Is there a foolproof way to make hard-boiled eggs?

[skilletlicker]

This is foolproof enough that I haven't found a way to screw it up.

1. Poke a hole in the big end of each shell with a pushpin.
2. Gently lower all the eggs into a pot of boiling water with a slotted spoon.
3. Set a timer for 11 minutes and continue the steady, but not violent, boil.
4. When the alarm goes off move the pot to the sink under a steady stream of cold tap water.

After a couple of minutes, the eggs will be cool and the shells will easily peel starting with the big end. To amuse myself, I see how many shells I can remove in one piece, held together by the membrane betwixt the egg and shell. That's how easy they are to peel.

 

[dragnlaw]

After a couple of minutes, the eggs will be cool and the shells will easily peel starting with the big end. To amuse myself, I see how many shells I can remove in one piece, held together by the membrane betwixt the egg and shell. That's how easy they are to peel.

I use a spoon to slide between egg and membrane.

Roll the egg around to crack the shell
Start at larger air hole end
slide spoon under shell and membrane
try to remove as large a piece as possible!

Makes a tedious job fun!

 

[Jennifer Murphy]

I still steam them, in the Instant Pot, but before I discovered that method (my favorite, creating very easily peeled eggs), steaming was my favorite way, and I used to do it in my bamboo steamers - the best way I found for steaming, especially a large number of eggs.

That's an interesting suggestion. My mom used to have a stove-top pressure cooker about 100 years ago. I didn't know they could steam. How does that work? These new ones look like something I need to have.

I see they come in various sizes. How many eggs can I steam in the 3 qt version vs the 6 qt?

Are these gizmos really as good as the ads claim? I watched a couple of YouTube videos.

Thanks

My mom always put her stove top pressure cooker with the stove on high. Then she would turn it down when it got going. One time, she must have left the room and forgot it. We heard a loud bang and found that the lid had completely blown off and hit the ceiling. I think I was about 10.

 

[Jennifer Murphy]

The best method I've found is using the Instant Pot. Set on pressure cook for four minutes, let them rest for four more minutes, then remove to a bowl of ice water until cool. Pour the water out and shake the bowl to crack the eggs. The shells practically fall off.
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How much control do you have with the IP time?

I used to use an egg steamer, but it had no timer. It came with a little cup to measure the water. The gradations were nearly impossible to read and the lines for runny and hard were less than 1/16" apart.

I have since graduated to my very old Oster steamer. It has a timer, which is much better, but the time is only set in minutes, no seconds. 12 minutes is a little too hard and 11 minutes is a little too soft. I have been fiddling with warming the eggs first, which seems to work, but I'd really like to be able to set it to 11.5 minutes.

 

[GinnyPNW]

I'm a sucker for gadgets...especially ones that make things foolproof. I tend to get distracted easily. Burning buns that were meant to be only toasted in the oven is not uncommon. Sigh. Anyway, years ago, I got a Henrietta Hen Egg Cooker. Worked like a charm. I think it would do 6 or 7 eggs as a time. From soft boiled to hard boiled. It was a little primitive though. It cooked until the water evaporated. You controlled the length of cooking by how much water you added. You did need to poke a hole in the big end.

When Henrietta bit the dust, I got a Chef's Choice Egg Cooker. It will steam up to 7 eggs in the shell or poach 3 in a little divided tray. One just fills the water tray and then sets the time using a slide timer. Presto, easy peel, perfect eggs every time & no need to poke a hole.

I think Chef's Choice is no longer around, but there are many egg cooking gadgets that are similar.

 

[taxlady]

Stove top pressure cookers are much safer nowadays. When you look at the way the lid locks onto the pot, you can see why. I heard a story about a friend of mine. He was pressure cooking an entire chicken. He left the pressure cooker on too long. They heard a noise. The safety valve had blown out and the entire chicken had been extruded out of that little hole. It was all over the ceiling. Some bits were embedded in the ceiling. But, the pressure cooker wasn't damaged. He may have had to buy a new safety valve.

