How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs the Easy Way (original) (raw)

Emily Laurae

1. Cover eggs with cool water:

Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover them with cool water by 1 inch.
Emily Laurae
Use a pan that can hold all the eggs you want to hard boil comfortably, without crowding them. 2. ### Bring eggs to boil:
Slowly bring water to a boil over medium heat; when the water has reached a boil, cover and remove from heat. Let sit 12 minutes.
Emily Laurae 3. ### Run under cool water:
Transfer eggs to a colander; place under cool running water to stop the cooking.
Emily Laurae
Don’t skip running the eggs under cold water, this important step stops the eggs from cooking and is key to avoiding overcooked eggs. 4. ### Peel eggs:
Tap the top and bottom of the egg on a board or countertop and then gently roll the egg with the palm of your hand to begin to crack the shell.
Emily Laurae 5. ### Cut eggs and serve:
Halve the eggs or slice them and serve.

Emily Laurae

The Right Way to Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs

If you use our technique, which cooks the eggs gently, they should be easier to peel than eggs that are hard-boiled for their entire cooking time. Here's how we peel them:

Step 1: Place the hard-boiled egg on your work surface and roll it under your palm to crack the shell. Use gentle pressure to avoid marring the egg white.

Step 2: Hold the egg under cold running water, and start peeling at the large end to get under the membrane where the air sac grants a little access.

If you are peeling a large number of hard-boiled eggs, a bowl of water is more effective—and eco-friendly—than running water. Fill a medium bowl with cool water, then crack the shell gently on a work surface or on the inside of the bowl under the surface of the water. Peel each egg individually under the water, letting the shells fall into the bowl as you work.

How to Store Hard-Boiled Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container and will keep for up to one week. To ensure the eggs stay fresh, wait until they have cooled completely before storing. We also recommend peeling them before storing as the eggs are easier to peel when they are first cooked rather than after they have been chilled in the refrigerator. Hard-boiled eggs should not be frozen.

Recipes That Use Hard-Boiled Eggs

• Classic Deviled Eggs
• Martha's Favorite Egg Salad Sandwich
• Martha's Favorite Potato Salad
• Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs
• Deviled Egg Potato Salad

Frequently Asked Questions

• We like to boil up to a dozen eggs at one time. Even if we only plan to use a couple of eggs, we often boil more so we have them on hand for a healthy snack.
• Yes, if you have an Instant Pot you can use it to make hard-boiled eggs because the eggs come out tender and easy to peel. Use our recipe as your guide.
• The best way to tell if hard-boiled eggs are done is to use a timer. There are various hacks about spinning eggs or shining a flashlight into the eggs to see if they are done, but none of these tricks work. Timing how long the eggs are in the cooking water for is much the best way to tell if they are done.
• A hard-boiled egg can sit out for no longer than two hours. If you have hard-boiled eggs that are out of the refrigerator for longer than that time, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says they are no longer safe. This two-hour window is the safety point for many foods, not only hard-boiled eggs.