Hard boiled eggs question

[JBurke]

Silly question, I know, but why is it when I make hard boiled eggs sometimes it is so hard to peel the shell off and sometimes it isnt.

I boiled some this week and each day at lunch I am having the hardest time peeling off the shell. It keeps sticking to the egg and I end up pulling half the egg white off!

What am I doing wrong when I boil them that makes them so hard to peel??

 

[PlutosFriend]

Silly question, I know, but why is it when I make hard boiled eggs sometimes it is so hard to peel the shell off and sometimes it isnt.

I boiled some this week and each day at lunch I am having the hardest time peeling off the shell. It keeps sticking to the egg and I end up pulling half the egg white off!

What am I doing wrong when I boil them that makes them so hard to peel??

Oh let me first start off by saying "hellooo Chris "
OK, back to eggs.....
I wish I really knew the answer to this question too!
Someone told me that "fresher" eggs are the reason. Not sure if this is true or not? I have the same issue at times. So is your boiling technique always the same?

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Extremely fresh eggs are not recommended when making hard-boiled eggs. They are very difficult to peel.
To prevent this, use eggs that are a week to 10 days old. Older eggs have a different pH from new eggs, which affects peeling. Cooling eggs immediately after cooking in an ice bath makes them easier to peel.

 

[PlutosFriend]

Extremely fresh eggs are not recommended when making hard-boiled eggs. They are very difficult to peel.
To prevent this, use eggs that are a week to 10 days old. Older eggs have a different pH from new eggs, which affects peeling. Cooling eggs immediately after cooking in an ice bath makes them easier to peel.

Oh wow! So this IS true!!!

 

[mylightshines]

I was told that if you put a little salt in the water that they won't crack!!!

 

[solferino]

We have chickens and peeling fresh eggs that have been hard-boiled is almost impossible.

I have found that breaking them at the fat end where the air bubble is helps, if you kind of smash that part in first and then gently roll the rest of the shell to break it up makes it a little bit easier and less of the white is broken off.

Speaking of which, I need to go visit the girls and get eggs.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

No grey-green yellows...

Place the eggs in a pot of cold water and add a teaspoon of salt. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and remove from heat and let sit for 11 to 13 minutes (depending on your doneness preference). Drain the eggs and immediately place in an ice bath until completely cooled. Drain and enjoy your perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

Cover the pot and remove from heat and let sit for 11 to 13 minutes (depending on your doneness preference).

Wow, I never heard to remove from heat. I usually let them keep boiling for 15 minutes and then put them in an ice bath. I will have to try this!!

 

[Dodie]

Extremely fresh eggs are not recommended when making hard-boiled eggs. They are very difficult to peel.
To prevent this, use eggs that are a week to 10 days old. Older eggs have a different pH from new eggs, which affects peeling. Cooling eggs immediately after cooking in an ice bath makes them easier to peel.

Yeah. I was going to say everything that DisneyDmbNut said.

 

[ndelaware]

Alton just did a show on boiling eggs and that is exactly the method he recommends.

 

[JennyMominRI]

The bring it to a boil, turn it off and let it sit method is used in restaurants and it is how we did it in the military

 

[cybrkitn]

No grey-green yellows...

Place the eggs in a pot of cold water and add a teaspoon of salt. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and remove from heat and let sit for 11 to 13 minutes (depending on your doneness preference). Drain the eggs and immediately place in an ice bath until completely cooled. Drain and enjoy your perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs.

I don't cook with salt, so I'm wondering if adding it would get into the egg?

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Alton just did a show on boiling egss and that is exactly the method he recommends.

He has a great book..I think it is called "I'm just here for the food"..big book..I love it!!

and yes..

sadly...

I watch WAYYYYYY too much Food Network...I am in a 12 step program!

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I don't cook with salt, so I'm wondering if adding it would get into the egg?

I don't think so..I am pretty sure water molecules can't penetrate the surface of the egg..

 

[Banshee]

Yep the fresher the egg the harder to peel. We have chickies too that give us big beautiful brown eggs but you can't peel them. If I need hard boiled eggs in a pinch I go to the store and get some.

 

[PlutosFriend]

No grey-green yellows...

Place the eggs in a pot of cold water and add a teaspoon of salt. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and remove from heat and let sit for 11 to 13 minutes (depending on your doneness preference). Drain the eggs and immediately place in an ice bath until completely cooled. Drain and enjoy your perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs.

Wow! Such useful egg information I hate the ugly grey-green yolks