 

[msmofet]

My way for hard-boiled eggs is cold eggs in a pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 7 minutes. Turn heat off and let sit in pot for 2 minutes. Drain and run cold water into pot till eggs are cool to touch. Smack the wide side of each egg on the side of the pot and then give it a couple more taps. Allow eggs to sit in a pot of cold water till cold and peel.

 

[GotGarlic]

How much control do you have with the IP time?



I used to use an egg steamer, but it had no timer. It came with a little cup to measure the water. The gradations were nearly impossible to read and the lines for runny and hard were less than 1/16" apart.



I have since graduated to my very old Oster steamer. It has a timer, which is much better, but the time is only set in minutes, no seconds. 12 minutes is a little too hard and 11 minutes is a little too soft. I have been fiddling with warming the eggs first, which seems to work, but I'd really like to be able to set it to 11.5 minutes.

You set the timer in minutes. You can adjust the doneness by how long you leave them in the pot before opening it.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I'm a sucker for gadgets...especially ones that make things foolproof.

Every time you think you made something foolproof, someone invents a better fool.

 

[karadekoolaid]

No, no and no to everyone.Why? Because that´s how YOUlike your hardboiled eggs. I boil them for 5 minutes, leave them in hot water for 2 more, then stick them in iced water to peel them. That´s how I like them.
The only way Jennifer Murphy is going to get perfect hard-boiled eggs is to put them in cold water, bring to a boil, and then cook for(XXX) minutes; or put them in a steamer and steam for (xxx) minutes.
Jennifer: get the timer out. Use your cellphone or oven timer to mark the exact number of minutes needed for YOUR perfect egg.
What I , or other folks consider perfect, maybe very different for you, so make eggs every day of the week until you nail your perfect egg. It will be worth it!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

No, no and no to everyone.Why? Because that´s how YOUlike your hardboiled eggs. I boil them for 5 minutes, leave them in hot water for 2 more, then stick them in iced water to peel them. That´s how I like them.
The only way Jennifer Murphy is going to get perfect hard-boiled eggs is to put them in cold water, bring to a boil, and then cook for(XXX) minutes; or put them in a steamer and steam for (xxx) minutes.
Jennifer: get the timer out. Use your cellphone or oven timer to mark the exact number of minutes needed for YOUR perfect egg.
What I , or other folks consider perfect, maybe very different for you, so make eggs every day of the week until you nail your perfect egg. It will be worth it!

+1
For soft boiled, on my stove, with my well water, and the pot I like to use, place water into the pot and cover with water until all of the shell is submerged. Tur on heat to medium. When water just starts simmering, cook for 2 minutes, 37 seconds (for extra large eggs) Remove the pot from the water, drain. and fill with cold water after gently crazing the shell. Let sit for 1 minute. The yolk is soft, with firm, but not rubbery white all around. For hard boiled, increase cooking time by 3 minutes. This gives me a yolk that is at that in between stage of hard, and soft, with tender egg white.

For your perfect version of boiled eggs, on you stove, in your favorite pot, just do a bit of experimenting, record the results, and duplicate the technique. You will get perfect eggs every time.

For cooking large numbers of hard boiled eggs, like at Easter, or when making deviled eggs, Place a bunch of eggs gently into a stew pot. Cover with water. Heat until water begins to boil Reduce heat to keep the water just under a boil. Cook for ten minutes. Water doesn't boil until 212' F. Egg starts setting at 170. By cooking this way, the water is still, and doesn't jostle the eggs, and so eliminates cracked shells.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[karadekoolaid]

"For your perfect version of boiled eggs, on you stove, in your favorite pot, just do a bit of experimenting, record the results, and duplicate the technique. You will get perfect eggs every time."

Absolutely, Chief. Just experiment till you get it right!