# Question about a problem with Hard Boiled Eggs



## spidey (Apr 30, 2005)

Recently I hard boiled a couple dozen eggs.  A few days later, when we began eating these eggs that had been refrigerated, I noticed that about half of the eggs were discolored between the egg and shell, and smelled bad.

I cooked all the eggs together, THE SAME WAY!  (put them in a bowl with an inch of water over the top, and then on the stove brought the water to a boil, turned it down to a simmer, and let them go for 18 minutes, before running cold water over them).

Does anyone have an idea, why some eggs turned out fine, and others got spoiled?  If any of the eggs had a crack in their shell, they turned out to be spoiled, but some eggs with no crack in their shell were also spoiled.

Thanks!

Spidey


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## kitchenelf (Apr 30, 2005)

I'm definately not an egg afficionada spidey - sometimes when eggs are cooked too long they will have a layer of green under the shell - it doesn't mean they are bad - they just turned green.  And eggs don't smell good anyway when peeled IMHO.  I'm going to take a guess that depending on how old the eggs were maybe letting them sit in the fridge for 3 days was a bit too long.  Three days is really pushing it.  My best guess, until someone smarter comes along is 3 days was just too long.  Could be that some of the eggs that were smelling worse were older eggs anyway which reduced the life of them after they were boiled.


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## GB (Apr 30, 2005)

I do not eat eggs so I can't be a lot of help, but Kitchenelfs ideas make a lot of sense to me. I am sure more people will pop in and give additional ideas as well.

I have moved this to the Eggs, Cheese, and Dairy forum so that it will get move people to look at it.


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## amber (Apr 30, 2005)

There are two ways to make hard boiled eggs, one is to put a pot of water on and then add the eggs before the water comes to a boil, and cook for about 15 minutes I think.  I am more of the other version, I add my eggs once the water is boiling, I use a teaspoon to place the eggs in the water, then cook for 25 minutes.  Mine always come out yellow, no green usually.  I then cool then in cold water, and peel them and use them almost immediately. Even if I have an egg crack while boiling, it doesnt usually come out green, it just gets the white part bubbled up around the crack.


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## auntdot (Apr 30, 2005)

First of all Spidey, welcome aboard.  I think you'll find us a friendly and hopefully informative lot.  

But I fear you have come up with a poser here.

Frankly cannot stand hard boiled eggs.  If there is a he!! (they hate us using that word on this forum, people are very polite here) there will be waiters carrying fancy trays serving nothing but hard boiled eggs.  Blechhhh.

But I will make them for others, even though I cannot stand the smell. 

And think I make a pretty good deviled egg.

I know there are many ways to boil the suckers. I usually put them in a pot, bring it to a boil, shut off the burner and leave them covered for fifteen minutes or so.  Then I shock them.

Boiling eggs for fifteen minutes to me seems a bit extreme, just my humble opinion, but I  assume you are an old hand at boiling eggs and this is a first.

All I can suppose is that you got a batch of bad eggs.

Not much help I know but until someone comes up with a better suggestion that is all I can come up with.

Again welcome to the site and hope we see more of you.


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## kitchenelf (Apr 30, 2005)

I put my eggs in cold water with water to cover spidey just like you did.  Once the water comes to a boil I turn the burner off, cover the pan and set the timer for 15 minutes.  We sure are helpful aren't we?  We just don't know how to "fix" your eggs!  

OOPS - EDITED to say Aunt Dot's method is the same as mine - I should read before I post!


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## licia (Apr 30, 2005)

The method in the last two posts is what I use also. I almost never have any discolorazation of the eggs. I always keep my eggs in the cartons in which they come and use them well before the expiration date - using the older ones for boiling so they will peel easy and the newest ones for all other purposes.


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## Andy M. (Apr 30, 2005)

I also think the problem is that the eggs were overcooked.  Overcooked eggs will have the greenish tint on the outside of the yolk and will smell bad (bit actually are not).

As to why some were like this and some were not... I can't say.  Perhaps some eggs can stand overcooking better than others.


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## Shunka (May 1, 2005)

I have to say that you got some bad eggs in that batch. Older eggs are better to hard boil but they should not turn out the way they did on you. I really think that even if you had not boiled the bad ones, you would have found out those eggs were bad.


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## Heat (May 1, 2005)

*Hey Spidey welcome!!*

I have the Perfet way to boil eggs! I was telling Atomic Jed how i cooked boiled eggs. He said i make the perfect egg you ought to try it this way!  So, i did! So much easier and perfect! So, hes the Man to ask Hahahahaha. I cant give you his technique. Cause it might be a secret technique. But, im sure he will Give everyone his technique  if ya ask nicely!!!. I will tell him about this thread for you, just in case he doesnt see it. (He Da' Man!)


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