Hard-boiled eggs are never not delicious. They're budget-friendly, easy to make, and
can be the perfect snack whether you're at home or on the go. If you're having trouble
perfecting your hard-boiled eggs, don't fret: With these expert tips, the ideal hard-boiled
egg is just minutes away!
Eggs need room to boil. The size of pot you use should provide them with enough space.
Don't cram too many eggs into a tiny pot, as this can lead to issues.
If the pot is too crowded, the eggs might cook unevenly, which is far from ideal. Eggs
also might cook unevenly if the pot is too small… or if the eggs aren't fully submerged
in the water.
And If the pot is over-crowded, there's a higher chance that your eggs could crack.
That's not something you want until after your eggs have been boiled.
You can keep 'em bottled up, but they will come out, Michael. Sometimes, in the most
unexpected -- Hey where the f--- are my hard-boiled eggs?"
Making hard-boiled eggs is a science. The details matter, so keep time and temperature
in mind. It can literally make or break your hard-boiled eggs.
Devan Cameron, chef and owner of Braised & Deglazed, told Mashed:
"Large eggs need 12 minutes of cooking in boiling water if they're cold from the fridge,
and 11 minutes if they're at room temperature. Small eggs will only need 10 minutes of boiling
to be effectively hard-boiled."
And that's after your water is already boiling. In fact, some chefs suggest bringing the water
to a boil before adding the eggs.
According to Cameron, this is especially effective when you cook your eggs in bigger batches.
He told Mashed,
"I once worked with a chef who put about 100 eggs in a very large pot of cold water, brought
it to a boil and then set the timer for 12 minutes. This was a huge mistake because,
by the time the water came up to a boil, the eggs were already overcooked."
If you don't want to wait for your water to boil before dropping your eggs in, consider
this method.
Gently place the eggs into the pan… then add cold water before bringing the pan to
a boil. Palak Patel, chef at the Institute of Culinary Education, tells Mashed.
"Cold water is key to making sure the water comes to a boil [in] approximately 8 to 10
minutes, for cooking hard-boiled eggs consistently. You want a gentle boil, as a hard, rolling
boil can crack the eggs before they are set,"
Also, be sure to check eggs for small cracks that can expand in the water. Once the water
is boiling, remove the pot and cover it with a lid. Set your timer for 10 minutes as soon
as you see the water is boiling. To loosen the shells, Patel recommends draining the
water and rolling the eggs in the pot. Then, place eggs in a cold ice bath for 15 minutes.
As Patel says,
"Cooling down the eggs in an ice bath helps keep the yolk golden and makes peeling a lot
easier."
Patel also offers this advice: Once the eggs are boiled, start peeling at the wide end
of the egg near the air pocket... and work up to remove the shell in large pieces.
It may seem counterintuitive, but fresh eggs aren't necessarily the best choice for boiling.
Old eggs work better because the pH level changes as the eggs get older, making them
easier to peel.
The best thing you can do is let your fresh batch of eggs sit in the fridge for a bit.
As Devan Cameron told Mashed:
"Age your eggs for about one week, as long as it's not past the expiration date, and
this will make them much easier to peel."
Of course, don't let your eggs age past the expiration date. Always pay attention to labels!
Recently, people have taken to cooking their eggs in an air fryer — with no water at
all.
In case you don't know, an air fryer works much like a convection oven... no stove required.
It's used to fry everything from french fries to onion einfa, but it can also be used to
make hard-boiled eggs.
The hack first emerged on TikTok and involves placing eggs in your air fryer and setting
the appliance to 250 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes. After that, the eggs are
placed in an ice-water bath, which makes peeling the eggs much easier.
Once you're done, you should have perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs… they won't be dry
or overcooked or rubbery. Sound too good to be true? It's not.
You can also make hard-boiled eggs in an Instant Pot. Jessica Randhawa, head chef and creator
behind The Forked Spoon, told Mashed,
"If I had to pick one way to cook boiled eggs for the rest of my life, Instant Pot hard-boiled
eggs would be it."
Her reasoning boils down to presentation: When you use an Instant Pot, the eggshells
don't stick to the egg. Never — not once! As Randhawa explains it:
"With a silicon instant pot stackable egg rack, you can make perfect hard-boiled eggs
in bulk, perfect for deviled egg appetizers."
We'll definitely be trying out this technique… and so should you. Who doesn't love a deviled
egg every once in a while?
"...That's good."
"I don't think there's been a better use of deviled eggs in CULINARY HISTORY!"
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