days, their PH raises to around 9.2, which makes them a lot easier to peel.

When restaurants receive eggs, they are normally already a couple days old, giving them enough time to peel easily. Plus, peeling eggs and other menial tasks are how dish washers and prep cooks get their foot in the door. 

By the way,  some people will add baking soda to their egg water to make the water more alkaline, which in turn will raise the PH of the eggs and make them easier to peel. Although this works, sodium bicarbonate will intensify the "sulfury" smell and flavor or your hard boiled eggs.


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## CharlieD (Nov 20, 2008)

Crack the egg ever so slightly before putting into the water. Perfect result is guaranteed.


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## Mama (Nov 20, 2008)

You just learn the darndest things here!


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## sattie (Nov 20, 2008)

Hey Phil... just wanted to say welcome back!  It has been a long time!


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## LPBeier (Nov 20, 2008)

Okay, I worked at a summer camp where we cooked for 600 per meal.  We would make egg salad and would use them in other salads and dishes as well.  When you are peeling that many eggs you want to have an easy method of peeling and food safe regulations would not allow your wonderful technique.

I learned many things cooking at that camp, but I think one of the handiest was how to peel an egg.  Crack it and insert a normal teaspoon between the egg and the shell and just move it around until the peel is all off.  The shape of the spoon is just perfect and it works every time!  Not as fun as blowing it off, but a little healthier!


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## mcnerd (Nov 20, 2008)

Hmmmm, maybe someone should invent a (sterile) pressure gun that could replace the mouth to shoot the egg out.  I can see it now....college students shooting boiled eggs in to each other's mouths.


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## JohnL (Nov 20, 2008)

I'm another fan of using older eggs. After boiling, I drain the eggs and crack them a bit, then cover them in cold water. When they are cool, I gently roll them between my hands to loosten the shell and then peel them under running water. Usually work well, but I still get some tough ones now and then.


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## Michael in FtW (Nov 20, 2008)

I do it the way my grandmas did - which is the just about the way Jukia Child said to do it ... put the room temp eggs into a pot and cover with cold water - boil - when done drain the hot water, roll the eggs around in the pot to crack them, then cover with cold water until the eggs are cold. Then I roll them on the counter to crack the shells some more and peel under running water. Better than 90% success rate. I always use eggs that ar at least 7-10 days old - fresher eggs cause problems.

But - for those who want a tool to shoot the egg out of the shell for you:

The Instant Egg Peeler hooks to your faucet:








And, there is the amazing Eggstractor Egg Peeler!


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## LPBeier (Nov 20, 2008)

Thanks, Michael, but I will stick to my spoon!


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## Phil (Nov 21, 2008)

*Eggs in summer.....*



LPBeier said:


> Thanks, Michael, but I will stick to my spoon!


While I'll certainly give the spoon a try, (works great on alvocado halves, BTW), I couldn't help but laugh at the egg salad at summer camp from your first post. Our summers are so hot here in Dallas, I think there is a law against egg salad in the summer. Thanks for the tip.
Phil


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## VeraBlue (Nov 21, 2008)

I boil the eggs, dump out the hot water and vigorously shake the eggs around in the empty pot, cracking the shells.  Then, I add ice and cold water and let them chill a bit.  I peel them under slowly running water, using the slight pressure of the water to separate the shell from the egg.   I've managed to peel hundreds of eggs (for work) in very little time.


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## LPBeier (Nov 21, 2008)

Phil said:


> While I'll certainly give the spoon a try, (works great on alvocado halves, BTW), I couldn't help but laugh at the egg salad at summer camp from your first post. Our summers are so hot here in Dallas, I think there is a law against egg salad in the summer. Thanks for the tip.
> Phil



Actually, Phil, we didn't make egg salad for 600, I used it for my vegetarians (who would eat eggs) on sandwich days and I had it on my cart in a bowl of ice and only ever made enough for the meal....oh, and myself.  You get so tired of the food because you serve the same meals every week that you end up finding something you like an eating it.  For me it was egg salad, no bread!

We did hard boil eggs a lot though through out the summer and somehow I got the wonderful job of peeling them.


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