Nothing beats a perfectly boiled
egg. But, short of sacrificing an egg and cracking it open, it can be difficult to know when your egg is perfectly cooked. Rest assured, we have a few tricks to get you that perfect hard-boiled texture without tearing apart the cooked whites. Whether you’re looking for an easy breakfast or to perfect this Easter dinner essential, keep reading on to learn how to ace every step:
The best method for making hard-boiled eggs:
We’ve got three options. First, you can’t go wrong with the classic boiling. Your eggs will be done in around 12 minutes, and it’s the tried-and-true method for many. But, if you want to skip waiting on that second boil, you can also steam your eggs. Fill a large pot with 1/2″ water and bring to a boil over high heat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, gently lower eggs, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Steam eggs, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a simmer, for 12 minutes, then shock and peel as directed in the instructions below.
Can’t get enough of the air fryer? You can also make our air fryer hard boiled eggs! Cook, then shock in ice water as described below.
Top tips for making perfect hard-boiled eggs:
— Old eggs vs. fresh eggs. You may have heard that using older eggs makes peeling a breeze, but there really isn’t a difference. As long as you stick with one of our two cooking methods (see below), the shells should slip off pretty easily.
— Don’t start off with cold water. The cold water method (submerge eggs in a pot with cold water, bring to a boil then cover) is a recipe for disaster. The only thing it will ensure is that your eggs will stick to their shells.
— Set a timer. This tip is an absolute MUST. With hard-boiling eggs, unlike cooking just about anything else, there are no sensory cues for doneness—set your timer to ensure you’re not overcooking.
— How long to cook your hard-boiled eggs. For us, 12 minutes was the perfect amount of time for hard-boiled egg perfection. If you prefer jammy yolks, checkout our soft-boiled eggs recipe.
—Shock ‘em. As soon as your timer goes off, transfer your eggs to an ice water bath. Shocking the eggs for about 5-10 minutes helps halt carryover cooking.
— How to peel your hard-boiled eggs. Using the back of a spoon, tap each egg, making sure to tap all over shell. Alternatively, you can tap and roll the eggs on a counter; keep in mind not to tap the eggs too hard. Return cracked eggs to ice water and let sit at least 5 minutes, then peel your eggs under a thin stream of cool running water.
Serving ideas for hard-boiled eggs:
Once you’ve mastered your hard-boiled eggs, there are countless options for how to serve them. Enjoy them on their own as an addition to your healthy breakfast or quick lunch, or use them in your egg salad, Cobb salad, perfect deviled eggs, or Niçoise salad.
Storage:
Once your eggs are cooked, refrigerate them in their shells in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Peeled eggs will last about 1 day refrigerated.
Used these tips to boil your eggs? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!